Chicken hitchin’ a ride on a motorcycle! In the middle of suburban America! Leave it to my middle son (I’ll call him Josh to protect his identity) – soft-hearted and always ready to try something different.
While attending university, Josh worked part-time for an airline as a ramp agent. One night while handling baggage, he spotted a baby chick running loose in the airport, having escaped from its baby chick crate. He caught it and decided to take it home and adopt it for a pet.
Living in a house in the city wasn’t exactly conducive to raising poultry but then, not being a country boy, he saw no problem! In fact, he couldn’t wait for the chick to become a chicken and start laying eggs for his breakfast! He had it all planned! The big black cat living in the house was quite intrigued by this new addition to the family. He examined it, patted it, watched it, snuggled with it . . .
It wasn’t until the chick began to grow into a chicken that the then not-so-cute issues became problems. He soon learned that whole wheat bread and vegetables weren’t the food of choice for a bird – and to find a poultry supply store was impossible. He learned that he couldn’t “train” the chicken to use a box, or wait till he took it outside . . . He learned that chickens smell – bad – and are messy – very – so he finally fashioned a large cardboard box into somewhat of a ‘house’ for the chicken’s remaining days with him before it was delivered to a real chicken farm! And now you have the rest of the story!
Baking cookies for every special occasion is a tradition in our home. Sugar cookies, cut in theme-based or novelty shapes, are a favorite. The children always loved to help and it became a fun family event to sit around the table with an assortment of tube icings in delicious colors and a variety of sparkling sugar sprinkles, to creatively decorate the dozens of cooled cookies. Each one became a unique piece of art. Then as the older ones left home, I thought the tradition would be lost. However our youngest son, who has managed a prolonged stay at home (I wonder if the reason he insists that “I don’t want to go to college” is because he doesn’t want to leave us alone . . .), still loves to sit with me and help to carefully ‘squeeze’ the icing on all those cookies!
We baked and decorated these “Love Sweet Love” cookies for my best friend’s bridal shower!
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash salt
In a large mixing bowl beat the shortening and butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 30 seconds or till softened. Add about half of the flour. Then add the sugar, egg, milk, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Beat till thoroughly combined, scraping the sides of bowl occasionally. Beat or stir in the remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill about 3 hours or till dough is easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each half of the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 21/2-inch cutters, cut dough into desired shapes. Place 1 inch apart onto non-greased cookie sheets.
Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes or till the bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Remove cookies and cool on wire racks. If desired, decorate cookies.
To see more hearts – hearts made of pewter and fashioned into belt buckles – click here. Many of these would make wonderful and unique gifts for a friend, bridesmaid, mother, daughter . . . yourself!
