FALL IN VERMONT

The leaves are at their peak in Grand Isle. Beautiful yellow colors on our maple trees, not much red but beautiful just the same. Most of our garden has been harvested except beets and carrots. They can remain in the ground until it snows. At that point, if you place straw or leaves on the plants to protect them from the cold temperatures, they can be harvested until the ground begins to freeze. Today was cookie baking day. The children and I made dazzling sugar cookies and frosted them with a colorful glaze. We chose to cut our cookies in maple leaf shapes and paint them with brilliant fall colors.(Pictures of the sugar cookie leaves can be found on our website www.mykidskitchen.vpweb.com) The children enjoyed rolling out the dough and painting each cook as though it were a master piece. As their mom, I agree each cookie is a work of art and they were spectacular. The best recipe we have found for our sugar cookies is as follows: Sugar Cookie Recipe 1 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1 egg 2 3/4 cup flour 2 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon vanilla Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together in a standing mixer. Add the egg, until mixer is blended. Add vanilla, and flour until mixer forms into a ball. Turn mixer out onto a floured surface. Roll out dough and cut shapes accordingly. Place on a non-greased cookie sheet and bake for 12 -15 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.