Mix it Up Monday Double Decker

We have been baking up a storm this weekend. I finally got all my dough making skills together and made the pretzels. They are, ummm, okay. Which is a shame since a) I love me some soft pretzels and 2) they take a lot of time and really heat up your kitchen (475 degrees!). They were a little soggy and not as hard on the I outside as I think they should be. Apparently, this recipe is the "traditional" way to make them which includes boiling in baking soda. I really have no idea since I have never made them before. I might try them again one day, but for now I will stick to Aunt Annie's.
Also this weekend I made Snickerdoodles. Yum. It was Hollis turn to bring the snack to preschool. I had been promising him we would bake something together. I reneged on the "together" part and made them by myself at 9:00pm on Sunday night. Don't feel too bad for him though, I am paying $15 for him to have a cooking lesson at the Young Chef's Academy on Wednesday. Snickerdoodles are a great cookie and easy to make. They really are good to make with children because the dough is rolled in sugar and cinnamon before baking - perfect for little fingers. If you have never had them, well, that is a sad story and my heart weeps for you. So I sent Hollis off today with a Ziploc bag full of cookies in the big "snack basket". I even asked him twice if he wanted me to walk in with him and help him carry the snacks. He said no, that he could do all by himself. I was afraid to ask a third time, he might have asked to be dropped off at the corner.

Snickerdoodles
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. shortening
2 large eggs
2 3/4 c. all purpose flour
2 t. cream of tarter
1 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/4 c. sugar
2 t. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Beat 1 1/2 c. sugar, butter, shortening and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium
Stir in flour, cream of tarter, baking soda and salt
Shape dough into small balls (I use a small melon baller)
Mix 1/4 c. sugar and cinnamon in a shallow dish
Roll balls in sugar/cinnamon mixture
Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet
Bake 8-10 minutes or until set
Remove immediately to wire rack to cool