Shortbread

Shortbread
by Jackie Redrupp

Ingredients (Makes about 6 dozen pieces):

• 1 lb. chilled butter
• 1 cup superfined sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
  
• 3/4 cup rice flour or arrowroot flour
• 5 cups all purpose flour (bleached)
• Blanched almonds split in half

Directions:

1. Dice chilled butter into 1/2 inch cubes. Place in bowl. Add sugar, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat mixture until it is light and fluffy.
2. Combine flours and add gradually to creamed mixture. The dough will be crumbly. Butter and lightly flour a large cookie sheet and a 10 or 12 inch pizza pan. Preheat oven to 325degF.
3. Spoon 1/3 of dough in to prepared pizza pan. Push, pat and roll until it is smooth and covers the pan uniformly. With a sharp knife cut circle in to 8 or 12 wedges and decorate with split almonds.
4. Put remaining 2/3 of dough on to cookie sheet. Push, pat and roll the dough until it covers the sheet uniformly. With a sharp knife , make 3x1 inch rectangles(fingers). Place a split almond at the center of each.
5. Prick the shortbread all over with the tines of a fork. Bake in the middle of preheated (325degF) oven for 20minutes or until just lightly colored.
6. Remove from the oven and immediately run sharp knife through all the divisions. Let cool for 5 minutes. Using a spatula transfer pieces to a cooling rack. Store in tightly covered containers.

Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal Cookies
(Modified from recipe on Quaker Oats Box)

Ingredients (makes about 5 dozen):

• 1 cup butter or Vegetable oil
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water (may use juice instead)
• 1 cup milk powder
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups oats, uncooked
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 tsp soda

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degF.
2. Beat together butter, sugars, milk powder and vanilla until creamy.
   
3. Add combined remaining (oats, flour, soda, salt) ingredients and mix well.
   
4. Using rounded teaspoonfuls, drop cookie batter onto greased cookie sheet.
   
5. Bake at 350 degF for 12 to 15 minutes.
   

For variety add chopped nuts, raisins, chopped dates, chocolate chips or coconut. Add cinammon, apple pie spice mix to enhance flavor. Enjoy!