Lpink, I thank you for the sacrifices you have made on my behalf! LOL Your cookies look much better than mine from that recipe did! Although I have not experimented more with that particular recipe, I have tried the 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening in the Tollhouse recipe, with no noticeable improvement. I do find parchment a good idea, and am using it almost always for cookies, now. But it doesn't seem to keep the cookies from spreading, it just makes it easier to remove them from the pans, and cleanup is quicker. I just finished a batch made with my sister-in-law's tried and true recipe and still....flat cookies. I do believe someone has put a cookie curse on me! Linda

Here you go, Carolyn: Browned Butter Cardamom Cookies-4 dozen 1c Land 'O Lakes butter 3/4c sugar 1 egg yolk 1T vanilla 1/2 tsp cardamom 2c all purpose flour 1-2T milk (if nec. if dough is too dry) 1c powdered sugar Melt butter in a 2 qt heavy saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly until just begins to brown (5-8 minutes). Immediately remove from heat, pour into bowl and refrigerate til cool. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl: beat til well mixed. Add yolk, vanilla, and cardamom. Add flour and beat til dough forms and no longer crumbly, adding milk if necessary. Shape dough into 1" balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. (cookies will have cracks in them). Remove from baking sheets, cool 1 min then roll in powdered sugar and again when cool. Store between sheets of waxed paper in loosely covered container. From: Land 'O Lakes Cookies RL`

Irene was my great -aunt, my maternal grandmother's youngest sister. I remember her house at Lake Lotawana for its endearing charm and quirkiness. She had a pet mynah bird there. But the cookie shop was a kid's dream come true. Oh, it smelled so good! The adults would have me sit on a large metal can to stay out of the way. The sugar cookies had a hole in the center and i could stack them on my finger like rings. They let me eat as much as I wanted, to keep me occupied, I'm sure. I wish I still had our old cookie jar!

Lizzann, glad you enjoyed the Velveet fudge. It is delicious. My family doesn't question what I make cause they enjoy my cooking. Here's one, that I haven't tried: Chocolate Chip potato chip cookies 1 cup butter 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking soda 2 1/4 cups crushed potato chips (I used Lays Classic Potato Chips) 1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips Directions Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Combine the flour and baking soda and slowly add to the creamed sugar mixture. Mix well. Stir in the crushed potato chips and chocolate chips. Drop by small spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. If you are making large cookies you may want to keep them in the oven for about 14 minutes. Cool for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.