A Fun Family Event

I requested that we do something fun this week and so today, we spent the whole afternoon making cookies for our neighbors. We live in an apartment and have one neighbor connected to us. We then have a neighbor behind us and seven neighbors across the street in my dad's 8plex. We have more neighbors but those are the ones we know the most and who we decided to make cookies for. Our neighbors tend to be without alot of family because they are military or some other job has brought them to our neighbor. It really is a blessing to have so many neighbors.

Here are the pictures from our fun day. We made about 12 dozen cookies and one giant mess! Dylan and I worked as a team, I gathered and measured all the ingredients and he mixed it all together. We then split the job of putting the cookies on the cookie sheets. We even got Gracie involved rolling out cookie dough! After all of the pictures, you will find the recipes for all the yummy cookies we made.

Working hard

Gracie loved making cookies!

The end result. Our neighbors enjoyed the quick visit and enjoyed getting the cookies. We had a lot of fun making them and sharing them with others. It was a great opportunity to show them that we care. There were even a few that we hadn't met yet so it was fun to meet new neighbors and see their surprise when they received cookies. We had a lot of smiles and of course, Gracie was well thanked for her hard work. :-)

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup Butter Shortening
• 1/2 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Sugar
• 48 foil-wrapped milk chocolate pieces, unwrapped

Directions:
1. HEAT oven to 375°F.
2. CREAM together shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar and 1/2 cup sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Beat well.
3. STIR together flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Beat on low speed until stiff dough forms.
4. SHAPE into 1-inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
5. BAKE 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
6. TOP each cookie immediately with an unwrapped chocolate piece, pressing down firmly so that cookie cracks around edge. Remove from cookie sheets to cool.

Yield: 4 Dozen Cookies

Sour Cream Cutouts
From Taste of Home

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cans (16 ounces each) vanilla frosting
Gel food coloring of your choice

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Tint some of the frosting with food coloring; decorate cookies as desired.

Yield: about 6-1/2 dozen.