Embrace them. Love them. Make them.

I am a working mom. I know every mom works, believe me, raising monsters is a full time job, but I also work out side of the home. Having a job out side of the home adds extra demands and stresses on me, but some of those demands can be fun! For instance our Halloween Party at the office. The Activities Committee, which I am a part of and is so fitting for me because I am always planning something, is hosting our Second, hopefully Annual, Halloween Party at the office for our co-workers and their families. It was actually yesterday and another huge success, but back to the story. So, we are having this party and asked that people sign up to bring in treats, baked goods, dips, whatever you want to bring to share with everyone.

Take one guess what I signed up for? Being the mom that I am, first thought, cupcakes, second thought, 40 children in costume covered in gooey orange and black frosting. Ummmmm, that's a no. Second thought, maybe I should bring something a little less disastrous. Yep, you know it, every mom knows it, cookies! Every busy mom's third thought, when am I going to find the time to make them?

Logen and his buddy Corduroy.

Time to do anything around this house usually comes after dinner, 7'ish I would say. That leaves just about an hour before bedtime and gives us something to stay busy, by us, I mean the kids. Logen had Corduroy, the class pet, from school this night. All of you moms out there, don't get scared, I know it is Halloween and all, but by saying class pet, I don't mean some goldfish or guinea pig. Thankfully, the wonderful teachers at Logi's preschool have a lovely and very cute stuffed bear as the class pet and his name is Corduroy. Logen was kinder to that bear than he is to his sister, but that could be a whole nother post in itself. Logen wanted to include Corduroy in everything so he also helped make cookies.

Now, I know you are all thinking, how does she do it? How does she find the time to fit everything in and not kill someone? Trust me here people, this one, these cookies, they are all a sham. Yes, a sham. Sometimes there isn't enough time to make everything homemade and everyone knows that. We shouldn't be ashamed to admit that either. I am no Suzie Homemaker or Martha Stewart, I just like to look like it and that is exactly what went down with these cookies.

These cookies came from a pouch, yes a pouch. You know the ones where you add an egg and a stick of butter, mix and bake. Those pouches are sent to every busy mom straight from Heaven. Embrace them. Love them. Make them.

I made these cookies for the Halloween party, but I did spruce them up a bit. I said I wasn't Martha Stewart, I just want my stuff to look like it.

Here is what I did:
Sugar Cookie Pouch-yep, straight from the store
1 stick of butter
1 egg
Lots of sprinkles.

This can not be any easier. Mix together the pouch, egg, melted stick of butter until the dough forms.
Heat the oven to 350.
Get out your cookie sheets. YES, it really is this easy!

Here is where the Martha Stewart in me comes out.

Get cookie scoops! I never thought I would buy into these things, but I LOVE them. Pampered Chef sells them in three sizes and I use them all and not just for cookies. For this event I used the medium sized scoop. It precisely measures out the perfect size cookie.

Now scoop the dough, but when you pop the dough out of the scoop, instead of putting them right onto the pan, pop it into you hand and give it a little pat to flatten it out slightly. I have found that this really helps the cookie take a most perfect shape and it only takes a second AND it also helps with the sprinkles.

The BEST way to ever do sprinkles

Make sure you have poured your sprinkles into a bowl. You do not want to actually sprinkle them onto the cookies. That makes a big mess on your pan and does not cover the cookie evenly. You are going to want to place that lovely little dough pattie right into the bowl of sprinkles. Give it a light pat and pick it up. You only want one side of the cookie covered with the sprinkles.

My beautiful helper.

Lay them out onto the pan as you normally would and bake.

When you take them out of the oven, the edges will be slightly brown and you need to let them relax on the pan for at least a minute to firm up. Don't over bake! I think my sugar cookies were in the oven for only about 7-8 minutes.

Relaxing on the pan.

After they have relaxed on the pan for a minute or two, remove them from the pan onto the cooling rack and let them cool.


That's it! Done! Martha's cookies sent from Heaven. Embrace them. Love them. Make them.