Perfect Shortbread Cookies

I don't like making cookies.  Too time consuming and the product doesn't seem worth all the effort unless the cookie is perfect.  This one is...

Preheat oven to 350° F

Ingredients:

1 cup of butter ---must be at room temperature

1 cup of sugar

2 tsps. of vanilla

3 cups of flour

1/2 tsp. of salt

In a Kitchenaid or good mixer with dough paddle inserted, put butter and sugar.  Cream the butter well on low speed.  If you don't have a Kitchenaid, a food processor works with the plastic dough hook but don't overprocess.  Add the vanilla...mix until incorporated.  Add the flour and salt.  Mix until a great dough forms.  Put the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Allow oven to preheat while the dough is in the fridge resting.

Take a 9 x 11 disposable aluminum baking pan and put dough in pan.  No need to do anything to the baking pan.  Press down until all dough fits. 

Bake 15 to 20 until the edges are slightly brown.

Remove the pan from the oven and place on a rack.  Cut the cookies into rectangular shapes while warm (I use my ravioli cutter so the edges look pretty).  Place on a rack to cool.

Technically, you now have perfect cookies.  However, many cooks like to finish these off by dipping in melted chocolate or topping with sprinkles. 

Chocolate topping:

Melt chocolate with a 1/4 cup of Nutella and a little butter in the microwave on low speed until melted.  Add some premade coffee (just enough to make a creamy melt).  Mix with a fork.  Dip one half of each cookie in the chocolate.  Place on rack to cool.  Add sprinkles or whatever.

Cookies will keep for a couple of weeks in fridge.

Saturday Soup

My grandmother, Lucy Piermarini, was a wonderful cook.  Because she was my caregiver when my mother worked, she taught me how to cook all the regional dishes of Tuscany and many great recipes from her Roman heritage.  Because she never wasted anything, she would make a large (18 quart) pot of soup on Saturday which would become the first course for our weekly Sunday dinner.  Soup is always comforting so this recipe can serve you well if you put it in a slow cooker and walk away.

In a slow cooker, pour in 64 ounces of chicken stock or beef stock.  Set the temperature on low.  Add 3 tbl.  of tomato paste, three bay leaves and six cloves of garlic, crushed.  This is the basic stock when you make this soup.  To enhance the flavor of the broth, you can add demi glace, a little wine, etc.  For really great flavor, add a rind of parmiagiano reggiano or any frozen rind of cheese (always freeze the rinds because they are a fabulous addition to soups and stews).  A ham hock works well too...be creative!

From the fridge, add all vegetables, meat products, beans and rice to the stock.  Let this simmer all day, with a dash of salt and pepper.  About 30 minutes before serving, add any leftover pasta.  Serve with a crusty loaf of Italian bread and grated imported Italian cheese.