Bring on the Cookies

I think I mentioned I "gave up sweets for Lent." I'm relatively new to this Lenten sacrificing. In fact, this is the first time I have ever done it. When I told my dad I gave up sweets, he told me he gave up riding elephants. He might be having an easier time of it than I right about now.

Sweets are on my mind a lot. Most of the time in fact. I have deciphered the exact sweet I find most appealing: Cookies. They are pretty much the perfect food. Easy to eat, easy to make with all the ingredients almost always on hand, cheap to buy if you don't feel like making them, and small enough that if eaten in moderation (like only one) not too bad on the calorie front. But if left to my own devices, and with cookies on the counter, I could easily polish off a few dozen without even blinking an eye. No joke. And they don't even really have to be tasty ones. The giant pack of vanilla and chocolate wafers stuffed with sugar and partially hydrogenated oil (they call it icing) are just fine. And you can get a package of those at your local giant retailer for about $1.49!

This brings me to cookie recipes. I love cookie recipes. There are so many out there to choose from and I don't think I've ever seen one that doesn't show promise. But there are some I won't bother to even try: the ones that say "Yield: 2 dozen cookies." COME ON! Why even dirty the cookie sheet for that? 24 measly cookies are gone before the oven cools around here. What with each kid having to sample them to "be sure they aren't poison" and the natural need to sample one from each row of each sheet, I mean we need 5 dozen minimum to make it worth the effort!

Here is one of my favorites. It's my mom's recipe and it is YUMMY!! I better head to the store to get some more butter. I allow myself one day of dispensation each week when I can eat sweets. Saturday is my day. And it's coming up.

Swedish Butter Cookies
(Makes about 5 1/2 dozen)

4 cups flour
2 t baking powder
2 cups butter (no wonder they're so good)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 t vanilla
About 65 almonds (like a 2.5 oz pkg)

Preheat oven to 325.

Sift flour and baking powder. Cream in butter, sugar, and vanilla. Form into 60-70 small balls and flatten on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Press 1 nut into the center of each flattened cookie.

Bake 18-20 minutes.
Enjoy!