my latest holiday crush

Shortbread has always been a holiday tradition here at the manor. Maybe it's because both WT and I descend from the Scottish Lowlands, that we like it so much. Despite the fact that shortbread was prepared during much of the 12th century, the refinement of shortbread was actually accredited to Mary, Queen of Scots, in the 16th century. The name of one of the most famous and most traditional forms of shortbread, petticoat tails, were named by Queen Mary.

My traditional homemade shortbread is baked in a round pan and cut into wedges. This year, I tried a delicious new shortbread recipe posted by the charming Kary, over at My Farmhouse Kitchen, which is formed into logs and sliced. It was a huge hit at Thanksgiving, and I'm making a triple batch for Christmas, as well.  The cranberries and walnuts add the perfect blend of textures and flavors, and it's super easy to make.

I store them in my latest Goodwill find, a vintage etched glass lidded dish I found for $4.99.  A steal!

Cranberry Walnut Shortbread Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup confectioner's sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1. Beat butter, confectioner's sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add flour and salt, stir till just combined. Stir in dried cranberries and walnuts. Divide dough into half.

2. On parchment or waxed paper, shape each portion into a log and wrap. Chill 1 hour or up to 1 day.

3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. With a sharp knife slice dough into 1/4 inch slices.

4. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake about 16 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets and transfer to wire racks. Store in an airtight cookie tin. Makes about 3 dozen.

my faves

Just in case you haven't baked cut-out sugar cookies yet, these are
my favorite tradition at the manor. They're rustic and chunky and
have the most velvety texture. They absolutely melt in your mouth.
They take me back in time to the wonderful sugar cookies I ate as a
little girl. And speaking of little ones, I didn't bother with the
sprinkles or colored sugar, since I didn't have any helping me this
year in the big ol' empty nest.

Willow's Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

Combine flour and salt in a bowl and set aside. In electric mixing
bowl, mix butter, 1 cup sugar and vanilla. Add remaining sugar
and eggs and beat until fluffy. Slowly add flour mixture while
continuing to mix on low.

Roll dough 1/4 inch thick and cut out shapes. Don't add any extra
flour. The dough rolls easily without it.

Bake 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes. Be careful not to over bake!


Buttery Cookie Icing

3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter softened
1 Tbsp milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Blend butter and powdered sugar, add milk and vanilla, mix until
smooth. Add an additional pinch of milk if needed.

Ice cooled cookies. Allow icing to set before stacking cookies.

it's that time of year again

It's the start of the cookie season. These babies are perfect with a cup of Yorkshire Gold tea on a frosty afternoon. My world (at least in my neck of the woods) famous ginger cookies are big, moist and chewy. The warm blend of ginger, cinnamon and cloves are so symbolic of fall. I love this recipe, too, because they turn out exactly the same way every single time I make them. Give this recipe a try and tell me if you don't absolutely love them.

Willow's World Famous Big Soft Ginger Cookies

4 1/2 cups flour
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1 cup Crisco shortening
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened

2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup molasses
1 cup extra sugar for rolling

Combine the dry ingredients and set aside.

In electric mixer set on medium, beat butter and shortening until
blended, add sugar. Add eggs and molasses and beat well.

Stir flour mixture into egg mixture.

Shape dough into 2" golf ball sized balls and roll into sugar to coat.

Bake on ungreased sheet for 11 minutes at 350. Cool on sheet for
2-3 minutes, then transfer to rack and let cool. Makes about 18
large cookies.

An Old Standby

I don't usually make chocolate chip cookies for Christmas, but this
year my daughter requested them. With her busy schedule, she
doesn't get home very often, and of my cookies, these are her very
favorite. This recipe makes about seven dozen three inch cookies
and can be easily halved and the dough freezes well. They are
decadent.

Willow's Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 sticks of butter softened
1 cup Crisco shortening
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
2 tbsp vanilla
7 cups flour
1 1/4 tbsp baking soda
3/4 tbsp salt
24 oz. chocolate chips

Cream together the butter, shortening, sugars. Add eggs and vanilla.
Sift together the flour, soda and salt. Add chocolate chips.
Drop by golf ball sized scoops onto ungreased baking sheet.
Bake 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool on cookie sheet, remove and
let stand on wire wrack for 30 minutes before storing.

photos by willow