When I was young, I seriously thought my older sister was an alien from another planet. Maybe all younger sisters think their older siblings are aliens, I don’t know. However, I was pretty sure there was something that wasn’t quite right about my sister. She didn’t like eggs, cheese, or chocolate. I mean, really? What kid doesn’t like chocolate? Today, I consider her weird tastes to be a blessing. Oh, you don’t like chocolate chip cookies? I guess, I’ll have to eat them all myself. I can’t let them go to waste (Yes, I am very altruistic like that).  However, as a kid, her taste buds cramped my style. My mother wouldn’t buy chocolate chip cookies for me if my sister wasn’t going to eat them too. We had to get ONE package of cookies, well mostly. The exception was my dad. My dad liked oatmeal cookies so every week my mom bought a package of oatmeal cookies. She’d say, “Your father likes oatmeal” as she tossed them into the cart. The cookie drawer in our kitchen sometimes contained multiple packages of oatmeal cookies. There would be oatmeal, oatmeal nut, oatmeal date/nut, oatmeal raisin, oatmeal date/nut/raisin and…well, you get the picture, and sugar (because my sister wouldn’t eat chocolate chip and I ate all types of cookies – except oatmeal because there’s only so many oatmeal cookies a kid can take).  The exception to the chocolate chip cookie rule came due to a loop hole in the family grocery shopping rules. My mom hated grocery shopping, so if my sister and I were “good” we got to pick one item. When I was young and dumb, I used my choice to get the plastic jewelry and candy. However, when I got a little older and wiser, I used my choice to get the cookie or cereal I wanted (my sister only liked Frosted Flakes…go figure). So, to combat the boredom of sugar and oatmeal cookies, I started baking my own cookies. In my elementary school there was a program where we could buy books. Thanks to this program, I was introduced to Encyclopedia Brown and discovered an affinity for baking. I remember buying The Cookie Book. I baked chocolate chip, peanut butter, sugar and snicker doodles. My entire family (including our toy poodle, Candy), loved the delicious cookies and I discovered I liked to bake. Below is a cookie recipe that reminds me of family. Even aliens can’t resist sugar and cinnamon. 🙂 

SNICKER DOODLES

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.

2. Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla and blend well.

3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.

4. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture (I use larger balls and get bigger cookies).

5. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet (I like to use parchment paper).

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. (Makes about 3-4 dozen cookies)