Button Cookies n_n

Ingredients

• 2cups sifted all - purpose flour,plus more for work surface
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup(1 stick)unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Gel - paste food coloring in pink and green
• Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Whisk together flour , salt, and baking powder in a large bowl; set aside.Put butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy.Mix in egg and vanilla.Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until combined. Divide dough into thirds. Knead pink food coloring into 1 piece and green into another. Shape all 3 pieces into disks. Wrap disks in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

2. Preheat oven to 325 . Remove 1 disk from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature until slightly soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out dough on a piece of lightly floured parchment to a 1/8 - inch thickness, dusting with flour as needed. Cut out circles with a 1 3/4 inch round cutter, then lightly press with a 1 1/2 inch round cutter. Make button holes with a skewer. Reroll scraps, and cut.(If dough becomes too soft,refrigerate 10 minutes) Repeat with remaining dough. Space 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.

3. Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges are golden, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.

Yum--a--licious

Ingredients ~~~~~

• 1 Egg
• 1 Black olive
• 1 Radish
• 2 Fresh chives
• 1 Tiny Swiss cheese wedge

Directions ~~~~~

Place the egg in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 1 minute, then turn off the heat. Cover the saucepan and let the egg sit in the hot water for 12 minutes.
Once the time is up, run the egg under cold water to cool. Then ask your child to roll the egg on all sides to crack the shell. Peel under running water.
Slice the egg in half lengthwise. Place the halves yolk side down on a plate. (Alternatively, you can slice off a bit of the bottom of a peeled, hard-boiled egg so it can sit flat on a plate.) Slice tiny black olive "eyes" and radish "ears." Then make small slits in the egg halves for the eyes and ears and push in the olives and radishes. Add chive tails.
Serve the pair of egg mice with a wedge of Swiss cheese for a playful lunch. Makes 2 mice.