Sometimes it is so hard to let the kids be kids. I see it as a challenge for me very often. My children will come home from school with a project and they have this off the wall idea (one that I KNOW will never work) and I have to sit there, biting my nails, watching them destroy what could have been beautiful. But here is the thing…to them, it is beautiful. I have thirty years on them, they are still innocent. When I sit back and think about how their little minds work and what THEY think is beautiful, I realize what an amazing thing it is. My idea of what should be, is not always right. They do not always want my advice, my opinion, my thoughts. Sometimes, I just need to let them be. It is a hard concept as a parent…to just let them be. To let them figure stuff out for themselves. To let them fall, and pick themselves back up. I struggle with it often. But sometimes, it is so fun to see what they create. When I see how much fun they have being a kid, being themselves, doing what they think is perfect, I realize that I am doing the right thing. Kids should be able to be kids. If they have a project, they should be able to do it in their own kid way. Our way is good for us. Their way is good for them.
A few days ago, my oldest daughter had a playdate and I decided to take my own advice. I was baking some cookies and they were “helping”. It was so fun to spend this time with my daughter and her friend (who is like my “other” daughter). I gave them dough and let them pick the cookie cutters. I zipped my lips when they picked shapes I would have never chosen. When they were baked, I gave them a whole tray of cookies, a piping bag and some chocolate and let them go to town decorating. The results were perfect and they were so proud of themselves.
Now, don’t get me wrong…I was secretly cutting my own cookies with my back to them on the other counter and using my own piping bag to decorate, but I wasn’t interfering with them, and that is what matters the most.
So, this season, let the kids have free reign on some cookies, a Christmas craft, or whatever. See how happy it makes them to create on their own.
Enjoy these delicious cookies–in whatever shape they turn out!
*Please note-the dough has to be chilled for three hours once it is made.*
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
3 tblsp heavy cream
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 cups flour
1/2 cup pistachios, ground in a food processor
Sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Semi sweet or dark chocolate for dipping or drizzling
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the baking powder and beat in egg, cream and almond extract. Once that mixture is well combined, slowly add flour and then ground nuts. Divide dough into thirds. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill for 3 hours or overnight.
Once dough is chilled, take it out of the fridge and preheat oven to 37 degrees. Unwrap dough and roll it out on a floured surface with a rolling pin coated in flour. Cut into your desired shape with cookie cutters and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with a little sugar if you want a little extra sweetness. Bake for 8 minutes or until firm. Let stand on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Once completely cool, dip in chocolate or drizzle chocolate over cookies. Let chocolate set. Serve or if storing, store in a tightly covered container, or freeze up to 3 months.
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