Shortbread Cookies—–Warning—- Dangerous: Can’t Stop Eating These

Easy to make and they are the freezer kind, but of course are called refrigerator cookies. Shouldn’t they be called Freezer Cookies? Go figure?!!!!

So, once you make the dough (in your processor or if you prefer, in a bowl with your electric mixer) you roll the dough into two logs and freeze them for at least 2 hours or up to one month. One roll makes at least 30 delights so I bet you’ll easily have some cookie dough left over to make into yummy cookies some time later unless you are baking for a large crowd. Below, look for variation possibilities.

Ingredients: makes 60 cookies

• 2 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 Tsp. coarse salt
• 1 Tblsp. plus 1 Tsp. lemon zest (or whatever you choose)
• 1 Tsp. fresh lemon juice (or whatever you choose)
• 1 Cup (2 sticks) sweet butter, cut into pieces
• 2 egg yolks
• Granulated sugar (maybe 1/4 C?) for rolling the dough in before baking

Directions (easy and if you don’t have a food processor, you can use a bowl and electric beaters):

• In a food processor, pulse the flour, confectioners’ sugar, salt and lemon zest until combined.
• Add the butter pieces and process till crumbly.
• Add the egg yolks and lemon juice.
• Pulse until dough comes together. (If it hasn’t done that to your satisfaction, use your hands to form the dough into a cohesive ball)
• Divide the dough in half and form with your hands each half into a 1 ½ inch wide log.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until firm—- 2 hours or up to 1 month.
• 

Baking Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350F.
• Place parchment paper on your baking sheet(s).
• Spread granulated sugar on a paper towel and roll the log(s) in the sugar. If you still want more sugar on the log, use your hands to place more on the log.
• With a sharp knife, slice the log(s) into 1/4 inch thick slices and arrange them about 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. These cookies really don’t spread so you are safe from their melding together.
• Bake until the cookies are golden brown around the edges (about 15 minutes). They’ll be sort of white on the tops but as long as they have some brown edging, they’ll be perfect. If you are using more than one baking sheet, rotate them half way through the baking cycle.
• Transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack or onto paper towels to cool.
• To store, cover and keep at room temp for up to 5 days. They also freeze well.
• Hint: want orange flavored cookies? Use orange juice and orange zest. How about lavender buds, crystallized ginger, ground almond, ground pecans? Use your imagination to alter these cookies to your very own taste and make sure to comment on what you have invented. I can’t wait to hear.

Bon Appétit: From Margot’s Table to Yours

Want some more recipes? Easy to find on Margot’s blog: http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com Want someone to help you with small time entertaining or cooking?—email me at: margot@eyeonsunvalley.com

Nut Delight Cookies (makes 3-4 dozen cookies) Extra Delicious and Easy.

The holidays are almost upon us and before you know it, they’ll be over and gone. However, even so it’s never too late for a fast and easy cookie making. Why? Well, here are 3 reasons for the baking of this particular lacy and delicate treat.

• They are a cinch to make
• They will fill your home with a magnificent scent
• They are versatile as to the ingredients and therefore I bet that you have them all in your pantry/refrigerator—so no shopping.
• They are perfect to take for your cross country ski outing on our BCRD (Blaine County Recreation District) trails now that they and the weather are getting rather perfect.

Ingredients Needed:

• One cup all-purpose flour
• Half teaspoon coarse salt (regular is fine as well)
• One cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp or if you only have the salted kind, omit the half tsp. salt
• Three-quarters cup packed brown sugar—dark is better but if you only have light, that’s OK
• One egg yolk
• Two-thirds finely chopped nuts of your choice (I used almonds and I lightly toasted mine. I also used my small Cuisinart to finely chop them.)
• Nut halves and larger pieces for last minute before baking décor.

