Lend me some sugar, I am your neighbor.

What's a girl to do with an empty cooky jar? Between the holiday baking hooplah and the [im]patient wait for the Daisy's to deliver the Thin Mints, some old-school, white-flour, granulated-sugar, full-on carb cookies were in order. You know, the kind just like grandma used to make. Well, that's what they say in Better Homes & Gardens Birthdays and Family Celebrations cookbook (c)'63.


The scared kitty cookys were inspired by our new fluffy family member, Sparrow. And just like her, they turned out sweet and fluffy, too.

Sugar Cookies
Just like Grandma used to make --
[Because, remember, if Gma made 'em now, she might sub in some quirky ingredients - nothing like a reminder that the old gal can't quite bake 'em like she used to. Good thing you can step up to the oven.]

1 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour [admittance of guilt: I never sift]
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream butter and vanilla. Add sugar gradually, creaming till light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Sift dry ingredients together. Add gradually to creamed mixture. Chill thoroughly (3 to 4 hours).

Roll on well-floured surface 1/8 to 1/4 inch. Cut in desired shapes. Bake on ungreased cooky sheets in moderate oven (375 degrees) 6 to 8 minutes. Cool slightly on cooky sheet; remove to rack and finish cooling.