As I was organizing my old pictures recently, I came across this cute picture of my three children from many years ago. I have fond memories of them

"dressing up" for Halloween. Time seems to fly.....now they are all grown up and are starting their own families and traditions. A happy memory for me was

making seasonal cookies with them. We enjoyed making pumpkin cookies with orange icing. Try this recipe with your children or grandchildren and make a

"special memory".

Basic Sugar Cookie

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 cups regular flour (sift together the flour, baking powder and the salt)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add eggs. Mix well. Add vanilla. Add mixed dry ingredients. Take mixture out of bowl and kneed the dough lightly.

Wrap dough in saran and put in refrigerator for an hour or more. When cooled, take dough out and roll out on a lightly floured surface. Roll dough about

1/2 inch thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough into fun holiday shapes. Bake at 375 degrees on an ungreased cookie sheet for 7 to 8 minutes or

until lightly brown. Don't overcook. Cool on wire racks.

I am including 2 frostings...buttercream and another with thinner texture.

Buttercream Frosting:

1/2 cup crisco
1/2 cup butter
1 t. butter flavoring
1 t. vanilla flavoring
1/4 t. almond flavoring
4 cups confectioner's sugar
2 T. milk

Cream Crisco and butter. Add flavorings, then sugar one cup at a time. It will look chunky. Pour in milk and mix very well. Spread onto completely cooled cookies and let icing firm up before storing. Can freeze leftover frosting.

Thinner Frosting:

Sift powdered sugar...use as much as you need...about 1/2 box

White of 1 egg.

1/2 to 1 teaspoon vanillla

1 tablespoon milk

Desired food coloring

Mix well with a fork until you have the desired consistency. Adjust the sugar and milk to get the desired thickness. It does not need to be runny. Spread on cooled cookies

with a spreader. Let icing firm up before storing.

These cookies are wonderful and would be a crowd pleaser at your child's "Fall Harvest" parties at school, a pumpkin painting

party, football picnics, or a ladies' gathering.