Have you ever caught the scent of something and it seems to transfer you back to another time in your life? It happened to me this week when out for a walk with The Sister. We were passing a beautiful tree in full bloom, and it seemed as if both of us stopped at the same time. We had apple trees in our yard when we were kids and we loved to smell them in the spring. It was that smell that literally stopped both of us in our tracks. It was as if we were transported back to our childhood. Momma Said, “Your dreams can take you anywhere.”
There are times in life when I wish I could go back to that simpler time. Momma Said, “Can things be easy and hard at the same time?” It seems so now looking back on that time in my life. It was so much easier to go to sleep but so hard to slow down enough to get sleepy. It was also easy to play all day but so hard to come inside at night. Now it is not as easy to fall asleep and even harder to find the time.
We could all use a little of that time back in our lives today. If we could figure a way to retrieve some of that innocence it would be priceless. Momma Said, “Enjoy life and the little things that come your way.”
I think the world could use a little of that innocence now in the wake of all the unrest in our cities. I hate to see so much savagery from people and disregard for the law. I just can’t see how looting a drug store can, in any way, be justified. The lady in the news that caught her son throwing rocks at the police and took matters into her own hands should be commended. I could see mom doing that very same thing.
Momma Said, “A mother will go to great lengths to protect her children.” Spare the rod and spoil the child. It certainly wasn’t spared in our family.
The recipe this week is for cookies that look like little jewels when you are finished. Using different kinds of jams will make you finished product look like a flower garden in bloom. Enjoy.
Gran’s Kolachy Cookies
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Poppy seed, apricot and strawberry pastry filling
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting.
Instructions:
In large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Add flour, vanilla and salt; beat until just combined. Divide dough into 2 disks. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill at least 12 hours.
Heat oven to 375°F.
Working with 1 disk at a time, roll each to 1/8-inch thickness on generously floured surface. Cut cookies using 2-inch round cutter. Place on cookie sheet and make indentation in dough with thumb. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon pastry filling into each indentation.
Bake 16-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool cookies on pan on cooling grid 5 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on grid. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.