:: perfect bridal or baby shower cookie ::

Tonight I'd like to publicly thank my "cookies-in-the-oven guardian angel." Really, she protects me sometimes from cookie disasters, and this morning she was especially vigilant. Not once, but twice, she nudged me to the oven to get the cookies out. Now you'd think that if it were an important occasion with a tight time schedule, I'd be sitting next to the oven making sure I didn't burn the cookies. But this morning I was extra-distracted and in a bit of a hurry. The cookies were baking, and I was wrapping a gift. And then it hit me...OHHH the cookies. I ran to the oven and, whew, they were just fine.


Why, you ask, don't you just put on the timer? I DO set the timer, in fact I set two timers. But, my oven timer makes one little blip which I never hear over the radio or if I'm in another room. And the second timer has this unnoticeable start button which I always forget to push. So, hats off to the cookie angel.

Below is the recipe for Meltaways - the perfect shower cookie! You can also click here for the Almond Cookie recipe which I also made for the shower and colored pink - so very baby girly.

Oh, and I need to mention that the baby shower was wonderful. It was for my sister's daughter-in-law Nikki who is due to have a little baby girl at the end of this month. My sister put together wonderful refreshments - all pink food! It was so cute - watermelon, red grapes, strawberries. Pink cookies - my almond cookies and the meltaways. Mer made trifle with lots of fat (dark pink) raspberries on top and pink jello cake. There was pink fruity slush and pink animal cookies. Oh, and don't forget the pink ice cream sandwiches and pink creamie popsicles.
(Thanks to jjbd_photo on photobucket for her cookie photo - I didn't even think to take one.)

Meltaways
from Scott's sister, Mary Savage
2 cubes butter
3/4 cup cornstarch
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 cup flour or a bit more if needed
1/8 tsp. salt
Put it all in the mixer and beat together until well blended, but not too long. (If the dough seems dry and crumbly, the cookies will crumble, so you need to add a bit of warm water. If it's too creamy-thin you need to add a bit of flour. It needs to be a consistency that you can scoop it up with a tablespoon and roll it around on the palms of your hands into a small ball.

Make balls - they look better if small, about the size of walnuts. Press each ball gently with two fingers.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. (Set the timer.)

Cool and frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting - or if you're in a huge hurry and are sick to death of cookies, then use Betty Crocker Soft Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting. This recipe will make about 35 cookies depending on size.