Cookies For My Childhood Friend

My friend Barb, that I made these cookies for, lived on a farm.  An honest to God, all American farm, and spending the night there, when we were in grade school, was the bomb.  We got to feed the baby calves with these giant baby bottles filled with formula, we would play for hours in the hayloft.  There were tractors, and gardens, chicken coops,  and the meals were shared around a huge table in the kitchen.  Like most farmers, everyone was up early, and the main meal was midday. Barb's grandparents also lived on the farm in their own house, and there was always a lot of people around.  Plus, she had the cutest cousins!  Once a year our entire class would get to go to the farm and have a hayride.  Another right of passage growing up in Iowa.  One of my favorite cookie recipes is from her kitchen. I promise to make and post on a non-humid day.  Chocolate Dotted Peppermint Kisses, who would have thought the meringue cookie market would be what it is!  That is the second "big thing" I have been making my whole life that has gone mainstream.  The other?  Biscotti!  Oh well.   

 How serendipitous that this dear friend from childhood, who shared that day with me, asked me to make cookies for her daughter's First Communion.  I am honored.  I brought cookies to a grade school reunion we had last summer, so Karmyn (her daughter) got a taste of a Sweetie Petitti, and I am thrilled to be a small part of this special day. 

We made our First Communion in the spring of 1971 at St. Boniface church in Clinton, Iowa.  I remember the dotted Swiss dress my mom made me, and I still have my veil. As a matter of fact, I wore it to the Royal Wedding Party my book club had.   This is where I would have inserted the picture from that day,  if I could get my hands on it!  It is packed...somewhere!  A photo of my life long friends, no matter how many miles may separate us.  I love these girls so much.

Karmyn

Cole

Her son is also graduating from middle school, so he gets cookies too.  Off to high school.  Wow, such a huge milestone.  I think those are the fastest 4 years of childhood!

Barb and I graduated from 8th grade together as well.  I had moved away 2 months earlier, but they were happy to let me be a part of graduation after all the years my family spent in that parish.  With just under 20 kids in our class, we were all very good friends.  We all lived in proximity of the school and church, our parents were friends and our siblings were all friends.  To this day, I can go to Clinton, IA and someone knows my family.  With 5 kids, we were one of the smaller Catholic families in town, but we sure left a mark there!  So,  What are you waiting for?  Get in there and bake!