There are very few things you have more time for when you are caring for a newborn. Your life is a cycle of feedings and diapers. However, I have been pleasantly surprised to find that I am actually catching up on some reading. For nearly a year I have been too busy with work to even read basic news let alone novels or magazines. Now, thanks to 8-10 feedings a day, I have a chance to read while I feed the baby. I actually feel up-to-date on current events, have read 2 full books in the past 6 weeks and have become happily acquainted with The Atlantic magazine atlantis 2.

Recently, while flipping through an InStyle magazine, I was drawn to the photos of Dita von Teese, international burlesque star.  Her home was featured and was as colorful as her persona. It turns out that Dita loves cooking for friends and was kind enough to share her recipe for Spiced Mice Butter Cookies. She is pictured in her flamingo-pink kitchen taking a sheet pan out of the oven while in high heels with perfectly coiffed retro hair. (Slight contrast to the yoga pants and ratty ponytail I was sporting when my mouse family was born hair care .)

and I worked together to form our mouse brigade. Her cookies had a few extra eyes, ears and tails but we had a blast making these cookies together. We were recently invited to a birthday party where the hostess requested “no gifts” for her 2 year old.  Since I can’t stand to show up empty handed, we tucked a dozen of these mice cookies in a box and included the recipe on top. This is one sort of mouse most people won’t mind finding in the kitchen HIFU.