Lavender Butter Cookies

It would appear that Miss Milia has turned into quite the sophisticate.  Yesterday when we were out and about, we decided to pop over to PinkaBella Cupcakes for a cupcake or two.  We each got to choose one.  I chose the vanilla cupcake with pink frosting and sprinkles on top (because that is their best one, don't you know), while Nearly-Three-Year-Old-Miss-Fancy-Pants opted for the salted caramel.  You know, dark chocolate cupcake with salted caramel buttercream?  That one.

She has also taken to asking for a cup of coffee with her breakfast.  'Can I have a cup of coffee, please?'  And she seems to find this quite hilarious.

And on top of that, the girl seems to think that she needs a beret.  I ordered a few things from the Olive Juice catalog late one night, and they finally came in the mail a few days ago.  Since then she has been pouring (or poring) over the catalog, claiming that she really really really likes that hat.  'Maybe we should order it, mama!  Because I reallyreally like it.'  And, alas, maybe we should.  Who am I to say?  At least it isn't glitter and all that diva crap that so many little girls seem to love.  (All in due time, I'm sure.  But then I'll really have to draw the line.  And/or stick a fork in my eye.  Oh, how I loathe that garbage.)

But there it is, sophisticated cupcakes and little frenchy-french hats on request.  I'm beginning to get upset by how quickly she is growing up.  Last night we went to the open house for the pre-school we are planning to send her to next fall.  We went on a nice little tour and everything -- and it was all I could do not to throw myself on the ground and revolt.  She, being one of the only kids who showed up for the event (as most others were home and getting ready for bed by likely better parents than we are, who have a tendency to drag the girl wherever we happen to be going, and never leave her with a baby-sitter -- ever), stood and played with a monkey-banana game for quite a while.  She seemed to be having a great time, too.  Once we said our goodbyes and thank-yous, and started walking back to the car, Michael said to her, 'Are you so excited to go to school?  You're such a big girl!'  To which she responded, 'Maybe I should wait til I get a little bit bigger.'  To which mama replied, 'Here, here!'  (Incidentally she also said that she thinks she likes going to the park better.  But she says that every week after Spanish class, too.  I don't believe her on that count, though.  How could she prefer the park to La Vaca Lola, I ask you?  And that is the reason why I keep signing her up for Spanish.)

It is so funny how much I have worried about getting her around lots of other kids to play with, and getting her involved.  Granted, this has simply remained a worry for me rather than something I've been ardently pursuing.  I know that once she starts pre-school our little worlds will change.  She will make all kinds of friends and have all sorts of things going on all the time.  That is why I can justify my time with her now.  I don't actually get her that long before she flies off into the world, you know.  And so, because of that, I am with her all day, every day.  My sister even called me a week or so ago trying to convince me that four hour pre-school is better than two and a half hour pre-school.  But, I'm sorry, it's not going to happen.  She's my little tomato and I'm not letting her go without a fight. 

You know that because I'm saying this I will be the one having major separation anxiety when the time comes to drop her off at school that first time.  I will be the one trying not to cry -- not her.  She'll probably just call over her shoulder not to let the door hit me on the ass on my way out.  But I doubt it.  The two of us are pretty tight.  And I'm glad it is that way. 

And so, keeping with the theme of a sophisticated toddler, we've made lavender butter cookies today.  It is actually my favorite recipe for snickerdoodles, but I've been wanting to try my hand at a lavender butter cookie for awhile.  (Ever since we got one at Blackbird Bakery on Bainbridge Island a long time ago.)  So I simply omitted the cinnamon (but still kept the sugar for rolling them in) and added a tablespoon of dried lavender flowers to the dough.  And there you go, a rather high-falutin, yet absolutely delectable, sugar cookie.  They are much better than the salted caramel cupcake (I actually love salted caramels, just not in the form of a cupcake), and I think (although reluctantly) that Emilia might agree.  In fact, she polished off her cookies in no time.  Whereas the cupcake, being covered in a pound and a half of frosting, did not fare as well.  Nearly half if it went (rather painfully, as they are three bucks a pop) in the trash.  But I cannot, in good conscience, let her eat that much sugar (and everything else that goes in it).

Anyway, we've been coming to blows a few times over the lavender cookies, as she keeps sneaking into the kitchen with her stool and grabbing one when she thinks I am not looking.  She may fancy herself a bit of a sophisticate, but she certainly isn't as slick as her mama.  It went something in the manner of this: 'I am, in fact, the boss of you -- and I said NO MORE!'

Lavender Butter Cookies
makes a whole lot, 3 dozen, maybe

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon table salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon dried lavender flowers, preferably organic

Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment, or give it a nice slackering of butter.

In a bowl, combine the flour, soda, cream of tartar, and salt.  Set aside.

In your heavy-duty mixer with the paddle attachment (or, if you must, using your hand-held) cream the butter and 2 cups of sugar.  Scrape the bowl down with a rubber spatula, as necessary.  In a small bowl, combine the eggs, milk, and vanilla.  With the mixer running, slowing pour in the wet ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the mixture and beat on low speed until combined.  Scrape with the rubber spatula, as needed.  Before the flour is completely combined, add the lavender.

Put the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar on a small plate.  Form the dough into small balls, roll each ball in the sugar, and place on the baking sheet.  Bake for 9-12 minutes.

This dough does very well wrapped in saran wrap in the fridge overnight.  Just let it warm up a bit before forming them into cookies.  (Recipe from Pure Flavor by Kurt Beecher Dammeier.  Crown Publishing, 2007.)