Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Sugar Cookies and Happy Thoughts

These vintage hankies are some of my favorites. Just look at the detail of handwork on the fine linen cloth. I can NEVER imagine using these for their intended purpose. I think that Valentine's Day may be my favorite holiday. I love all the color and sweet wishes.

This is one of my favorite pedestal bowls. It came from my husband's grandmother. It is so special to me.
I've used it for many things from candles to candy. But today it has another purpose to fulfill.
It is the support for the beautiful platter that holds the sugar cookies that I'm inviting you over to share for Valentine's Day.
On Valentine's Day we hear a lot about the love between yourself and someone special, but I believe Valentine's Day can serve another purpose too. Use that day to reflect on how much God loves you. His love is ultimate Love. You are worth it! On Valentine's Day let others know how much they mean to you. And celebrate yourself! Read your favorite book. Take a nap. Write a discouraged friend an encouraging letter. But whatever you do...don't forget to drop by "A Romantic Porch" for Sugar Cookies and Happy Thoughts.


Sugar Cookie Cutouts
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 c. (2 sticks) softened butter or margarine
2 t. vanilla
1 egg
2 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
Beat powdered sugar and butter on low speed or with spoon until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla and egg. Stir in flour and baking soda.
COVER and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Divide dough in half. Roll each half to 1/4" thick on lightly floured surface.
Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. At this point, if cookies will not be frosted, sprinkle with sugar and bake on ungreased cookie sheet with cookies about 2" apart.
Bake at 375 degrees for 7 minutes OR until edges are lightly brown. In my oven, 7 minutes makes the cookie very toasty and crunchy. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
My Icing!
I melted a stick of butter, poured quite alot of vanilla into it, then sprinkled powdered sugar into it. Sorry, I don't know how much. I just did it until I had the consistency I wanted. Then after searching high and low through about 6 green, 7 blue and 8 or 10 yellow food coloring bottles, (approximate estimates only, and MAYBE slightly exaggerated) I realized that I really had bequeathed the last remaining drops of red food coloring to the hummingbird feeder back in September. SO..........what to do, what to do!!?? I HAD to have pink icing...right NOW! Ah yes, the snow cone syrup! Yeah, it's red cherry! At last, after adding the amount of red cherry snow cone syrup that I needed to get the color I wanted, I had PINK icing. I hope your as happy with whatever icing your choose to use as I am!
Sssssssshhhhhhhhhh! Don't tell my sweeties. I'm going to try to make another batch and add cocoa powder to the flour. (reminder to self: call Donnie to see how much cocoa powder would work!) I will bake them for 5 minutes to see if I can achieve a softer texture. Then I will try my hand at making chocolate heart shaped ice cream sandwiches. I'm so excited to try this. So glad you asked, of course, I would love to show you a picture!...if they turn out that is!
Joy, I hope you are having an over the top Happy Birthday today!
Love, Rachel


27 comments:

Nora Lee said...

Such a beautiful display! I love the bowl and the cookies! Thanks for sharing.

Sandra

Anonymous said...

Oh, how sweet!!! Your hankies, cookies and display are beautiful! I love how you've used the pedestal bowl to display the platter! CLEVER! And the little guy and gal are adorable! Thank you for the idea! I hadn't thought of baking heart cookies, and now that you've invited us over to share yours, I want to bake some to share with friends here. Thank you so much for your sweet idea! Now I'm off to find a recipe! I'm enjoying your cookies already! Have a fun day!

Angela said...

Very universal in deed!! :-). Those cookies look scrumptious too. I love the hankies. I love hanging them draped over one another as a valance:-).
Have a wonderful day!!!

Anonymous said...

Dear Rachel,
Beautiful display of all your pretty things. Thanks for the delicious cookies. I think I will drop in and have several today! The thoughtful remarks about God's love being the ultimate love is so good and true. It is felt any and all times.
Have a beautiful day. Love you, Donnie

A Romantic Porch said...

Anny, I will add the recipe just for you. It was the easiest cutout cookie recipe I have ever done! Enjoy! xo Rachel

Hope said...

Rachel, I love those vintage hankies. My mother always carried one and I remember her using it on my nose when I was little! :) My daddy always carried the big white ones for men!

