A late (and maybe petty) Christmas miracle

If you know me, like for real, or if you've been around here long, you've gathered that I don't cook much. It's not because I can't, it's because it's generally a waste of time in our house. (Now that I think about it, Friday I made sloppy joes for lunch and lasagna for dinner, and M ate both! That's a very impressive day in our house.) I do felt like I've lost alot of whatever skills I might have had 10 years ago, kind of a "use it or lose it" situation. It just seems when I try things lately, rarely do I have success.

Not sure why, but I've been in the mood for sugar cookies lately. They are not my favorite cookie, but still... they're yummy. I made some last week, but the recipe was apparently too healthy for it's own good, and they were marginal at best. Last night, I wanted them again. (Thankfully, weight gain hasn't been an issue with this pregnancy...update here if you missed it.) So I looked online for a recipe that looked better and decided on one. I'm sure it is good just as it is... but here's the cool part. I made some changes, partially because of ingredient availability and partially because it sounded good and made sense to tweak a little. What? Did I really say that? I made changes to a recipe for something? That just never happens anymore... but the MORE awesome part is that they ROCK!!! I'm so excited that they turned out well, and exactly like I hoped they would.

Here's the finished product. I'm no food photographer, that's for sure. (There is a combo of white sugar and red and green sugar crystals on top. I know...I'm late for Christmas cookies. Who cares, though?? Cookies!) They are soft and chewy cookies, no chilling or rolling out dough. Nice and simple.


Here's the recipe as I actually made them. I'm calling it mine because there are several changes to the one I looked up online. And since it kind of fits, I'm calling them RK's Sweet Cravings Sugar Cookies. Surely someone's up for a trial run at some sugar cookies, right?? Try it out and let me know how it goes for you!!

RK's Sweet Cravings Sugar Cookies
2/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter, room temp/softened
1/3 cup margerine
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 tablespoons brown 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 topping (can use colored crystals if desired)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, margerine, shortening, brown sugar and white sugar. Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, stir into the creamed mixture until dough comes together. Roll dough into medium-sized balls and pat slightly to form cookie. Dip one side of cookie in topping sugar and/or crystals. Place them on parchment paper on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart with the bare side down.
3. Bake cookies 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottom is barely golden. Cookies may not look completely done on top. Allow to stay on cookie sheet for about 6 minutes. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.