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350.
• Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper if you have that; if not, try to use a Teflon sheet and if you don’t have that, lightly grease your sheet.
• Cream the butter with the sugar in a medium sized bowl. When the batter is nice and smooth mix in the egg yolk till well combined. I used my electric beaters to do all of the aforementioned and then, you will be using something like a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to add in the well chopped nuts. Stir again till well combined.
• In a separate bowl, sift and flour and salt or put the flour and salt in a sifter and add the dry ingredients to your creamed butter concoction; mix till well combined.
• The dough will not be really thick and that’s OK because you are going to drop medium size spoonfuls onto your lined cookie sheets— 3 horizontally and 3 inches apart because they do tend to spread and onward down on whatever size sheet that you are using. When your sheet has the spoonfuls of dough on it, place a half nut or some smaller slices of nuts into the top of each spoonful.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes; if using two cookie sheets, rotate them half way through.
• You want to watch carefully at the 12 minute point to see that they don’t get too brown.
• Let them rest for a minute or so on the cookie sheet and then place the cookies on a rack to cool.
• Store in an airtight container if need be—however, I bet they’ll all be gone before you have a chance to do that.

Need help for parties? Need a recipe? Call Margot 208-721-3551, email margot6@mindspring.com or check out her more than 200 recipe blog: http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com

A Breeze to Make Oreo Truffle Eggs Especially for Easter

Makes around 40-45

You may have run into this yummy truffle recipe however it escaped my attention until I was introduced to it at a party just recently.  It was so delicious that my iron will in regards to sweet temptations broke down and I indulged in several. But, I wondered what made them so good because when I asked the gal who had brought them, she said that they were deceivingly easy to make and even kids with parental help could make them. So lo and behold, I found the recipe on the net and true enough, they are a breeze to make. You all know how I love to share good things so here is this breeze to make recipe.  I thought that one could actually form the shapes to look more like chocolate Easter eggs— give that a try—and enjoy.

Ingredients:

1. One 16. Oz. package of OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
2. One 8 oz. package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened or one 8 oz. carton of softened Cream Cheese.
3. Two 8 oz. packages Bakers Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted. Kraft suggests placing the unwrapped chocolate in a microwaveable bowl and to microwave on high 2 ½ minutes or until chocolate is completely melted, stirring every 30 seconds.  For myself, I place the opened chocolate in a microwave bowl, put about 2 ¼  Tsp. of unsalted butter on top and micro on medium for about 2 minutes, then stir and continue microwaving on medium for 30 to 60 seconds more stirring intermittently until chocolate and butter are all melted. Sometimes I omit the butter.  If you are into professional looking exteriors, you probably should temper the chocolate which takes a bit of patience and time.  For tempering instructions, look that up on the net or a good cookbook.

Instructions:

1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor(about 1/4 C.); reserve this for later use.   You can also crush the cookies in a plastic bag using a rolling pin.
2. Crush the remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs and place in a medium bowl.
3. Add cream cheese and mix until well blended. I used my hands.
4. Roll cookie mixture in 40 balls or if for Easter, into egg shapes. They should be about one inch in diameter to give you a general idea of the appropriate size.
5. Dip balls/eggs in the melted chocolate; place on a wax or parchment papered baking sheet.
6. To easily coat the truffles with the melted chocolate, add truffles, in batches, to bowl of melted chocolate.  Use 2 forks to roll the truffles in the chocolate until evenly coated.  Remove the truffles with the forks letting any excess chocolate drip back in the bowl.  Place truffles on your papered prepared baking sheet.   If you have any left-over chocolate, store that in the frig. for some other later use.
7. Sprinkle the balls with the reserved crumbs if you wish.
8. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
9. I have frozen these and they turn out just fine.  In fact, I eat them straight out of the freezer and they are delicious. I also have put some crushed lavender culinary buds in the cream cheese and that has turned out well.

I dare you not to eat them all immediately.  However, if you are that strong of will and constitution, store in a tightly covered contained in the frig. for a later serving.  Don’t plan on any left-over’s.