Sugar Cookies with Frosting

I wanted to make Layla sugar cookies like my Grandma Darlene and Aunt Lois used to make. But, no one seems to be able to find/remember that recipe...so... off to the internet I went. I knew the frosting only had 4 ingredients so I went looking for it first. I found this frosting listed several places in the exact same quantities...so we tried that. The sugar cookie recipe is the one I found with the least amount of ingredients, for no other reason then cookies should be simple and pure and light and not filled with random stuff and random steps. It was also listed in several places so I figure it's gotta be good.

Take 1/2 c butter (1 stick), 1 c sugar and 2 eggs and cream them together in your mixer (or by hand). Sift together 2 c flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda...then slowly add it to your mixer until well combined with wet ingredients. Add 1/2 tsp vanilla and 2 TBSP milk. Chill 30 minutes. Roll out on a well powdered surface until 1/4 inch thick. (It took a lot of flour the dough was still very sticky)

Cut with cookie cutters, cook 8 to 10 minutes @ 375 degrees. Let cool on rack.

Frosting: Combine 1/4 c butter, 2 c powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 TBSP milk. Divide in half, if desired, and add food coloring (4 drops) to each half to make 2 colors. I made one color so I did 8 drops into the mixer of green.

Frost cooled cookies and top with sprinkles.

Also, honestly, this was a little thick so next time I will probably pipe it instead of spreading it, but it still tastes yummy.

Gerty's Divinity Recipe

(this picture was taken from the internet, thanks)

4 cups sugar
1 cup Karo (white)
3/4 cup cold water
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 cups chopped pecans

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir only until sugar has dissolved. Do not stir after this point. Cook syrup mixture bringing it to a hard ball stage.

While the syrup is cooking, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Once the sugar mixture reaches 250 degrees F, carefully pour a slow steady stream of syrup into the stiffly beaten egg whites, beating constantly at high speed. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until mixture holds its shape, approximately 5 minutes. Stir in pecans.

Using 2 spoons, drop the divinity onto waxed paper. Cool the candies on racks completely.

Penny's Popcorn Cake

INGREDIENTS
4 quarts popped popcorn
1 pound candy-coated chocolate pieces
1 cup peanuts
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter
1 pound marshmallows (or half marshmallows and half caramels)

DIRECTIONS

Mix popcorn, M&Ms, and peanuts in large bowl.

Heat oil, butter, and marshmallows in pan until melted. Pour over popcorn and blend together with heavy spoon or hands.

Spray Bundt cake pan with vegetable spray. Press mixture lightly into pan and refrigerate until cool.

To remove cake from pan, put pan in warm water, then turn upside down until cake comes out.

Grandma Cindy's Penuche

1 lb. (2 1/4 c.) firmly packed light brown sugar

3/4 c. milk

1/8 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tbsp. butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Combine sugar, milk and salt in thick saucepan. Place over moderate heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Cook without stirring until candy reaches 238 degrees. Or soft ball stage. Remove from heat.

Add butter or stick butter without stirring. Cool to 110 degrees lukewarm.

Add extract and nuts, stir continuously until thick and creamy. Turn into buttered

pan at once when firm cut into squares.

Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls

2 c. peanut butter

1 lb. powdered sugar

1 stick butter

3 c. Rise Krispies

Mix well. Make into small balls. Chill thoroughly.

In top of double boiler melt:

1 (6 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips

1/8 cake paraffin

Dip balls in chocolate and chill.

Fudge with Pecans

4 c. sugar

1 stick (1/2 c.) unsalted butter, cut into bits

12 oz. can (1 1/2 c.) evaporated milk or sweetened condensed milk

1 lb. bar Hershey's milk chocolate, broken into pieces

2 c. (12 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips

2 c. marshmallow creme

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

pecans

In a large heavy kettle, combine the sugar, butter and the milk and cook the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, until it comes to a full boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove the kettle from the heat, stir in quickly the milk chocolate, the chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, vanilla and the salt, and stir the mixture until it is combined thoroughly. Fold in pecans.

Pour the mixture into a greased pan. Refrigerate until firm and then cut into pieces.

Makes about 5 pounds soft, creamy fudge.