It’s the Thought That Counts … Truly!

Make Valentine’s Day a day to celebrate the acts of love and care that so often go unseen in the world. When you walk into your office, house of worship, or school, do you notice the pride with which it is cleaned and maintained? When you take a walk in your neighborhood, do you notice how its streets and yards are maintained? Do you know the people who take away your trash? Mindfulness and gratefulness will transform your life. It starts with NOTICING all the hands that contribute to your peace and wellbeing.

In this month of love, go outside yourself and Serve the Servants! Sure, it takes time to make cookies from scratch. That’s the beauty of it: devoting yourself to a selfless act of love for someone who doesn’t expect such thoughtfulness. Here, we have made cookies for custodians.

No worries, gift cards are great, too. We are giving some to the grounds keepers at our kids’ schools. The amount is not important. It’s truly the thought that counts.

Serving the Servant will give you goosebumps. And it will change the world, one grateful interaction at a time.

Cookies for Custodians

Ingredients:
2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature soft
1 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:
Combine butter, sugar and egg in large mixer bowl and beat at medium speed for about 30 seconds.
Reduce speed to low and slowly add the flour, baking powder, orange juice, and vanilla.
Beat until well mixed.
Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, or over night.

When you’re ready to bake cookies, remove dough from oven and leave out on kitchen counter until room temperature (could be a few hours).
When dough is ready, heat oven to 400 degrees
Lightly flour countertop or use parchment paper for rolling out the dough to 1/4 inch.
Cut with your favorite cookie cutters (we like using a variety).
Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 6-10 minutes, depending on your oven…but until cookies are just beginning to turn brown.
Remove from cookie sheet onto racks and cool completely.

Glaze:

Ingredients:
1 box powdered sugar
6-8 tablespoons of juice from fresh orange or orange juice

Directions:
Mix well with spoon until creamy, smooth and not too thick (add more juice if necessary). Divide and add food coloring if you wish.
Dip cookies or spread glaze on top then add decorations (sprinkles, m&ms, or anything edible) and dry completely before adding pastry bag frosting (see below) for more decorating.
Store in airtight containers with layers of wax paper in refrigerator.
Package as you like in decorative bags or on plate.

Buttercream Frosting (optional for added glitz)

Ingredients:
1 box powdered sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature soft
2 teaspoons vanilla
3-4 tablespoons milk

Directions:
In small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and beat at low spread, scraping sides and bottom often. Divide frosting and add food coloring if you wish. Place frosting in pastry bag emerged in empty glass for ease. The ones we used were #4 for writing, #8, #10, and #21
Dry completely.

Package a few cookies in each decorative bag or on a plate and distribute to the custodians at your school or work and make their day — and your life happier!

Please send photos of your creations to angels@heavenonearthnow.net. Or post them on your Instagram or Facebook pages with the tag #servetheservant.