Almond Shortbread Cookies

I'm currently obsessed with shortbead cookies. Since trying them for the first time (read my last post), I have spent hours at work dreaming up possible shortbread combinations. The first I made was a gluten free, almond shortbread. I'd be lying if I said they turned out well. But that's the my failt not the recipe's. They didn't turn out as planned for three reasons.

1) I added a whole cup of sugar, not half (I would like to use the distracted mom excuse.

2) I don't think I chilled my dough as long as I should have (Once again, I was distracted.)

3) My chocolate didn't harden. (I probably  added a smidge too much oil.)

But practice makes perfect, Right? I hope it does. I love baking so much, but it ends badley more often than not. That's partly why I started this blog. To motivate me to practice and to share a laugh when things don't  turn out.

Here's the correct recipe I created (Don't be like me and add too much sugar or rush the chilling.)

2 sticks room temperature butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups almond flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped almonds.

Mix sugar, butter, and vanilla together. Then add in the flour and chopped nuts. Form the cookie dough into a cylinder shape and wrap it in plastic wrap. Then place it in the refrigerator to cool for thirty minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F. After the dough is done chilling, take off the plastic wrap and cut it into 1/2 in. slices. Place the slices on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes. You can melt chocolate and dip  them for decoration or eat them plain.

P.s. I might try a regular, wheat flour version soon. I will post an update if I do.

Book Club and Scottish Shortbread Cookies

Layla will be two in December and we had the bad habit of laying her down to sleep with a bottle. Then, last week, we stopped cold turkey. She has been a little irritable ever since. Bedtime isn't a struggle but nap time is not going so well. The first few days she didn't nap at all. Now she whines for nearly an hour before briefly falling asleep.  The loss of nap time and my concurrent hour of peace and quiet are the main reasons new blog posts are overdue. It's too hard to focus with a stubborn toddler yelling in the backround. Even now I can hear her calling. "Bye, bye" she says, "see ya," "night, night."
I've been meaning to tell all of you about the book club I started. It's call "Books with a Side of Bacon" a book club for ladies who brunch. You can check out the Facebook page if you're interested in joining. Our October book was "Outlander " by Diana Gabaldon. A time travel romance set in the Scottish highlands. It inspired my sister and I to bake our own Scottish treats. Scottland isn't exactly known for their cuisine so we settled for  simple, three ingredient, Scottish shortbread cookies.
They were so easy to make and I couldn't stop eating them. I must have gobbled atleast five throughout the day. I am so infatuated with shortbead that I'm going to make more simple ones to eat, with coffee, for breakfast and definitely baking a couple of chocolatey, nutty versions for the upcoming holidays. Stay tuned for more updates on other shortbread variations.

Trader Joe's Macarons

Today we went to the Milwaukee County Zoo. On the way home we stopped to check out  Trader Joe's in Brookfield. Apparently Mike and I were both feeling french because among the handfull of items we bought were french macarons, french onion soup,  and french salted caramel butter cookies.
I haven't tried anything besides the macarons yet but I can tell you that I'm hooked on them already!
Eating macarons has been on my bucket list for years and today I finally had the opportunity to try them!  Who knows, maybe this was the closest I will ever get to trying a freshly made macaron france.
The package I bought contained salted caramel,  pistachio,  fig, apricot, coconut and lemon. It's probably a good thing that there was only two of each flavor,  otherwise I would have eaten way more! There are only two left as it is. My favorite flavors were salted caramel and pistachio. Followed by lemon or fig. But they all lived up to my delicious expectations. Have you ever had a macaron?  What flavor do you recommend?