Bill & Eleanor Stavisky

My favorite sugar cookie recipe is from Eleanor Stavisky.  She was a great lady that taught me a few kitchen skills not to mention the fact she was my elementary music teacher.   Her husband Bill was the superintendent at Oswayo Valley.  In his early years he was the boys basketball coach and a damn good one from the stories told through the years.   My brother played for Mr. Stavisky.

Well as time passed, they retired, and we became friends.  It's funny because I was scared to death of them in school.  Not that they were mean, I was always afraid of getting in trouble ;)  Bill always had a beautiful garden across from our home in Shinglehouse.  Dick would go over to  visit and Bill would give him the ins and outs of gardening.  He would also leave bags of veggies with us.  He would pick up hickory nuts in the fall, crack them and give us a quart of perfect halves.  That was talent and patience, that was Bill

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Eleanor would send cookies to us quite often.  I tried a couple times to make them with her recipe but not as good as hers.  When I told her she said, come on down we are going to make them together.  It worked and we had a great chat.  What she told me always comes back when I think of her.  She said, you know I never thought I would get this old, she was 72 at the time.  There was sadness in her eyes but she added that she has had a good life and good children.  So Eleanor this post is for you, a good teacher, friend and wonderful lady ♥

I'm pretty sure, well 95% sure the cookies meet Eleanor's quality and 100% sure the grand kids will eat them without  complaining they don't taste good.

Happy Valentine's Day.  It's not the flowers or gift on this day that matters as much as the love everyday ♥