An old family recipe

I have always loved cooking and I have always loved cooking for other people. As a kid, I had a serious problem with being able to tell the difference between salt and sugar. I still remember my grandmother's face when I made these cookies for the first time (around age 7 or 8 I would say) and added salt where the sugar should have been. These cookies are even rolled in a sugar and cinnamon combination right before you cook them. Can you imagine what those tasted like.

As a kid, I had braces from 4th grade until about 7th grade. I loved my braces and thought I was the coolest kid because I had my rubber band colors changed each week to reflect my mood. With my cool kid attitude came a nasty habit of drooling. Yes, I was a drooler. I drooled when I talked, when I ate, and when I slept. With this drooling came the apprehension of eating the food that I made. It grossed most of my family out. My grandma always used to say, "It's ok Brooke, your nasty germs will get cooked off in the oven." Regardless, my grandmother never discouraged me from cooking. She is actually the reason I truly believe I love cooking to this day.

I have made these cookies for years, I hope you enjoy!

BROOKE'S SNICKERDOODLES

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, the eggs and the vanilla. Blend in the flour, cream of tartar, soda and salt. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls.
Mix the 2 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon. Roll balls of dough in mixture. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until set but not too hard. Remove immediately from baking sheets.

P.S. A little slobber adds great flavor!