Sugar Cookies

I love how recipes tell me a bit of a story and/or bring back a memory.  Like this one makes me think of when my job required me to go to various clinics to meet with the physicians.  Although I do that occasionally now, it's not my daily job I miss some of the people...and I miss the physician who gave me this recipe.  She got the recipe from one of her patients and sent me a copy of the recipe her patient wrote.  For quite a few years we called these "Old Lady Cookies" at my house in honor of the woman with the slightly shaky writing.  There's an adorable note on the bottom of the recipe "make them smaller so you have less crumbs when making these for small children"!

The recipe makes a humongous batch so it's often the cookie recipe I use to take to swim meets or a practice treat.  In fact, some of the coaches who don't normally eat sweets will even eat a couple of these.  I think it's just because the taste reminds one of grandma's house:)

Last week we were invited to a cycling party.  No, not a party where we were actually cycling...but a party to watch racing.  The event takes place in Wisconsin and is called the TOAD.  Tour of America's Dairyland.  Anyway, it was a party with a note to bring ourselves and cash for a prime (which is even mentioned in the summary of Day 1), but I just couldn't go empty handed.  We spent quite a bit of time thinking about a perfect host/hostess gift with a cycling theme; however, we ended up thinking cookies won't collect dust on a shelf or clash with anyone's decor.

Ah...cycling.  One of my favorite spectator sports.  We are fortunate to have a couple cycling tours come through the area each summer, and my understanding it that it is due to Tom Schuler.  I'm anxious to read a book detailing the cycling migration to the US.  The man of fame mentioned above even stopped at the party we attended (which was an awesome party with good company, a plethora of fit and interesting people, and The Super Slider Truck).   There's another tour coming through after the TOAD, so more cycling fun is in store for the summer.  We had offered to house a couple of the TOAD cyclists but someone else was able to house all 4, and we couldn't do that many, so we lost that bid.  I was sad it didn't work since it would have been fun to get to know some of the cyclists a bit more.  I'm thinking that there may be another opportunity....

Sugar Cookies
1 c each...powdered sugar, granulated sugar, butter (softened), oil
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 t salt
1 t cream of tartar (don't reach for the tarragon in the early morning.  The letters t-a-r can be deceiving)
1 t vanilla
4 1/2 c flour

Cream the first five ingredients together (through the eggs). Add the rest of the ingredients.  Chill dough overnight.
Form small balls (recommend 1 level tsp)
Roll in sugar and flatten with the back of the spoon
Bake 6 minutes at 375 degrees.

They are fragile so let them cook a couple minutes before removing from baking sheet.

Watching the high level of sports is getting me really psyched for the Olympics.  I love the Olympics!  We're so excited watching friends at swim trials.  And one of the triathletes is a Milwaukee gal doing some of her swim training with our kids, so it is VERY cool for Eleanor to know an Olympian so well.  In fact, she was the one who asked us about hosting the TOAD riders.  Her boyfriend was one of the racers and stopped at the party we attended. That's how Milwaukee rolls...".it's a small world" should be our city motto.
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