Gingerbread cookies sitting on a coffee cup

Welcome back everyone! Do I have something to share with you today, courtesy of not Martha blog. I found this blog looking for gifts for family & friends last year. I hope you enjoy this, what a wonderful gift idea! I made these last year, and they where the talk of the town! Martha's blog has step by step directions.
Here is a link to her blog http://www.notmartha.org/archives/2009/12/18/a-gingerbread-house-that-perches-on-the-rim-of-your-mug/
Here is the template in case you miss it.

http://www.notmartha.org/images/other/2009dec/gingerbreadhouses/pattern.pdf

As always your comments are welcome.

The holidays have arrived

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! The turkey has been cooked, and the pis are baked, now it's time to start thinking about Christmas cookies. I have a few treats in store for you this holiday season. To start off with I am going to share a new favorite with you. One thing that's nice about this recipe is that you can make the dough ahead of time and take it out, slice it, and bake it as needed.

Savory Sesame Herb Shortbread Cookies


Ingredients

1 c white flour

1/4 c whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 tbls sugar

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp dried rosemary

1/4 tsp dried sage

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 c  butter  at room temperature

2 Tbs olive oil

sesame seeds


Instructions

In a bowl, combine dry ingredients (except sesame seeds). Add butter and oil, and use a fork to cut the butter into the dough until it is mixed thoroughly and there are no recognizable butter clumps left.

Form dough into thin little logs (you may need to refrigerate dough for a bit to make it easier to handle), and roll in sesame seeds. Freeze dough for 30 min (or until needed).

Using a sharp knife, slice the log into ½-inch thick discs. Bake on parchment paper at 350° F for about 20 minutes or until the edges start to brown.

Homemade savory shortbread cookies

Thyme, lemon, and sea-salt shortbread is crisp and buttery, while blue cheese pecan crackers are rich and addictive. I got this one from  Epicurious . I hope you enjoy this one.

Ingredients



1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest

1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt



Directions


1.Stir the flour, salt, lemon peel, and thyme together in a medium bowl.

2.With your fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until a coarse, crumbly mixture forms.

3.Blend the lightly beaten egg, egg yolks, and water together. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the egg mixture for brushing.

4.Make a well in the center of the flour. Add the remaining egg mixture and blend together with your hands without kneading the dough together; the dough will look a bit crumbly. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough together once or twice, just until it sticks together. Press the dough into a 1-inch disc, wrap in plastic film, and refrigerate until firm, about 1/2 hour.

5.Preheat the oven to 350°F and line the bottom of a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Remove the dough from the refrigerator, unwrap, and place it on a floured work surface.

6.Press the dough into a 6-by-5-inch rectangle. With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a larger 10-by-7-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough in half, forming two 5-by-7-inch pieces. Using a pizza wheel or sharp paring knife, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips.

7.Carefully place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet leaving a little room between each cookie. Brush the tops with the reserved egg mixture and sprinkle a little coarse sea salt on top. Gently press the salt into the surface of each cookie so it does not fall off.

8.Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and serve warm or at room temperature. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Makes 26 cookies.