Oh Yeah.

I got a mother-f-ing Kitchenaid. That's right. You don't even know the things I have made with this bad boy since I got it. Ok, 2 things. Garlic/chive mashed potatoes and these cookies. What? I've been busy. After all, it was my birthday month. If we wanna get technical....it still is.

And to top it off? I got my first Le Creuset. This birthday was stellar in the kithchen department. Anywho. I made shortbread again (stop judging) but this time with lemon zest and rosemary. SO GOOD, and pretty too!

For the cookie you'll need:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

1 stick + 1 tablespoon unsweetened butter

Splash vanilla extract

Pinch kosher salt

Add the zest of 1 lemon and 2 fresh rosemary sprigs. (chop 'em up first!)

Combine all ingrediants in large mixing bowl. Remember this post? Yeah, so do I. Getting butter all over myself. No more! It is now all confined into this brilliant machine. Let's see how lazy I get in the next few months. I can't wait to buy the pasta attachment. But I digress..

After you combine the cookie base add the zest of one lemon into bowl and mix on low.

When adding your rosemary be sure to chop it up finely. Otherwise it overwhems the cookie.

The batter comes out pretty crumbly and its difficult to mold. But have no fear, it's supposed to be this way. I did "buttons" instead of the tradition way of making shortbread which is to bake it like one giant cookie then slice it. I was having a get together that night and buttons were perfect for serving purposes. Like a dumy I forgot to take pictures of the end result. I clearly got distracted with the brie and sweet potato flat bread I was making at the same time. Which I also forgot to photograph. OOPS. But for real, more posts to come real soon. We're coming up on my favorite season. CHRISTMAS!

Cookies For Days.

Look at me! 3 posts in under a week?! I'm on a roll!! Woooooooooooooo Hoooooooooo! Anyway, it's getting to be that time again in Southern California where a bathing suit is really the only suitable (yes I did that on purpose) thingto wear for 3 months. All I ever want to eat in the summer is fruit. Its so hot out that anything more than that sounds gross. I wanted to try a light-weight fluffy and fruity kind of cookie that isn't too heavy or buttery like my usual shortbread. I found a recipe for orange zest cookies- afterall citrus is my favorite. WARNING: This particular recipe yields a loooooooooooot of cookies (seriously).

You will need:

2 cups white sugar


1 cup shortening (I used butter)

2 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

2 tablespoons grated orange zest
 
 
 
Combine sugar with your butter (or shortening if you choose) in a LARGE - trust me, I had to swap out mixing bowls half way through- bowl.
 

I had to get down n dirty (not literally, my hands were clean!) and use my hands for a lot of this recipe because i coughstilldonthaveamixercough and a wooden spoon wasn't cuttin it.
 

Add 2 eggs, vanilla, orange juice and zest.

Add your sour cream. Let me tell you, the sour cream makes ALL the difference when it comes to these guys, it makes them super light weight and delish!

Set mixture aside. Combine baking powder, soda and your 5 (YES 5) cups of flour. Sift through and add to wet mixture slowly. \

Just a quick peek at the GIANT mess I made in my kitchen today from doing this. My poor computer (thats where the recipe was and you cant see all the flour on the ground)

Grease up as many cooking sheets as you have and use a teaspoon to drop the dough onto the sheet. Bake at 375 or until golden on bottom. I found myself cooking them for more like 12-13 minutes.
 
 

Remember my Olive? I brought in a diner chair so she could see better. She sat there the whole time, even with dough and various objects flying through the air.

Once the cookies are cooled, you can frost them. For the frosting you'll need.
 

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons butter, melted

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
 
* If I were you I would double that recipe, I ran out.**
 
Combine everything together until it is "spreadable".
 

And frost away! You will have lots and lots of cookies, about 6 dozen to be exact.
 

I wasnt jokin!