I love the bowl and the way you used it to display those yummy looking cookies! Thanks for thinking of your blog friends this way. Sugar cookies and happy thoughts..I like that!

Hugs,
Hope

Ronda said...

The vintage hankies are so pretty...I agree...Can't imagine actually using them other than for display! Your cookies look yummy and are displayed so beautifully! (I'll be right over...I can already taste them!..smile)Thanks for your sweet comments on my blog! You are such a dear! Hope that you are having a great day!

Tracie~MyPetiteMaison said...

Hi Rachel~
I agree with you, we should make every single day special. Those cookies sure look delicious - I'll be right over to have a couple.

The vintage hankies are beautiful.
xoxo~Tracie

Anonymous said...

HI RACHEL, THE HANKIES REMIND ME OF MOTHER. THE COOKIES LOOK DELICIOUS. THANKS FOR THE INVITE FOR THURSDAY. KEITH

Adrienne said...

Those cookies are wonderful! Thank you for inviting me to share them with you. What a pretty way to present them. I love vintage hankies. The milkglass bowl is so nice. It has so many uses.

Thank you for stopping by my blog and for leaving your sweet comments. We had a wonderful time at the beach to celebrate my dear mother's birthday. She enjoyed every minute of the weekend. Please stop by again soon.
~Adrienne~

The Going Blog said...

Mmm..I'll be right over :) Sarah Brooke was asking about the hankies that I got from my Grandma and what they were for. I think she was a little grossed out.

Farrah said...

Yummy eye cookies! They are delicious! Thank you! But if several people stop by several times, are you sure there will be enough to go around? Hee-hee!

Rose of Sharon said...

What cute decorations! Your cookies look so good! The hankies are so pretty too, they are so delicate and beautiful!

:0) Sharon

Anonymous said...

Your hankies are just beautiful - I love vintage linens of all kinds. The bowl is pretty too and I like it paired with the platter.

Thanks for the cookies!
Manuela

Karla Cook @ Roads to Everywhere said...

We are making cookies like that today, too. We're using my mother-in-law's recipe for the cookies, and I was planning to make cream cheese frosting. However, I just discovered we're out of cream cheese so I came to take a quick squint at your icing recipe. Let's see... yep, we have butter and powdered sugar and vanilla... and I b'lieve we even have some cherry snow cone syrup! That oughta be tasty!

Rushing off to get the cookies finished before time for Bible study...

Anonymous said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am so excited! I was elated when I checked back in and saw you'd added the recipe for the sugar cookies! That is really kind of you! Thank you so much! Now, off to the kitchen!

Anonymous said...

What a lovely post! It matches you! Thank you for sharing the cookies! That's fun!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! The cookies, hankies, presentation - and especially the thoughts! Thank you for sharing both your love and God's love with us! You're way special!

Love you, Esther

Dori Overman said...

those look divine! I wish I could taste them!

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

Such a pretty display! Bring your cookies over to my cupcake party I just posted! I'll have two Valentine posts.

What are the names of your Kim Anderson figurines? Mine is "We've Only Just Begun" 1997.

Katherine

Mommy said...

How I *wish* I could come over for some cookies. They look oh so delicious. ;-)

I *love* that bowl too! Such a soft and Creamy color. It looks so unique. :)

A Romantic Porch said...

Katherine, I have 5 Kim Anderson figurines. They are very special to me. Sometime I will take pictures of all of them and share them with you!

Tara said...

Wow, I think this recipe sounds great and the display is lucious! Thanks for the invite to share! So gracious and kind!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Love the hankies! And those cookies look yummy. I hope your Valentines Day is filled with sweetness and love!
Penny

danasmith said...

Love your Blog....I just found it! I'm going to add that recipe to collection....it looks yummy!!!
I plan to visit often!
Dana Smith
www.TheThingsILove.typepad.com

Vintage Rose Collection said...

Yummy post, can't wait to try the cookie recipe...
Happy Valentine's Day Rachel :)
Jo-Anne

CIELO said...

Good morning Rachel! Such a beautiful display! I love everything I see here.... May you have a wonderful blessed day!

"Love is a portion of the soul itself,
and it is of the same nature as the
celestial breathing of the atmosphere of paradise."

Cielo