Sidecar Sugar Cookies

Kimberly Elf is busy.  Her time is scheduled far in advance.  Kim is the official photographer for the North Pole.  Her photo sittings are magical, her sports photography is divine, and her candids are delicious. This year’s  Eligible Elves of the Far North calendar was sold out in advance and she had to invent a month to accommodate all of the elves who want to be featured.

It seems that my Sylvie, I mean Sylvester the famous Iron-Elf champion, (can’t let him know I’m interested, so my mom says) was determined to be on the cover and have his very own month. He also wanted to pose with his trophy on a leopard rug.  Kim, who for some unfathomable reason seems to be resistant to his charms, refused to give him that much coverage or uncoverage as the case may be.

“Sorry, Sport,” she argued.  “You’re not the only seal in the Arctic.  You can have November.  Take it or leave it.”  She drove a hard bargain. 

“You’ll be sorry,” he fumed.

“Not as sorry as you’ll be when you get frostbite.  Now, go find some leaves from the prop room and come back in your time slot on my schedule.  See?”  She pointed to a poster on the wall full of appointments. “Your time is next Thursday from 8:00 to 2:00.  Don’t be late or I’ll give you July instead of November and you know what that means.”

He knew, all right.  Vacation time was in July and everyone put happy red slashes across the calendar. No one would be home to look at his glorious picture on the wall. With that threat, Sylvester grabbed his trophy and skulked out the door.  He would return next Thursday humbly with pointy “hat in hand” and ready to work.

So you can see that Kim is a busy elf and unfortunately for me, she never has time to sit and enjoy a good cup of tea and a cookie.  Each day in the North Pole Tea Room adjacent the North Pole Kitchens and Bake Shoppe, I serve a featured cookie and a hot drink.  When you see snow and ice 365 days a year you gotta have some variety now and then!  So, today’s cookie is in honor of Kimberly Elf and her on-the-go lifestyle.  I made sidecar cookies for busy elves on the go. The cookies hook on the side of a cup so Kim can get back to work fast and still enjoy a sweet treat in her jam packed day.

Sidecar Sugar Cookies

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 T baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks)

2/3 cup shortening

1 ½ cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tablespoons milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Stir together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, shortening, and sugar.  Add eggs, milk, and vanilla.  Gradually add the flour mixture.  Refrigerate dough 1 hour.  When chilled, roll half of the dough on a floured surface.  Cut with cookie cutters and re roll the scraps.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes depending upon the thickness.  Immediately upon removing from the oven, use a sharp knife to cut a small rectangular notch in the left side of each cookie.  Allow to cool completely.  Decorate with royal icing.