Baking is in my blood!

Baking is in my blood. Both my grandmother and mother cooked simple, mostly convenient meals. However, fresh baked goods were always plentiful and a necessary part of every holiday.

I love to cook and bake. One my girls also loves to cook and bake {the other does not and will tell you so...well, because she is 12}. So this weekend me and my little sous chef spent our Sunday baking Grandma Vivian's cut-out sugar cookies.

When I was a child, my mom made these cookies cut into pumpkin shapes at Halloween, hearts on Valentine's Day and santa's, stars and bells at Christmas. I do the same now with my girls - I love tradition! And my Grandma Vivian was a special lady and I love to tell my girls about her while we are baking her cookies.....

I make frosting using powdered sugar and milk - easy breezy! Of course, our frosting had to be orange for our pumpkins!

My little chef always pays a great attention to details and decorated her cookies extra special - especially those she was bringing to her teacher the next day!

I have shared this recipe with many friends who say it's the best sugar cookie recipe they have ever had. Today, I will share it with you! Enjoy!

Grandma Vivian's Sugar Cookies

1 cup shortening {i know it's unhealthy, deal with it}

1 cup margarine {ditto}

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs beaten lightly

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

4 cups flour

Mix all ingredients. Chill dough before rolling and cutting OR just make individual cookies into balls, roll in sugar, press with fork and bake.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.