Cookie Medicine

Today is a stormy, rainy, cold day.  I always want to bake cookies on days like this.  It makes the house smell good, it cheers everybody up, and we have delicious snacks all day!  My two little helpers (ages 1 & 2) will, of course, be assisting in the mixing process.  I love baking with my grandchildren as I did my children.

One very special memory that stands out from my lifetime is of baking sugar cookies with my brother.  When I was in second grade, I was very ill.  I had 3 day measles, red measles, and scarlet fever.  Back in those days, that meant I had to be in a completely dark room all the time.  My momma did my schooling, so I did not get behind (I was actually ahead of my class when I went back to school after 2+ months!)  I had a little record player  and a radio in the room with me, and lots of family "company" when I was awake.

After some time had passed and I was well on the road to recovery, Momma left me with my brother while she went to run errands.  Of course, I had no idea what he was doing; but soon found out that he had been making and rolling out cookie dough.  I will never forget him coming into my room, putting a blindfold on me, and taking me to the kitchen.  He sat me on a stool at the kitchen counter and gave me a cookie cutter.  I blindly felt the rolled out dough and cut out cookies.  He baked the cookies and we had them with milk back in my dark room.  It was my first time out of that room in almost 2 months and I will never forget it.  My big brother is somebody special and I'm thankful for him and his tender heart.

The kiddies and I did not make sugar cookies today, but see my previous post on teacakes for an excellent recipe.  Today we made M & M cookies, got flour all over the kitchen, licked the beater, and had a good time!!

M & M Cookies
1 - 1# pkg M & M's
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans, if desired

Chop up 1 1/2 cups of the candy.  Stir together flour, soda & salt.  Cream butter and sugars until fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.  Beat in flour.  Add chopped candy and nuts.  Drop by spoonful onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 6 or 7 minutes.  Remove, put on candy and return to bake until brown (another couple of minutes).  Makes about 5 dozen.