Fit Fare

I absolutely love the Christmas season!  As a child on Christmas Eve, we spent the day finishing up shopping and making last-minute trimmings on the tree.  My mom and I then frantically wrapped all the presents (with the exception of the things my dad had for my mom, which he would reserve for me to wrap when my mom and I were done).  While all of the trimming and wrapping was taking place, the record player (later the cassette player, and now CD player) would churn out all the holiday classics from Jingle Bell Rock to Santa Baby to Oh Holy Night.  We would then go to midnight mass; I always was (and still am) filled with awe on the solemnity and beauty of this celebration.  On Christmas Day, my parents saw to it that so many toys were under the tree that it truly seemed like a wonderland in the living room each December 25^th. 

I am happy that I have such fond memories of the season.  I hope to continue many of the same traditions when I am blessed with a family of my own.  Part of the holiday tradition in my house is the baking of grandma’s special cookies.  These were the cookies we left for Santa as little tykes.  As we grew older my mother would bake them for class Christmas parties.  Now, it is something I make for my own office holiday celebrations.  The secret ingredient is sour cream.  It may not sound like that is a particularly tasty ingredient for cookies, but trust me — it’s absolutely yummy!  Here is the recipe; I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Sour Cream Cookies
yields about 4 dozen

3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup margarine (one stick) - make sure it’s a trans fat free variety
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream - use a light or fat free version for a healthier cookie
A little cinnamon and sugar (blended together to sprinkle on cookies before baking them)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda together and sift the combination three times.

Mix sour cream, margarine, and sugar into the bowl; make sure it well-blended and smooth.

Mix the eggs in with the vanilla; slowly add a little of the sour cream mixture and alternate adding a little of the flour mixture; keep alternating until all of it is added.

Blend this mixture into a thick batter.

Scoop rounded teaspoons of the batter onto a well-greased cookie pan.

Sprinkle a little of the sugar/cinnamon blend on top of each cookie (taste the mixture and make sure that it is sufficiently sugary or cinnamon-y to your liking).

Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden on edges.

Remove from cookie sheet and cool.