Families are built around children and love. Oma (Penny), brought her deep love and care to this family--something for which we will all be forever grateful. Love becomes ingrained when it's practiced often and laced with tradition. It's become our Christmas tradition to make and decorate Christmas cookies. The recipe is below, you'll need to provide your own family and love...
1/3 cup soft butter or lard
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup honey
1 tsp. lemon flavoring
2 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Mix butter or lard, sugar, egg, honey and flavoring thoroughly. Measure flour by dip-level-pour method or by sifting. Blend flour, soda, and salt; stir into wet ingredients. Chill for at least an hour.
Heat oven to 375F.
Roll dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes (cookie cutters are helpful!). Place 1 in. apart of a lightly greased (use butter or lard) baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 min.
When cool, ice and decorate as desired.
Makes about 5 dozen 2 1/2 in. cookies.
For "Easy Creamy Icing";
Blend 1 cup sifted confectioners sugar, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. vanilla or other flavoring (lemon, almond, peppermint, etc.) and enough liquid to make it easy to spread (about 1 tbsp. water or 1 1/2 tbsp. cream). Tint, if desired, with a few drops of food coloring. Spread on cookies with spatula or pastry brush.
Usually this is an all-day job for the whole crew. Have available, on the table, shredded coconut (hair or snow), chocolate and other "sprinkles", and anything else you might like on your cookies. Although I like mine plain, Tammy and some of the others have made some real masterpieces...
Above all, have fun!