Got the Cord Back!

I finally cornered my son when he was home, and recovered the cord to download pictures to my computer.   I did try to find it in his room, without success.  Now, to keep it hidden so he doesn't borrow it again.

I've been baking for Christmas.  I've made my Christmas pudding, Christmas cakes, and last Saturday, when it was snowing like crazy, it seemed like a great day to make Grandma Irvine's shortbread.  I'll share the recipe.

1 lb. (2 cups) butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
4 cups flour, more or less.

You have to mix this by hand to get it right.  Cream the butter with a wooden spoon.  Add the sugar, and mix well.  Stir in 3 cups of flour, then add more until it is "right".  This happens when you pat it together in a ball, flatten the ball, and notice the edges begin to crack.  If you're not up to checking for rightness, just put in the fourth cup of flour and be done with it.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick.

I use a cookie cutter that actually belonged to my grandmother, and measure the thickness by where the serrated part of the cutter ends.  It makes for a nice thick cookie.

Bake at 325 for about 20 minutes, until golden.  It makes about 4 dozen - if you use my grandmother's cookie cutter.

And enjoy!