“Kindness is like snow. It beautifies everything it covers.” – Kahlil Gibran
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
This has been a stimulating week… we saw Penumbra Theater’s Black Nativity that seems especially poignant this year… the Prairie Home Companion Christmas Show at the Fitzgerald felt like a comfortable old shoe… and the softly falling snow wrapped everything in beautiful, growing white blanket of snow (5.3 inches in the latest snowfall, but total is already about double that!).
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
The cookies we make every Christmas are Mint Puffs and Spritz butter cookies, but I like to try something new each year. This year I tried Chocolate Dipped Pistachio Shortbread cookies from Lunds & Byerlys recipes… which were delicious and also looked elegant, I would make them again!
CHOCOLATE DIPPED PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD COOKIES
- 1 cup flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup shelled, salted and roasted pistachios, plus extra crushed pistachios for sprinkling
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (60% cacao), divided
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, pistachios and vanilla, and pulse 10 to 15 times until the pistachios are finely ground.
Scatter the butter pieces in the food processor and pulse until the dough forms a ball, 1-2 minutes. Be careful to not overmix the dough.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape into a log about 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Tightly cover the log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 5 days. (You can also freeze the dough for up to 3 weeks.)
Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Cut the chilled cookie dough into 1/2″ thick coins and place them about 2″ apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Lightly brush the top of each shortbread cookie with water and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the cookies are light golden brown on the top and bottom.
Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, heat 1 inch of water in a saucepan over medium heat and set up a double boiler. Melt 2/3 of the chocolate chips, stirring constantly. Take off the heat and stir in the remaining chocolate chips until fully melted.
Dip half of each of the cookies into the chocolate, place them on a sheet of parchment paper, and sprinkle with crushed pistachios. Cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Recipe adapted from Leites Culianria.
