Snow Days

Brrr… it's been so cold the last several days.  Yowzas CO-HOLD!!!!  The kids had an extended winter break and we embraced the time that we had together indoors by playing games, watching movies, baking cookies, and bringing the outside in.  No need for hats, mittens and scarves when these snowflake sugar cookies make it look like it's snowing inside too!

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe

2 sticks unsalted butter

2/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/3 cups all purpose flour

In your Kitchen Aid mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together butter and sugar.  Add egg, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and flour.  On slow, stir together ingredients just until combined.  Roll the dough 1/4 inch thick between 2 pieces of parchment paper and let it rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.  Cut shapes and bake in 350 degree oven for 6-8 minutes or until the edges begin to turn light brown. Remove and cool on baking rack.

Royal Icing 

3 egg whites
4 cups powdered sugar

In the Kitchen Aid fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until almost frothy.  Add in the powdered sugar and whisk on slow until smooth.  You may need to add more or less powdered sugar or water to achieve desired thickness.  Microwave for approx 40 seconds until the icing is hot to the touch-this will kill any bacteria in the egg white.  For sugar cookies, you want the icing to be thin enough that it will fall back on itself and smooth itself out, but not too thin so it will run off of the cookie.

These snowflake cookies are a huge hit on a snowy day.

Too cold to be out so we brought the snow inside.  We use mixing bowls, cups of various sizes, spoons, dinosaurs, race cars, Big Bird and of course Elmo to make our snow more fun.

So sad to see our break come to an end. Tomorrow they will be back to school.  Although, we will always remember that the 2014 Polar Vortex meant that we got to stay in our pjs all day and play with snow inside. We snuggled with fuzzy blankets and watched movies and popped popcorn. We made hot chocolate with candy toppings. We did puzzles and played games. We baked brownies and made cookies. These are the moments that we remember for a lifetime. Moments that go much too fast but are forever etched in our minds.