Welcome to "All About Moms" week. In honor of Mother's Day, I thought it would be fun to dedicate a week to just that.
My sister and I have a great gift to give to my mom on Sunday and I'm
also preparing a basket of some favorite treats. She LOVES shortbread
and always asks when I'm baking her some cookies. I actually made this
last night and it's in the freezer. I'll thaw and bake Saturday evening
so the cookies will be fresh for Sunday.
I love my mom so much, even more as I get older and realize just how
amazingly strong she's always been. She mentioned the other day to
someone that while Amy and I were growing up there had been times she
struggled and we had done without. I actually had to laugh when Amy told
me and asked her when that was. We were not rich, of course, but if we
ever did without, mom certainly hid it well. I am so thankful to God for
the gift of having her in my life.
Cranberry-Orange-Pistachio Shortbread
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Beat butter with
an electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Gradually add
confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Stir in vanilla, orange zest
and orange juice. Add cranberries and pistachios, stir just until
blended.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
Shape shortbread
mixture into 2 logs. Wrap in wax paper & aluminum foil. Refrigerate
overnight or up to 3 days. Remove from refrigerator 10 minutes prior to
using (while oven preheats).
Pre-heat oven to
350F. Cut each log into 1/4” thick slices. Place on parchment
paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges of
cookies are slightly golden (mine take 10 minutes).
You can store these in an airtight container but mine never last that long.
***It's important
to let your cookie dough rest before slicing to bake. Otherwise the logs
are hard to cut and the slices crumble easily.***
