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houston daily journal New holiday shortbread cookie recipes Special to the Journal In several million American households, for at least one weekend in December, homemade meals are back-burnered while the kitchen is transformed into a makeshift factory. Eggs and butter, sugar, fruit, nuts, flour and corn starch are used in mass quantities, and the oven runs for hours at a time. In many households, extended family members assemble early in the morn ing to operate mixers, roll ing pins, cookie cutters, and timers. At the end of the assembly-line are stacks of gift boxes or tins, tissue, ribbons and gift tags. The home becomes saturated in the aroma of baking spices, and the sounds of collaborat ing, talking, and laughing. It’s time to make the holi day cookies! Argo Corn Starch is introducing two new reci pes: the Ginger Shortbread Cookie and Cherry Almond Shortbread Cookie. Try these new recipes and there is a good chance they will end-up in your collection of favorite holiday cookie reci pes year after year. The new Ginger Shortbread Cookie has the full, complex, seasonal-spicy flavor you expect in a gin gerbread cookie: including ground ginger, with hints of pumpkin pie spice and dried orange peel. But where the Ginger Shortbread Cookie pulls ahead of other ginger bread cookies is in the rich, buttery taste and chewable texture. The butter adds deep richness. And, while this is a firm cookie, it is moister than the conven tional gingerbread cookie. The shortbread ingredients in this recipe prevent it from being dry and overly firm. The Ginger Shortbread Cookie has a powerful fes tive holiday aroma during baking and well after cool ing. Decorate with icing and candies, serve with icy cold milk! For anyone who loves the combination of cherries and almonds, the new Cherry Almond Shortbread Cookie will be a treat to remem ber. Chopped dried cher ries liven up a rich, buttery shortbread cookie. Almond extract flavors the cookie dough, and the shaped cook Shortbread: a traditional treat The origin of shortbread cookies is traced to Scotland, where they are known as bis cuits, but shortbread cookies are also very popular in Denmark. Originally enjoyed by peasants and commoners, shortbread cookies were eventually embraced by European royalty. It is believed the name shortbread derives from the shortening (butter) content of the cookies. Commonly, a shortbread cookie recipe follows a basic formula of one part sugar, two parts butter and three parts flour, although there are hundreds of variations and the ratio of butter-to-flour can be as little as one-to-three. Shortbread cookie batter is relatively stiff, which allows it to hold its shape and to even hold patterns -- some times elaborate patterns -- through baking. Shortbread cookies are usually shaped as rounds or squares. They are baked at a relatively low temperature, to minimize brown ing. Often, a light sprinkling of sugar is added to the top of shortbread cookies while they cool. While classic shortbread cookies have a high butter content, they can also be quite hard. Some Americans find the texture a bit too hard, and that’s where corn starch helps. Corn starch softens shortbread cookies just enough to make them appealing to those who have opted to other forms of cookies besides shortbread. Personalized Gifts! • ’Tftamfummittf * AtUnatioto, TOTES and HANDBAGS! Great Holiday Gifts! Come check out Nuhht’s BAGS! 478-988-2448 or Fax: 478-988-2490 740 Main Street • Perry GA 31069 Gttlute: www.sewingbees.com <yt S-macC: mail@sewingbees.com ies are topped with slivered almonds and a layer of sugar. Smooth and soothing Cherry Almond Shortbread Cookies are absolutely perfect with a cup of steaming hot tea. These will become a favorite cookie to make throughout the year. Homemade is always bet ter. With homemade cook ies, you control the ingre dients. Homemade cookies contain no preservatives, no partially hydrogenated oils, no mystery ingredients. And you control “the good stuff,” like chocolate chips and nuts. Want more? Want less? With homemade, you are in control. Ginger Shortbread Cookie Three Dozen Cookies 3 cups flour 1 cup light brown sugar 1/4 cup Argo Corn Starch 1-1/2 tablespoon dried orange peel 1 tablespoon ground ginger 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoon molasses 1 tablespoon water 1 egg 1 cup cold butter, cut into 1-inch pieces Icings, sugars and sprinkles Mix flour, sugar, corn starch, orange peel, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in a large mix ing bowl. Whisk molasses, water and egg in small bowl; set aside. Pour molasses mixture over flour; beat with mixer until dough forms a ball. Knead for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Divide in half, wrap in plastic wrap. Chill a minimum of 2 hours. Cut butter into flour mix ture using a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven. Cool on wire racks. Decorate as desired with icings, sugars and sprinkles. ■ ' l ' ,J v |p£* ? . St j*%?jF r ' jHM|L , -A y*>. :MBps|BSl y? v /?jr gwapator- . mr Argo Corn Starch Ginger shortbread cookies are richer and chewier than their classic cousins, but with just as much delicious spice . Cherry Almond Shortbread Cookie Makes 36-40 cookies 1 cup butter (no substi tutes), softened 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 2 cups flour 1/4 cup Argo Corn Starch 1/2 cup finely chopped dried cherries 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 cup slivered almonds See COOKIE, page 6C *|jp FOOD w i • Tiiiiiii f \ ' ' / ism lllk JilL - : •.. . .V. » • kS jgJr . ■ -fail l Argo Corn Starch Smooth and soothing cherry almond shortbread cookies are a treat to remember throughout the year. 1 Meat + 2 Vegetables +> Bread + Tea $6.25 A EVENINGS - Thur& Fri spm-Bpm i | Menn^S Owned Judy ■ Wenger m HOURS: Mon - Fri 11am - 2pm Thurs & Fri Nights spm - Bpm 41345 Roast Beef Dinner m V SO (P// ofystoumt0 fystoumt We will be dosed December 26 - January sth 626 Courtney Hodges Blvd. • Perry, GA 478-988-2643 00041125 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2006 ♦ CALL US FOR YOUR CATERING NEEDS JMygWJB 5C