Cookie Monster

Today I bake.....and bake......and bake.

A couple of months back I promised a co-worker I'd make cookies and cheese crackers for a program he would be hosting the end of January. And today's the big day. I'll be busy making about 8 dozen sugar cookies and about 5 dozen cheese crackers.

The cookies will be really cool. The theme of the event is a casino so I am making some of the cookies in the shape of hearts, spades, clubs and diamonds. And the ficticious name of the casino starts with the letter "L" so I have an "L" shaped cookie cutter also. They's be very Vegas-y after I put the edible glitter and sparkling sugar on them. I found the cookie cutters online at a place called Off the Beaten Path. Their web site is http://www.cookiecutter.com They have tons of great cookie cutters and are very reasonably priced.

The cheese crackers are sooooooo yummy. I promised Biscuit Boy I'd leave some here for him to munch on. The recipe is very easy. You take 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 cups of shredded Sharp cheddar (yes, it has to be sharp or even extra-sharp), one and one half sticks of butter, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix it all together, roll it out to about 1/8" thick and use a small cookie cutter to cut them out. Bake them in a preheated 300 degree oven for about 20 minutes. They're done when the bottoms just start to darken. You can sprinkle them with a little salt as soon as they are out of the oven if you choose. They're best served that day but will keep in a tightly wrapped container for a few days.