February 15, 2010

Kids in the Kitchen - Sugar Cookies


Hubby is working long hours this week, so I decided we would fill the time with baking! Although E is reading at a second grade level, her math skills are not as advanced, so I am exploring ways of incorporating math into everyday routines. Baking is a great exercise in mathematics (explaining why so many of my culinary creations go wrong)!

Before we jump into the kitchen, let me introduce you to a book that is as sweet as its title:


Sugar Cookies: Sweet Little Lessons on Love by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Sugar Cookies: Sweet Little Lessons on LoveI ran into this treasure at Barnes and Noble yesterday and my husband literally had to  pry it out of my fingers. The book is a dictionary of sorts, defining words you desperately want your children to understand and emulate: honesty, courage, trustworthy, loyalty, etc. These character traits are brilliantly explained in terms of sugar cookies; for example, "COMPASSIONATE means that when you burn the cookies to a crisp, I'll be there to give you a hug." There are beautiful scenarios for each of the words, accompanied by illustrations as light and sweet as an oven-warmed cookie.

The third in a series, Sugar Cookies is my favorite: a wonderful follow-up to Valentine's Day and an equally good introduction to quality character traits.

The book includes a recipe for iced sugar cookies (of course), but I was in the mood for the soft, doughy kind. Here is the recipe we followed from All Recipes:

Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and sugar. Measuring out ingredients is a great way to work on counting and fractions. I'll admit it, it took me a minute to figure out how to get 2/3 cup butter out of two sticks.

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3. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Let your child break open the eggs... or in the case of my little don't-want-to-get-my-hands-dirty, just break.

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4. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture until dough comes together. Who are we kidding? Throw into the cuisinart and push "on".

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5. Roll dough into walnut sized balls and roll the balls in sugar. Place them on an unprepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. These cookies do not spread very much, so if you would like flatter cookies, butter the flat bottom of a drinking glass and use to gently press each ball of dough. And don't forget to snap a quick photo of your ridiculously cute baby balanced precariously on the countertop!

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6. Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottom is light brown. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks. Sorry, but I simply must show off the apron my SIL made me!

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7. If you'd like, you can roll the tops of the balls in sprinkles before baking. Enjoy!

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9 comments:

  1. Love the photostyling of your pics! So cute! I think I need that book; it sounds fab.

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  2. I am jealous of your apron! (Gag- I wish I could SEW!)

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  3. We're making these for Family Night tonight!

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  4. I love the sound of that book thank you for sharing.

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  5. Thanks for the shout-out! Cute picture of Adelaide. I may have to check out that book.

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  6. I just came upon your blog and LOVE IT! Having been a 1st grade teacher before motherhood, I love children's literature and incorporating activities to go with it. Great ideas, girl! Love everything about it. I will be coming back. :)

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  7. what a great idea! the cookies look so good too.

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  8. My principal read "Cookies" by the same author during our first faculty meeting of the school year. I adore AKR's work, and we own several of her books already. I'll have to check out Sugar Cookies. Seems like a great book to own!

    P.S. Send me some cookies, kay? :)

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  9. I pulled up this recipe to make snacks for my daughter's soccer team. Then I thought to check to see if our new library system has it...because we moved a while ago and our old one didn't...yeah! They've got several cookie books by the same author. They're filling up our hold list now. :) Hope YOUR move is going well.

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