If you make homemade butter mints when your 4 year-old twins are home...
You're going to have to hide some on the back porch for your mom and brother. It also wouldn't hurt if, after looking at the recipe, you happened to be at an estate sale and find the perfect tin for them...
I found the recipe in the Back in the Day Bakery cookbook. It's super easy. Just butter, confectioner's sugar, sweetened condensed milk, a pinch of salt and 1 TABLESPOON (!) of peppermint extract. I did have to add extra sw. condensed milk to get the perfect consistency. Now, if this isn't tempting enough, Josie made some with orange and vanilla instead of the peppermint. So good. Have fun. Kids and adults love these. The book is under $15 and just terrific. Don't ask how many baking books I have. Note: I made my own vanilla last fall (as pictured above) - a huge bottle of vodka and 10 vanilla beans, purchased online. I shook the bottle every few days and voila! Homemade vanilla by Christmas-about 8 weeks.
Skinny by summer is getting more and more questionable...