Babysitting cookies!

Yesterday I got to babysit my adorable (almost) 2 year old niece!  Her parent's were going to be out shopping for a few hours, so I wanted to plan something for us to do.  I asked her if she wanted to make cookies and she said "yeah" (but I think she might have said "yeah" to anything...) so we got out a big recipe book and picked out what kind we were going to make.  She kept pointing to "surprise meringues" but I wasn't sure about those...so we made sugar cookies instead!  We washed our hands and got to work!  


2 sticks of butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg


Frosting:
6 Tbs. butter, softened
3 cups confectioners sugar
2 tsp. almond extract
2-4 Tbs. hot water
food coloring

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, vanilla and almond extract.

Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.

gradually add to creamed mixture.  

Drop by rounded teaspoonfulls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes, remove to wire racks to cool.

She was a great helper putting all the ingredients into the bowl, etc.  However, she wasn't so patient when waiting for them to bake, so this is what she did while I baked the cookies!  Eating lunch with Uncle Dan (he will not be pleased with this picture, but it is so cute), and most of her pizza was fed to Milo (the dog)! 

And I baked...

Then I asked her what color frosting we should make and she picked out "Boo".  I thought that I was being very clever, making her favorite color frosting...but when her parents came to get her, they told me she says "boo" for every color.  haha, oh well, I made some red too!  =)

For frosting:  in a large bowl, combine the butter, confectioners' sugar, almond extract and enough water to achieve desired consistency.  Tint with food coloring if desired.  Frost the cookies!

After she left, I had a messy messy kitchen to pick up!  I guess cooking with a 2 year old is a little more messy than I expected! =)  Kudo's to all you Moms! 

We packed up a plate full for her to take home, and the rest stayed here...  I wish we would have packed them all, because I can't stop eating these!!  They are so Yummy!