Shortbread Cookies

'Tis the season to bake and cook marvelous treats and decadent goodies and scrumptious meals for our families and friends.  One of my very favourite things is shortbread cookies.  I like to eat them while drinking scotch.  Or Coffee.  Or Tea.  Or really, with nothing to drink at all!  :)

1 c. cornstarch
3/4 c. icing sugar
1 1/4 c. flour
1 c. unsalted butter

There are 2 options to mix this.

1.a. Cream the above ingredients by hand.  (I'm way too lazy to do this, although I had to last year.)
1.b. Whip the butter in a mixer until fluffy.  Stir in combined dry ingredients, then beat on high for 3 - 4 minutes.

(Regardless of which method of combining you use, the mixture will be crumbly.)

2. Scoop a teaspoon of dough, and squish/roll into balls (with warm hands, but don't overwork it), and press flat on an ungreased cookie sheet with a sugared glass bottom.  Add cherries or wlanut pieces or something else on top, if desired.  (I like to sprinkle coloured sugar.)

Bake at 350 degrees until lightly browned on the bottom.  Let cool before removing from pan.

I've received some interesting tips from people over the years about making shortbread:

* If the butter is too warm, it will make tough shortbread.
* Use a wooden spoon to beat the mixture.  (I avoid all plastic, and use stainless steel bowls and spoons.)
* Cold butter results in fluffier shortbread.
* If the mixture is too crumbly to work with, refrigerate it for a few hours.  The flavour will improve during this time, and the water will absorb properly into the flour.  (Don't quite understand the 'why' of this, and am trying it out today.  Will post back to let you know how this is, although the first sheet of cookies from the crumbly batter turned out just fine, mmmm!
* One can add flavoured extracts to the batter, like almond or vanilla.  One can also add citrus zest.  (I am trying this next, with lemon and lime...) Really, I think the options are endless for flavour!

Do let me know, in the comments, what tips you have for making shortbread!  And how this turned out for you!  :)

parent pasta night!

Friends of ours recently took our three children over night.  It was to repay us for watching their 2 children for a couple of days earlier this year.  The kids were thrilled to have a sleepover, and us parents were thrilled to have a free night.

Only wrench in the plans?  Our town.

The local movie theater *had* been playing 2 good choices, but they changed over to crap.  None of our local restaurants were in the least bit enticing...and pretty much every one serves some version of a hamburger.  Not too exciting.

So I decided to attempt to recreate a *fabulous* pasta I had at a wonderful Italian bistro in Ottawa earlier this year.  Especially appropriate for a mom and dad night, as we don't have pasta loving kids.

Ingredients:
fettucini (fresh is even better)
sun dried tomato pesto
roasted red pepper, chopped - grill your own if you can't find it in a jar
olive oil
turkey or chicken breast (optional)
herbed goat cheese

Grill your turkey or chicken, and shred it.  Cook the pasta.  Toss pasta with the pesto and a drizzle of olive oil.  Then liberally sprinkle the chopped red pepper and the shredded grilled chicken on your pasta.  Then add some goat cheese on the side, you can either stir it in, or add to your fork for a variety of tastes in the mouth.  The hubby declared this delicious, and I declared it *Easy*.  Win/win, in my opinion!  Serve with some lovely bread and a glass bottle of wine.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

This is the cake that got me yelled at by my kids' Vice Principal, because she couldn't stop eating it. :)

Mix
1 box yellow or white cake mix (remove a cup first!)
1/2 cup melted marg
1 egg
press into a 9x13 pan

Blend
3 eggs
3 cups pureed pumpkin (here, I used homemade, but added roughly one cup of homemade pumpkin butter as part of the pumpkin)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar (again, a tweak.  I only used about half the sugar called for, because the pumpkin butter has sugar in it already)
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
pour over the crust

Combine the cup of cake mix, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup margarine.  You can add a 1/2 cup of chopped nuts, but I didn't because the school is nut-free.  Or is it peanut free - it's an ongoing debate.  I just skip nuts altogether when the school is concerned.  crumble this over the pumpkin layer.  Bake at 350 for 60 minutes

crock pot cabbage

It's been a while!

Ok, so I adapted this from a recipe in Stephanie O'Dea's cookbook.  You know, the Year of Slow Cooking woman? 

Anyhow, this was a potato and cabbage dish.  I'm currently not eating potatoes (the horror!), and the family was so/so on the results with the potatoes.  Maybe because I used the multi-colored mini potatoes, and potatoes that are purple all the way through look strange.

Well, I couldn't keep my hands off the cabbage.  I ate all that was left over.  Considering I had a cabbage coleslaw blend salad for lunch, my hubby was a brave man getting into bed with me last night. (blush)

1 head cabbage - and is cabbage ever cheap right now!
1/8 cup olive oil
1-2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar
5-8 whole garlic cloves

slice your cabbage, toss into crockpot.  Throw garlic on top, then drizzle in olive oil and balsamic.  Sprinkle with some salt and pepper if you wish.  Then cover and cook on high for about 3 to 3.5 hours, low would probably be 4-6-ish.  It's all good if it gets a big brown and melty looking.  Then sprinkle liberally with salt, and be prepared to fight anyone who gets between you and your plate.

Oh, and the TMI above? Apparently, it was all good.  Guess my body likes cabbage enough to, um, keep it to myself. ;)

Italian Bread Wedges

So, this recipe was shared by a friend of mine, and I'm not altogether sure that I'm supposed to distribute this.  So, shhhh!  *Darts eyes around shiftily*  But it is so very good, that it deserves to be shared!!  Thanks, A!  ;)

I like to preheat my pizza stone, and bake it on this.  That shortens the posted cooking time, a bit.

Dough:
2 1/2 cups flour  (I've used white, whole wheat, or a combo.  It's all good!)
1 tbsp yeast
1 c. warm water
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt  (I usually omit this.)

Mix (I use my stand mixer with the dough hook) and let it raise for 20 minutes.  Spread on greased pan.  Top with mixed toppings and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.  Enjoy!

Topping:
salt & pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp thyme
1/3 cup italian salad dressing
1/2 cup shredded mozza, optional

Evilness in a mug

I know, it's after Christmas and New Year's.  When everyone wants to drop the holiday weight.  Get in shape.  Become fit.

and here I go, posting an evil recipe.

This is not for the willpower-less among us.  Just sayin'


Brownie in a Mug

4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp sugar (I mixed white and brown)
2 tbsp cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 tbsp oil
3 tbsp water
1/4 tsp vanilla


Mix in a mug


Microwave about 1 minute 20 seconds or so.  Let cool a bit (give it a minute or two, don't burn your mouth!)

Enjoy.  Then go to the gym or something.