Classic Shortbread

If you're ever in the mood to bake something sweet, and you find yourself with a shortage of pantry items, NEVER FEAR! With only FOUR ingredients (one being salt), you can bake delicious shortbread in the most meager of kitchens! This recipe comes from my standby for cookie baking, Martha Stewart's Cookies. It could not be easier to make, and the end result is fantastic! No one would ever guess how simple it is to make these scrumptious shortbread cookies!

Of course, it wouldn't be a proper HTEAC post if I didn't throw my opinion around like a frisbee. This recipe is lovely as is, but I think next time I'll use table salt rather than coarse salt. And I'll cut back on the amout to probably 3/4 teaspoon. I got a few large grains of salt in a couple bites, and it sort of reminded me of eating salted pretzels.... weird. Other than that, bravo Mrs. Stewart (or whichever of her kitchen staff came up with this recipe). ;D Classic Shortbread (from Martha Stewart's Cookies)
Makes 8 wedges (You could get away with cutting this into 12 wedges for more modest serving sizes)

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for the pan
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Sift flour and salt into a bowl; set aside. Put butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy - 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually add sugar; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add flour to mixture all at once; mix until just combined.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees, with rack in upper third of oven.
Using plastic wrap, press dough into a buttered 10-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. With plastic on dough, refrigerate 20 minutes. Remove plastic wrap. Cut out a round from center using a 2 1/4-inch cookie cutter; discard. Put cutter back in center. Cut dough into eight wedges with a paring knife. Using a wooden skewer, prick all over at 1/4-inch intervals.
Bake until golden brown and firm in center, about 1 hour. Transfer pan to a wire rack. Recut shortbread into wedges; let cool completely in pan. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

A Christmas Cookie... 12 Days Late!!

Okay, so I KNOW Christmas was 12 days ago, but c'mon! Don't act like you weren't up to your freakin' eyeballs in wrapping paper, cousins, Best Buy gift cards, and the same exact food you ate for Thanksgiving, too!! I made these cookies just before Christmas, and they were fantastic! I think they were Josh's favorite, and everyone loved them. They're called Pfeffernussen, which is German for "pepper nuts" or something like that. They're kinda soft, kinda crispy, almost cake-like, and deliciously spicy! Since I'm so late posting the recipe, let's just called them "Winter cookies" instead of "Christmas cookies!" ;)
PS: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from The Baker Family + Friends!

Left to right: my brother's g/f Jessica, my brother Lance Jr., Wrinkles, my mom Cathy, my dad Lance, me, and my b/f Josh!

Pfeffernussen (from "Martha Stewart's Cookies")
Makes 3 dozen

1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar (for dusting)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the confectioners' sugar in a brown paper bag.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, pepper, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and baking soda. Set aside.
Place butter, brown sugar, and molasses in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture; beat until just combined. Pinch off dough in tablespoon amounts; roll into 1 1/4-inch balls. Arrange balls 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (Dough can be frozen at this point, covered tightly with plastic wrap, up to 1 month.)
Bake until cookies are golden and firm to the touch with slight cracking, about 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer sheets to a wire rack to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Working in batches, place cookies in paper bag; shake until well coated (I shook the extra sugar off my cookies in a large seive). Let cool completely on wire rack. Store in an airtight container.