Shortbread Cookies

     You may remember that just a week or so before Christmas, I became very ill.  It was difficult to accept that my beloved Christmas cookie boxes would not be made or delivered this Christmas.  I managed to make a few at the beginning of December, but was waiting to pass out the rest of my cookie boxes as the big day approached.  No cookies this year L.  You see, I was going to make this recipe for shortbread cookies.  I had already done a trial run in late November and my parents and husband highly approved.  My cookie boxes and packing accessories were just waiting to be filled with freshly baked cookies.  I was so disappointed that I couldn’t bring these cookies to our family Christmas weekend, which fell the weekend before Christmas.  For a few days, J.T. and I, my parents, brother, and sister-in-law to be were able to gather under one roof to spend time together.  It was a fun weekend and I wish it happened more often.  I was able to make “Merry Belated Christmas/Happy New Year” cookies.  The only recipients of these tasty treats were my parents and husband…again.  I delivered a box of shortbread cookies to my parent’s house, the day before they returned home from a New Year’s trip.  I knew they would be surprised and delighted to receive them and they were.  The remaining cookies were given to my husband, because he eats dessert every night before bed – with ice cream.  Since J.T. actually helped me make the cookies (as you will see pictured below), it made eating them even more special.  Yes, he picked out teddy bear and “X” shaped cookie cutters. 

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients

·         ¾ pound unsalted butter, at room temperature

·         1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

·         1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

·         3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

·         ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

1.      In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until just combined.  Add the vanilla paste. 

2.      In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.  Mix the double until it comes together.  Dump the dough out onto a floured surface and shape into a disk.  Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

3.      Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to ¼ inch thick on a floured surface.  Cut out the cookies using your cookie cutter of choice.  Cookie cutters with minimal corners work best with this dough.  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes (this will depend on the size of your cookies).  Watch the cookies very closely because they can brown quickly!   Yields about 30 cookies.  

Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Apples

Merry Christmas!  J.T., Otis, and I are about to head over to my parent’s house for a day full of eating, presents, and tornado warnings! Yesterday, I made Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Apples and it will be served at our Christmas lunch.  It smells amazing and I even had to stop J.T. from sampling it yesterday!  Many of you may already know, but my birthday actually falls on Christmas.  I woke up to a sweet surprise from my husband – my birthday present.  I asked for food related items – kitchen tools, etc – and he delivered.  He even bought me two bottles of organic extra virgin olive oil!  Nothing excites me more than receiving kitchen tools, appliances, and specialty food items J Merry Christmas to each of you reading this blog.  May your day be filled with precious time with your loved ones celebrating the birth of Jesus. 

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients

For the sweet potatoes:

·         4 lbs. sweet potatoes

·         ½ cup almond milk

·         ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

·         4 tablespoons coconut oil

·         ¼ cup brown sugar

·         1 teaspoon cinnamon

·         ½ teaspoon nutmeg

·         2 teaspoons kosher salt

·         ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the apples:

·         3 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into eighths

·         3 tablespoons coconut oil

·         3 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions

1.      For the sweet potatoes, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Roast the sweet potatoes until very tender when pierced with a fork, about an hour.  When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and discard.  Place the potato flesh in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Add the almond milk, orange juice, coconut oil, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.  Mix together on low until combined.  The sweet potatoes should still be slightly lumpy.  Pour the filling into a greased baking dish. 

2.      For the apples, heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the apples and brown sugar.  Sauté for 5 to 10 minutes or until the apples are nicely browned on all sides.  Evenly distribute the cooked apple slices on top of the sweet potato filling.  Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.