Baking With My Babies

I am soaking up and inhaling every moment of this new year.  I can't explain how wonderful it has been to spend much needed quality time with my girls.  There have been no parties to attend and no photos to edit.  There has been a lot of time spent baking in the kitchen, reading books and snuggling on the couch.  I could get used to this slower pace of life.  I can honestly tell a difference in my relationship with P.  She has always been a mama's girl, but she has gotten even more attached.  Not in a bad way, but I think she's loving my undivided attention.  I get random tight squeezes on my legs and extra kisses.  I'm loving it all. 

On my latest trip to Target, I noticed that the Valentine's candy has hit the shelves.  Aside from Easter candy, Valentine's candy is my favorite.  I grabbed a few bags of Dove milk chocolate hearts and mustered up a plan to make cookies with the littles.  

P is obsessed with the apron my mama made her for Christmas and even more so with the one that she made for her Bitty Baby.  I couldn't wait to see them in action.

 ^^^ P also has a thing for her pj's lately.  If she's not naked she's in her footed jammies. ^^^

 ^^^ This little doll likes getting in on the action as well. ^^^

^^^ P loves licking all of the brown sugar out of the measuring cups.  She's just like her daddy in that way. ^^^

 ^^^ Her favorite part of making cookies is watching all of the ingredients combine and putting her hand on the mixer to make sure it doesn't lift up.  I think she has watched me bake a time or two before. ^^^

 ^^^ Testing out the dough is a necessity. ^^^

Here's the recipe for our favorite Valentine's cookies!
Peanut Butter Blossoms
1 3/4 cup flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cup peanut butter 1 egg 2 Tbsp. milk 1 tsp. vanilla
1 bag Dove heart chocolates or Hershey's kisses
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Shape dough into balls.  Roll balls into sugar or colored sprinkles, until well coated.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.  Immediately after pulling cookies out of the oven, press unwrapped Dove heart chocolates or Hershey's kisses onto each cookie.