Celebrating Birthdays and the Every Day {Nestle Toll House Birthday Sugar Cookies}

When Madeline came home from school today, she said one of the discussions in class today was finding out what the kids did really well by themselves.

“I told the teacher that I pick up Callie (our cat) really well,” she said, completely happy with her answer.

And that she does. She carries that darn cat everywhere.

Up the stairs. Down the stairs. Inside. Outside.

Callie is very smart. She usually goes limp, all rag doll like, and starts saying a silent prayer.

“Please, if I stay very still, let her put me down. And soon.”

Thank you and amen.

Callie is not especially affectionate, but is a complete puddle when it comes to Madeline, letting her have her way with her. And Madeline couldn’t love her more for it. That cat is walking a thin line.

“When is Callie’s birthday? And Luke’s? When is Luke’s?”

To be quite honest, I have no idea. Madeline asks me those questions most often, on at least a bi-weekly basis. I usually make up an answer. I mean, truth be told, we’ve had the cats so long, I don’t remember.

So when the folks at Nestle Toll House wanted me to try out their special Birthday Sugar Cookies, I figured this was perfect. We’d make ice cream cookie sandwiches to celebrate Callie’s birthday!

Feline birthdays get celebrated. Cookies get baked with no fuss, no muss. And little sweet treats are devoured.

Win, win, win.

When Taylor (Mystic’s daughter) saw me putting the cookies on the sheet pan, she asked why I wasn’t making them from scratch. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you make those types of cookies before.”

Not often, but perfect for an impromptu celebration.

The cookies have pale colored celebratory designs on the top and bake up in under 10 minutes. Nice and thin, with a little crisp to them. A little vanilla bean ice cream in the middle and they were gone in nothing flat.

Some of my best tips for celebrating birthday parties?

• Keep it simple. Especially if the birthday boy or girl is young. They won’t remember the matching napkins and a full guest list. I promise.
• Set a budget and stick to it. Get creative when attacking your shopping list – visit your local thrift stores, Dollar Trees, and even “shop” your home before spending a penny.
• Have a theme. No matter the occasion, I always find it easier to work with a theme, even if it’s just as simple as a color scheme. Everything ties together easily and it reduces the stress level a bit. And that said, don’t go overboard trying to adhere to your theme either.
• Enlist the troops. If you have bakers and cooks and graphic designers in your family, ask for help.
• Ask the birthday child what they want. Although this should be obvious, sometimes parents get so carried away with planning the “perfect” party, it becomes more about them and less about the celebrated guest of honor.
• Most importantly, relax and have fun!

Tomorrow? Sunflowers!
Wednesday? Plum and Peach Cobbler!

 

This post is brought to you by Nestle Toll House Birthday Sugar Cookies. Bake some birthday love.

Thanks to the folks at Nestle Toll House and DailyBuzz Moms for sponsoring this post. Although I was compensated, all the opinions are my own. Natch.