Good Things by David

I hope that you will agree with me when I say that all of us can use a little green at the start of spring.  For me, the color green represents life,  renewal and positive energy.  Surrounding ourselves with a bit of green in our homes, at least in my opinion, is the equivalent of allowing vitality into our lives.  To my mind green equals happiness, and let's be honest, we can all use some cheer in our lives right now. This is especially true during these unusual and uncertain times all of us are living under.  If you're stuck at home at the moment like so many of us around the world are, it's important for our mental health to engage in activities that will give us a sense of calm and peace. A Spring Table Setting Whether it's reading, cooking, baking, organizing, exercising, learning a new language or whatever you happen to be doing to pass the time right now, don't let our social distancing or imposed quarantines make us throw our table manners out

It's that time of year to begin showcasing our green for St. Patrick's Day.  In cookie form, one can turn just about any shape into a spirited Irish-themed treat for the holiday.  As long as you color them green, in whatever shades you desire, your cookies will look bright and festive.   For this particular set of cookies, I used Americolor and Wilton food coloring in: leaf green, kelly green, copper, orange, ivory and black. The leprechaun faces that I created are not a new design, but rather one that a cookie decorator came up with years ago.  All you need is a cupcake cookie cutter. That's right!  A cupcake cookie cutter is the perfect shape for a leprechaun.  Cut out as many "heads" as you want and then get to work. When you're ready to decorate, have royal icings tinted in two shades of green, jet black, pale ivory, and a bright orange that has a hint of copper.   Leprechaun Faces :  Turn all of the cupcake shapes upside down