Sugar Cookies....Sort of

Madalyn came to visit today, which was a perfect reason to make cookies. She's been waiting to make them since Christmas, about two years ago, and is all about being in charge of frosting. Or sprinkles, she isn't picky. She is also dying to decorate a gingerbread house, which, should stars, space-time continuums and schedules align, we should hopefully do this December.

As Katie (my sister) and I have had plans to make tons of Christmas cookies practically since birth, we tend to go a little overboard buying supplies every holiday season. "Red and green sprinkles? Yes, please!" "Multi-colored sanding sugars? Don't mind if I do!" "Edible glitter?!?! Where can we find this greatest invention of the last 1200 years?" This extends to cookie mixes. We have quite a few. So many, one might think we are rolling in dough (*snicker*) every weekend, cookies up to at least our ankles. Truth is, they are pretty much just taking up prime cabinet real estate. Enter Mady.

Now, our grand cookie plans would have been much, much grander if A) there had been any clean, unoccupied counter space in the kitchen at the time and B) my parents ever kept real butter in the fridge. I have to work with what I've got, because I'm pretty sure it's in the Bible, if you promise to make cookies with a 4 year old, and then don't, you're going to hell. I'm not an expert, but if it's also a meme, it must be true. Right? Armed with our pack of sugar cookie mix, we headed to the fridge to make our fortunes cookies. I have seen many times on Pinterest, in magazines, and just online in general, you can substitute healthy things for fats/eggs in baking. I have used applesauce in brownies previously, to pretty decent results (unless your name is Brian and you have a sugar problem), so I decided today was the day I use Greek yogurt to replace butter. And now that I think about it, I think yogurt might be one of the suggestions to replace eggs, not butter, and these cookies call for butter, not eggs, so possible oops on my part. But what is baking without throwing a little caution to the wind, and throwing a little yogurt into your cookie dough? I'm not entirely sure. Ignore the rhetorical lady on the laptop.

Yogurt Sugar Cookies
1 package Betty Crocker Sugar cookie mix (the smaller package, possibly also labeled "snack size")
1/4 cup Greek yogurt (I used honey Greek, Greek Gods brand)
2 TBSP water

Preheat oven to 375F.
Mix all ingredients until well incorporated. Lightly grease a cookie sheet (or use tinfoil without it) and drop by rough tablespoon sized blobbys (trust me, they will be blobbys! This is not a firm, roll-out-and-cut kind of dough!) Add sprinkles, if desired. Bake 8-10 minutes. Et voila, sugar cookies. Sort of. Yield varies.

One day, I will have a nicer camera. But I love how festive the sprinkles are and how they pair nicely with the plate. Kind of reminds me of the circus. But way nicer, no animals were harmed during the making of these cookies. Except Ralph. His tail got in the way of my foot. Sorry, Ralphie!

Note the biscuit-like texture. The too-brown bottom. The unpolished sausage fingers. 

Verdict? If you are looking for a pretty cookie, move along, bub. If you are looking for the next taste sensation, take a hike. If you want a cookie that is also kind of like a biscuit, in that it is light and fluffy, and not super sweet, welcome home! You are among friends. I would also say they have a somewhat toothsome bite. These cookies remind me a little of those frosted sugar cookies you can get at any Wal Mart- they are light, soft, slightly dense somehow, but not as crumbly (not that those WMSCs are crumbly, just slightly more so than these.) They do get way browner on the bottoms than the tops, which led my mom to claim they were under baked. I think she's ready for Shady Pines, she claims everything is either undercooked, under baked, still mooing, not enough mayo...it's never right. But she also never cooks, so I'm curious where her frame of reference hails from. I would make these again if I had no butter but did have yogurt. If you have ever dreamed that you, too, could have a cookie that was also like a biscuit (and you aren't confusing American and British versions of the word) then try these! A pretty decent little cookie for when you kind of feel like having a cookie. Sort of.

Pretty Nifty Books #1, Toad Cottages and Shooting Stars

I love this book. Which might be amusing to some, as it is marketed to grandmas, and I am merely an aunt. The official title may actually even be "Grandma's Bag of Tricks: Toad Cottages..." Now, I DO have somewhat granny taste in some things, such as clothing, hobbies, clip art and such, so books are no different.

Image from Amazon. Obviously. 

The author, Sharon Lovejoy, is a grandmother, has written quite a few books about gardening (my favorite being "Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots," which is for kids, but I tend to like kiddish things!) but you need not be a child, a grandmother, or even an accomplished gardener to enjoy her books. My nieces are currently 4 years and almost 2 months, and I know I will get a lot of use out of this book, at least from the eldest, Madalyn, who loves being outside. Kaitlyn has a while to make up her mind regarding the great outdoors :)

With chapters ranging from setting up your house for kids, learning about nature, cooking, gardening and things to do on rainy days, there is no shortage of "things to do" within this book. Best of all, you need not have tons of money to do them. You needn't also be a grandparent or live in the country- I think some things could be adapted, for instance, if you have no room to garden, but do have access to a farmer's market, voila, instant garden. Nature walks can happen in city parks. Your imagination is the only limit.

The book is currently on Amazon going for $10.97, but I found my copy at B-A-M for a whopping $3.97, on one of those clearance tables. And don't forget to check your local library! I also wholeheartedly recommend "Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots," and will say I look forward to building a Sunflower house, solely because of that book.