We are introduced, at an early age, to the sweet wondernous of a cookie. From teething cookies to soothe the swollen aching gums of incoming incisors, onto animal crackers purchased in rectangular-shaped boxes bearing a string handle for easy toting by little fingers. Deciding which part of the animal should be eaten first-the trunk of the elephant or the tail of a lion-depended on how hungry one was. Savor each and every one or simply gobble them down as fast as possible.

My next cookie memory would be the ever famous, possibly all-time favorite, the chocolate chip cookie. There is nothing better than to bite into a round circle of baked dough sprinkled with gooey melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie can dry tears, heal broken hearts, mend scraped knees and elbows and solve sibling arguments. Most of the problems in the world could likely be solved by a properly baked, right out of the oven, chocolate chip cookie. The power of a cookie is underestimated.

I will attempt in the next 365 days to prepare and comment on a year’s worth of different cookies-one for each day. My goal is to share with others my extreme love of cookies-baking them and especially eating them! Feel free to send me your favorite recipe, your earliest cookie memories, or how cookies may have influenced your life. Cookies Rule!


Saturday, May 8, 2010

Cookie Recipe #126 - Lavender Heart Cookies



I had to go out to my garden to retrieve the main ingredient for today's cookie - lavender. These cookies are delicate and have a slight lavender aroma to them. Bake up a batch of these to give to Mom tomorrow for Mother's Day.

Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups butter, softened, 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons fresh lavendear florets, coarsely chopped, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling (I dyed mine purple).

Instructions: In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and lavender and bring the mixture together in a soft ball. Cover with plastic and chill for about 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees; line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut out hearts (or design of choice) with dipped-in-flour cookie cutters. Place on the prepared baking sheets and bake for about 10 minutes or until golden.

Leave cookies on sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling racks. Sprinkle with (colored)sugar, if desired.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

"Cookies Biscuits & Bakes 500", Catherine Atkinson, World Publications Group, Inc., East Bridgewater, MA, 2009.

Cookies Rule!!!

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