Today marks the fourth anniversary of starting my blog! I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate all my readers, many of you keeping in touch with me since the beginning, and new readers from all over the world somehow finding my blog amongst millions of others. I think people find me because there are many cookbook collectors out there, plus people who love to cook just seem to find each other, no matter where they are in the world.
I started my first blog on January 31st because that happened to be the anniversary my grandmother’s birthday. The blog was about her Fanny Farmer cookbook that she used as a young girl. For today’s anniversary, I thought I would make one of grandma’s favorite cookies, snickerdoodles, although sometimes she called them cinnamon-sugar cookies. We have been making these for as long as I can remember, even back to my days as a Camp Fire Girl when we made them as a project, with my mom as our leader. The cookies are just your basic snickerdoodle recipe, but mean a lot to me because of the memories. My girls will recognize this cookie tin as it was the one they grew up with. It’s a little rusted and bent in places, but still holds lots of cookies – and memories.
Here’s to many more blog years- I love you all!
Grandma Lamb’s Snickerdoodles
1 cup solid vegetable shortening or unsalted butter, softened (I prefer butter, Grandma used Crisco solid)
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
In large bowl of electric mixer, cream together shortening or butter, 1-1/2 cups sugar, and eggs. Beat until well blended and creamy. Stir together flour, Cream of Tartar, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture and blend well. Gather dough up into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Chill about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small shallow bowl, combine the 2 Tablespoons sugar and cinnamon.
Break off pieces of dough and form into 1-inch balls. Roll each ball all over in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place 2-inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cookies sit on sheet for about 1-2 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 7-8 dozen cookies.
Happy 4th year blog Anniversary! Thank you for the interesting, informative, and fun articles that you post. I appreciate how they are written from ‘the heart’ of one who is filled with a passion for life and loving those around her; for that is where the best cooks begin. So I raise my espresso coffee and fork to you this morning in saluting a remarkable woman, a terrific cook, and a very special friend.
Kim, you are going to make me cry. Our very long friendship over the years, starting with a cooking contest, is one of the treasures of my life. Thank you for all your kind words and being the wonderful person you are. You make the world a better place.
Happy anniversary, Debbie. I hope your blog goes on for at least another 40 years. I love to read it with my first cup of coffee in the morning. I’m so glad my search for an out-of-print Perla Meyers cookbook led me to the Culinary Cellar.
Thank you, Madonna! You are one of the very special people who found my blog many years ago, and I very much love keeping in touch with you. I’ll aim for the 40 more years, although I may not be able to get out of my rocking chair!