Leon County Cooks: Visions of sugar plums danced in their heads

Sarah (standing in chair) and Hannah Matney baked Christmas cookies wearing the aprons they made earlier this year. Sherry’s Shots This week is our special Christmas issue which features Santa letters and Christmas stories of family and friends so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to use two of my granddaughters as this week’s cooks.

Hannah and Sarah Matney enjoy helping in the kitchen and have become very good at baking bread. For fun the girls and their brothers made and decorated sugar cookies which they packed in tins and delivered to friends.

Hannah is ten and loves to read, sing and play the piano. Sarah, eight, is a ball of energy and enjoys the same activities as her sister. Both girls enjoy living in the country and have learned to fish and hunt. The girls and I take great pleasure in playing spades against their brothers and PaPaw. It seems we win a lot.

The finished product. Sherry’s Shots One project that the girls completed earlier this year was to make aprons to wear when they cook. The aprons were the first garments either girl had made and they did a beautiful job. We are hoping to begin another sewing project after the holidays.

The recipes Hannah and Sarah used for their sugar cookies are simple, delicious and pretty.
Sugar Cookies
1 ½ cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar

4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder 1 tsp
salt

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and chill dough for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roll out dough on floured surface ¼ to ½ inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.
Creamy Icing
1 cup sifted confectioners’
sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ sp vanilla extract
1 ½ tablespoons heavy cream
3 drops food coloring

Blend sugar, salt and flavoring. Add cream or water to make it easy to spread. Makes enough icing for 3 to 5 dozen cookies.