Rosemary Rave

Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

In the past, when cooking with the pungent herb rosemary, I've used it for savory dishes such as poulet provençale, grilled kabobs, marinades and such.  But with Christmas around the corner, and miniature rosemary trees available through my job at Ellis Home and Garden, I couldn't resist branching out to more intriguing and unusual uses for rosemary.  The rosemary in this recipe adds a delicate and unexpected flavor to an ordinary butter cookie.  Wow your Christmas guests with the piney scent of rosemary in your home, a tiny trimmed tree on your table and these delectable cookie for treats.  You'll receive rave reviews!

 Rosemary Shortbread Recipe

1 1/2 cups softened unsalted butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 T chopped fresh rosemary
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 t white sugar or sprinkles for decoration

In a medium bowl cream together butter and 2/3 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.  Stir in the flour, salt and rosemary until well blended.  The dough will be slightly soft.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line cookie sheeets with parchment paper.  On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut into rectangles. 2x2 inches in size.  Place cookies 1 inch apart on lined cookie sheets.  Sprinkle the remaining sugar or sprinkles over the tops.  Bake for 8 minutes or until slightly browned.  Cool on wire racks and store in airtight container.

Cut in Squares

Festive and Delicious!

Chocolate Makes a Good Pumpkin Great

Great Pumpkin Cookies

In my childhood, in the time before DVRs, I counted the fall days until "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" animated television special aired each year.  It was truly an event when the entire family settled in to watch Charlie Brown, Linus, Snoopy and the Peanuts gang.  I chose this recipe for the nostalgic name, but I'm sharing it because it combines two of my favorite flavors:  pumpkin and CHOCOLATE!

Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies

Great Pumpkin Cookies
2 cups flour
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 t baking soda
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Cream butter, gradually add sugars, beating until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla; mix well.  Alternate additions of dry ingredients and pumpkin, mixing well after each addition.

Stir in morsels.  Drop dough onto lightly greased cookie sheets, bake 11 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheet to cool.  Once cool, drizzle chocolate over each cookie.

Cool on Wire Rack

Chocolate Drizzle

6 oz. bittersweet chocolate

1 T shortening

Melt chocolate in microwave or use double boiler method.  Add shortening and stir until smooth.  Place chocolate in heavy, sealable plastic bag.  Create a pastry bag for piping by snipping one corner of the Ziploc.  Drizzle chocolate over cooled cookies.  Chocolate will remain slightly gooey.  Halve shortening if you wish chocolate to set.  

A Little Chocolate Makes Pumpkin Great!