Little Drops of Heaven ...Cookies and Creations

"Little drops of heaven"...That's what my neice calls them and obvioulsy everyone agrees with her.

Their real name is "Mailanderli" A cookie of Swiss tradition. I got the recipe years ago from a Better Homes & Garden Christmas cookie publication. It is one of the best Christmas cookie magazine i have ever seen and it is worn to bits! 

 I love this recipe because of its versatility...It makes a great base cookie as well as being on its own. I use it to make Hamantash or "Bishops Hats" however I do  not fold them them in the traditional way as I just have to make too many ! So I just pinch mine together. However on Valentines day I use heart cookie cutters in different sizes ..make two in the same size and then use a smaller one to cut out a window in one of the hearts and sandwich them with the same jelly. Here is the recipe...

Mailanderli 

• 1 1/4 cup butter ( no substitutes)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsps shredded lemon peel 
• Raspberry jelly or desired flavor

Beat butter on medium speed with your mixer for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla mix well. Beat in eggs, now add flour and lemon peel. Mix well and divide dough in half . Cover and chill for 1-2 hours or overnight.
Roll out to 1/8 inch thick and using a 2 inch round cookie cutter cut out disc. Add about 1/4 tsp of jelly and pinch together well. Bake at 325 for 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Enjoy!! Warning these buttery morsels are completely addicting...and speaking of addicting...

I started my first pair of knitted socks...

 Little Stitches...

  I taught my daughter to knit :-)


More drops from heaven ...the biggest snowflakes I have ever seen!

Some handmade crystal drops to decorate lamps with Swarovski crystals, pearls and vintage crystal...this is a gift for a someone!

Our new favorite way to make potatoes...quick and easy... they are almost like chips!

And my new favorite mug!

Is that not the best mug!! It's from my niece who was living with me last year and caught on real quick of how I like to be treated or feared dare I say ;-)

The first sock is almost done and I am loving it ! I am using Rowan's Fine Art sock yarn. I have two more yarns out for my next pairs.This pattern is from Susan B. Anderson "How I make my socks" Suggested to me by the lovely Andi of  My Sister's Knitter blog. Do go visit her she is amazingly talented and helpful!

I got work on it a lot today as we had 12 inches of snow today her in NJ. I had a lovely box of projects to keep me busy and a good supply of tea and dark chocolate. Now that's what oi call a snow day!

Next post I will share the potato recipe and a project I worked on all weekend and a Valentines project to share.

Stay warm if your on the eastern portion of the US and digging out!

MING