All set to go!

Once I arrived, I made some Valentine's Day punch-which I did not get a photo of...but it was good, none the less. It was just frozen pink lemonade concentrate and a 2 liter bottle of lemon-lime soda, topped with raspberry sherbert. The first batch had already disappeared before the party had even 'officially' started!

To make ribbon cookies you need only to poke two holes (with straws) into the bellies of still warm sugar cookies and then thread with ribbon. If you would like to use this recipe (which was very good)...

You need:
1 c. butter, softened
3 c. sugar
3 eggs
3 t. vanilla extract
7 1/2 c. all purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1 c. buttermilk

Corse sugar or sprinkled, optional
Ribbon

In a LARGE mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Combine dry ingredients in another bowl. Gradually add to creamed mixture, alternating with buttermilk. ( A note on buttermilk-I got the GREATEST thing a while back that avoids requiring having an infrequently used perishable item spoil...that is, buttermilk POWDER. It is WONDERFUL. You simply add water!) Make into three balls, cover and chill for about an hour.

On a heavily floured surface, roll out one dough ball to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cutters and place 1 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle sugar, if desired.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until edges are SLIGHTLY browned. Cool 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. While still warm, poke two holes into cookies with a straw. When completely cooled, thread ribbons through holes and tie into bows.

Repeat with other balls of dough, or freeze for a smaller batch. This makes A LOT of cookies-and NO, I could bear to add the ribbon to ALL of them! :-)