Twisters, Recovery and Martha’s French Butter Cookies

My dad was resting well as of last night from his surgery (to remove his gallbladder). I guess it was in much worse condition than expected and required the more intensive procedure that results in a bigger scar. He called me, on meds of course, last night, when he and my mom turned on the weather channel-quite possibly his favorite channel. He used to dance to the music for the weather on the 8’s or whatever it was-one of my favorite memories living at home. My dad jokingly said he felt lighter so his shining personality was still intact and coming through the pain.

Thank you to those of you that kept him in your thoughts and told me more about the surgery. I am very grateful, it really helped. I should send you cookies.

My parents noticed that Minnesota was having some major storms and tornadoes. As of this morning, there were 35 reported twisters, plenty of damage and even a few deaths in the state. We are fine. Northfield was pretty quiet the entire time but the sky was casting a yellow/orange glow on the buildings in town. I attempted to take some shots from the window but I was in a pj that eyes (beyond Greg) shouldn’t have to witness…it was very hot in the apartment. That’s when my lens stuck and I thought it was doomed-a term I used to say in my younger years. (I was stuck in my pastel unicorn sweatshirt crying that I was “doomed”…yes, it was last week. I love that sweatshirt.)

The Taste of Northfield didn’t continue for the evening. The show will go on tonight so come on out to dance, eat in the street and heat or go to the wine tent first and then get down/boogey it up. I won’t judge. I might possibly be there but we’re getting a new printer/scanner/fax/pop/vending/Swiss army knife in one machine thing tonight since our printer bit the dust. They make those, right? We’ll be getting the cheapest one so it might just print. How lame.

Not lame are these Martha Stewart cookies. Why is it that when someone is told a recipe is French it seems more appealing? French butter cookies. Did you get that reaction? I did. I guess butter has an effect too but I just think they are a delicious sugar cookie.

I topped them with turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw at the store) but you can use regular granulated sugar. Turbinado is a sugar similar to brown (in color) but with much larger crystals. I wouldn’t dive in and bake with this type of sugar (with a taste of molasses) because the crystals are large, it would take much less and even then, it could come out with the texture of sand. I stick to topping cookies and sweets with it for now. However, I’m fairly new to this sugar. I’ve come across a few posts about the trouble with baking with turbinado, more problems than successes.

These cookies, Greg and I agreed, would make a nice dunking treat or placed on the side of a berry dessert or crumbled over the top of another confection. They are rich, buttery cookies capable of being frozen for a month. I disagree with Martha that this recipe makes 5 dozen cookies though…I would say between 18 and 24 is more likely.

Happy Father’s Day weekend! For ideas on what to make, check this out.

French Butter Cookies from Martha Stewart
Makes 18 to 24 cookies

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp pure vanilla
2 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup turbinado or granulated sugar

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and brown sugar in the bowl. Mix on high until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, mix to combine. Then, add the flour and salt, mix on low until flour is just combined

Roll the dough into one or two large logs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. The cookies will keep frozen for a month.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Roll cookie log in sugar (or sprinkle sugar over each cookie later) and slice into 1/4-inch to1/2-inch rounds. Place cookies on baking sheet about an inch apart. If you want to, use a toothpick or fork to press holes into the cookies to look like buttons, as Martha did but I did not. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, cool on wire racks.