Chocolate Espresso Shortbread

Southerners love butter. It's just a fact. We pretend to be healthy but every southern cook knows, if you want something to taste good, you have to use the real thing. Some people swear they can't taste the difference between butter and so-called substitutes. Then again, some people can't tell Coke from Pepsi ;)

Shortbread requires real butter. And lots of it! It's my go-to cookie because it's so versatile. You can add just about any flavor or topping to this buttery, no-too-sweet dessert.

 

My go-to basic shortbread recipe is similar to Ina Garten's.  

What You'll Need:
1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup Sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter
Pinch of salt
Dash of almond extract (Vanilla works too)

What to Do:
Use a stand mixer to form the dough, creaming the butter and sugar before adding the extract and flour. You can roll the dough out and cut it into fun shapes or you can spread it in a 8x8 pan. If you're cutting out shapes, you'll want to chill the dough first. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown.

The best part, though, is the topping. I melted dark chocolate and spread it over my cooled shortbread. I dusted the chocolate-coating with cinnamon and espresso powder and cut the shortbread into rectangles for easy snacking. You could also top them with chopped, toasted pecans or hazelnuts.

Be warned. These are highly addictive. You might need to double the recipe.

  

Limoncello

Sour. Tangy. Lip-puckering good. I have loved lemons and all things sour since I was a little kid. I used to suck on the lemons from my parent’s sweet tea (although my dentist now tells me this probably wasn’t good for my teeth!). 

Given my life-long lemon obsession, I’ve been dying to make my own Limoncello. For those of you not familiar, Limoncello is a traditional Italian spirit made by infusing grain alcohol with lemon zest and mixing it with simple syrup. I’m not italian, but ever since I tried Limoncello in Italy while in college, I can’t seem to get enough of the stuff. 

Fortunately, Limoncello is pretty easy to make, although it does take a while. Zest 10 lemons. Funnel zest into a clean bottle. Pour in 750 ml of vodka or Everclear. Steep at least a month at room temperature, shaking gently every day. Add simple syrup to taste (about 4 cups). Steep for at least two more weeks. Chill well before serving.

A few tips. Avoid zesting the pith (the white part). It's bitter and will make your Limoncello tatse funky. Speaking of zesting, pick firm lemons and use a good zester. Trust me. I now have hand cramps from my old dull one. Finally, use a spirit with high alcohol content. The higher the proof, the less alcohol and more lemon you'll taste.

Assuming this batch turns out well, I'm planning on decanting my Limoncello into smaller bottles for Christmas gifts. Check back in December to see how it tuns out!

In Season: Butternut Squash

Our heater died about  3 weeks ago. And we’ve been too cheap to replace it . What’s a little cold right? Wrong. Now that it’s getting down in the 30’s and 40’s at night we’re cold. Like sweatshirts in bed cold. Ask the dog. It’s so cold even she sleeps in the bed with us now.

We finally broke down and called someone but it will be at least a week before we have a new system. So I’ve been using every excuse to cook since our gas stove heats up the kitchen. 

My favorite hot meal to make in the fall is stuffed butternut squash. Earthy, nutty and, of course, hot!.

What You'll Need:1 butternut squash, halved and seeded

3/4 lb hot sausage

1 small bell pepper

1 small Vidalia onion

2 cups stuffing, prepared

1/4 cup pecans, toasted

Salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, nutmeg

What to Do:

Place squash halves cut side down on an oiled baking sheet. Roast squash at 350 degrees for about an hour or until tender.  While squash is cooking, brown sausage. Reserve fat and use it to saute the peppers and onions until the onions are clear. Combine sausage, vegetables, stuffing and nuts in a large bowl. Season to taste. Spoon into squash halves.

Enjoy!