Blogs

Quick links
Turn on suggestions Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type.
Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type.
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Do you mean 
Jill_Bauer

Valentine's Day Sour Cream Cookies and DIY Mason Jar Treats

by on ‎02-12-2018 03:47 PM

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! What do you have planned for your sweetheart? Small gifts are a nice way to let someone know you care. When it comes to roses or chocolate, I vote roses—and I don’t need dozens! I think one beautiful rose says it as loudly as many. I still can remember one of the most interesting Valentine’s Day gifts I ever received—a serenade by a barbershop quartet! My husband Doug arranged for them to come to the restaurant where we were having dinner. Needless to say, I was totally shocked!

 

That said, I think Valentine’s Day took on more meaning for me when I became a parent. I enjoy helping the kids pick out the perfect valentines card and out every one together with a candy treat. I love the heart stickers and lace doilies that we use to decorate their Valentines mailbox for school. Most importantly, I try to teach them it’s a day that reminds us to be kind and loving towards others.

 

One Valentine’s Day tradition my family has is decorating heart-shaped cookies. I use my Sour Cream Sugar Cookies recipe, and then we all decorate a pile of cookies and give them to one another. Trevor usually douses his in thick frosting topped off with tons of sprinkles, while Kylie gets a little more creative and makes all kinds of pretty patterns on hers. Doug likes to make faces out of candy on his. Me? I always keep mine simple. Try it for yourself this year—it’s never too late to start a new tradition!

 

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

 

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

 

Ingredients:



    • 2 cups sugar

 

    • 1 cup shortening

 

    • 1 cup sour cream

 

    • 2 eggs

 

    • 1 tsp vanilla

 

    • 5 cups flour

 

    • 1 tsp baking soda

 

    • 1 tsp baking powder

 

    • ½ tsp salt

 

    • ½ tsp cream of tartar

 

    • Powdered sugar, for rolling dough



 Directions:



    1. Preheat oven to 375°F.

 

    1. Cream sugar and shortening together. Add sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well.

 

    1. Add dry ingredients and mix well (dough should not be sticky).

 

    1. Roll out cookie dough on a clean surface sprinkled with powdered sugar about ¼” thick. Cut into desired shapes.

 

    1. Bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet until cookies are puffy and light brown on the bottom, about 10 minutes.

 

    1. Cool completely and frost with your favorite frosting.



Now, what about a Valentine’s gift for your kids’ teachers. Or, a gift for a close friend or co-worker. Maybe the kids want to treat their grandma or grandpa. Here’s a delicious DIY project that’s inexpensive, fun to make, and so darn cute.

 

Valentine's Day Mason Jars

 

These are just insulated tumblers ... but you can use mason jars too.  Here’s what’s inside there:

 

1 cup Golden Grahams
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup red and pink M&M's

 

I put all the ingredients into a big bowl. (Here’s where the kids come in.) Make sure everyone has clean hands, and have everyone get in there and mix! Then, scoop the jars into the bowl to fill them up.

 

Feel free to vary the recipe based on what's available or what you have on hand. I actually would have LOVED to use Teddy Grahams, but my daughter Kylie has forbidden me to buy them…I bought them for her one time when she was little and she said, “I can’t eat these. I just can’t eat their heads!”

 

I wish you all a very Happy Valentine’s Day! Now you’ll be prepared with ideas for your sweetheart, your kids, and all those you love.

 

From my home to yours,
—Jill