Dec. 5th

Okay so the kids are totally getting into this and it's been totally fun for me too! 

Each night before bed they remind me to make the clue so it's ready for them when they get up. (I was late on Saturday) They have been really great sports even though they haven't been 100% interested in all the activities. (Emma is getting a little old to sit in bed and watch cartoons but she never complained. Andrew said the gingerbread house wasn't something he really wanted to try but he liked putting the candy on.) I hope to make this an annual tradition.

Paul loves spritz cookies but I am cookie press challenged so I don't make them often. Last night while I was digging around in the cupboard I found my cookie press. I knew we wanted to make cookies tonight and you do get a lot with spritz so it seemed like a good option. 

I had it out on the counter since last night. The kids were so intrigued by this new contraption. They couldn't figure out what it was. They guessed it was a thermos, an air gun, a Lucky Charm shooter, a pepper grinder. They had all sort of crazy guesses. Finally we told them what it was. Emma and I made the dough together and then we all worked on pressing the cookies.

They both tried it with some luck. 

After a while we got on a roll  and they were coming out really well. Then it was time to switch tips and add more dough. We had to call Paul in to help. He is more patient than I am with this sort of thing.

Angelee do you see yourself back there? David and Nancy your card is on the door too!

We made three sheets of cookies. They were very shortbread like. They were yummy but not the way I remembered spritz tasting. 

Here is the recipe. (If life gets too hectic this month this will also be my new recipe for the month LOL!) I got it off of allrecipes.com. 

Buttery Spritz Cookies

             Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Food coloring

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and extracts. Combine the flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Tint with food coloring if desired.
2. Using a cookie press fitted with the disk of your choice, press dough 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Top with colored sugar and decorating candies if desired. Bake at 375 degrees F for 6-8 minutes or until set (do not brown). Remove to wire racks to cool.