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!


Monday, May 17, 2010

Cookie Recipe #135 - Orange Icebox Cookies


The fresh oranges used in this recipe came from my neighbor, Gails' sister, Linda. The tree in her yard produces the most wonderful, juicy oranges that enhance the yummy-factor in today's cookie. These should be made the night before they are needed.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon grated orange rind, 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 cup granulated sugar & few drops each of yellow and red food coloring. Icing: 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice.

Instructions: In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and grated orange rind; mix well. Sift together flour, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture. On a floured board, knead dough until smooth. Shape into 2 rolls, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and flatten the tops to make an oval shape. Wrap in waxed paper and chill overnight in the refrigerator.

Add food coloring to 1/4 cup granulated sugar mixing until all sugar is tinted orange; set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees; line baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove rolls from refrigerator and roll in tinted sugar sprinkled on a work surface, completely covering. Slice each roll into 1/4 inch thick ovals and place on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart.

Bake 9-11 minutes or until set. Prepare icing while cookies bake as follows: place confectioners' sugar and orange juice in small bowl and mix completely.

When cookies are done, remove from oven to heatproof surface and spread a thin layer of icing on each cookie. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen citrus cookies.

"The Ultimate Cookie Book", Tormont Publications, Inc., Montreal, Canada, 1997.

Cookies Rule!!!

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