Old Fashioned Mints

Yesterday my sweet (most the time) little 6 year old came home from school and nicely asked insisted I tell her which one of my daughters is the most beautiful girl in the entire world.  That wasn't a hard task.  I quickly told her it was ShAK (shake).  Boy was she confused!  She looked at me like I was crazy and informed me that I didn't have a child with that name. I asked her what the first sound of Shaye's name was.  Sh she told me.  So I asked her what the first sound of her name was.  She told me A (for Asia).  Then I asked her what sound Kailee's name started with.  And she told me K.  I nicely sounded it out for her.  Sh-A-K.  She told me that I couldn't do that.  It just wasn't fair!  Okay, I told her.  The most beautiful girl in the world is KASh (cash).  Once again, she wasn't impressed, and gave up. 

These little beauties, on the other hand, did thoroughly impress the little monkey.  As a matter of fact, I can't think of a single person in the house that wasn't impressed!  These Old Fashioned Mints remind me of the little after dinner butter mints my grandpa used to keep around his house.  They're a bit softer, but just as yummy! 

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
food coloring, optional

Combine butter and salt in a large bowl and beat for 1 minute on medium-high speed. Add 3 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and peppermint extract, and beat on medium-low speed until it forms a dough. Add more powdered sugar or sweetened condensed milk, if needed, to make a soft, but not sticky dough.  If you are coloring the dough, divide dough into as many pieces as colors you are making.  Roll each piece of dough into a ball and make an indentation with your thumb.  Drop a drop or 2 of the food coloring into the indentation and knead until the color is incorporated.  Continue with each color until all pieces of dough are colored.  Break off golf ball sized pieces of dough and roll into a long, skinny rope, about 1/2-inch thick.  Cut into pieces that are about 1/2-inch long.  Let the candies dry on the counter or on a cookie sheet over night, if you can keep little hands off them!

*Next time I'll add 1/2 teaspoon of butter flavoring.  I would have this time, but I was all out.  Sometimes I think there's a ghost in my house that can read my mind and takes things I think about.  How else could I run out of things like ground beef, and chocolate chips!?!

Recipe from Averie Cooks.

Linked on Tatertots and Jello, Show & Tell Saturday, Show & Tell Saturday, Sweet as Sugar Cookies, Pamela's Heavenly Treats, Hello Weekend, Sunday FUNday, Manic Monday, Whisk Away Wednesday and Six Sisters' Stuff.