Buttery Shortbread Cookies

These are the tastiest, crumbliest, butteriest shortbread cookies I have ever eaten. I got the recipe from a dear friend at our church, and you will not believe how easily they come together. They are sinfully rich and perfect. If you're feeling extra scandalous, dip them in chocolate, but they are equally delicious plain.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound (2 cups) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups sifted flour

1 cup brown rice flour

1/4 cup white sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Cream together softened butter, powdered sugar and salt.
2. Add sifted flour and rice flour, and mix until dough holds together and everything is incorporated.
3. Form dough into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
4. Roll each ball of dough into a "log" approximately 1 1/2" to 2" in diameter. Roll each "log" in white sugar, and wrap in plastic wrap. Return to fridge for at least another hour, until dough is easy to cut.
5. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Using a sharp knife, cut dough into 1/2" slices and lay cookies down on an ungreased baking sheet about an inch apart. Bake for 18-20 minutes until edges are set and a light golden color. Remove cookies immediately to a wire rack and cool completely.

Makes at least 4 dozen cookies.

OPTIONAL CHOCOLATE DIP

1. Once cookies are completely cool, melt a heaping cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a glass bowl in the microwave (stirring every 30 seconds). Add a generous shaving of paraffin wax if you have any on hand to keep the chocolate from being too sticky once set.
2. Carefully dip cookies by dragging them across the chocolate. Allow to set on wax paper. Store in the fridge.

I just have one last thing to say about all of this: YUM. Oh, and these go great with a cup of tea!

Peach Crisp

Peach Crisp is a tasty alternative to apple crisp, and a favorite in our household in the summer or winter. If you've never tried it, you don't know what you're missing. I use my home canned peaches for this recipe (2 quarts), which makes throwing everything together really simple. You can use the same recipe for apple crisp, which is equally delicious, or experiment with other fruits in place of the peaches.

This is a tried-and-true recipe that I have been using since high school. Please do not try to substitute additional butter for the shortening (it will turn into an overly greasy topping which is not very pretty!).

If you are using fresh peaches, blanch* them in boiling water first to remove their skins. Use "free-stone" peaches so you can easily remove the pits.

Filling:

• 3-4 cups sliced peaches
• 1 Tablespoon flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
• ½ cup butter/margarine
• 1/3 cup shortening

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8” square pan and set aside.

2. Mix together all filling ingredients and pour into greased pan.

3. Mix together all dry topping ingredients and cut in butter and shortening with a pastry blender until well incorporated. Spread topping evenly over filling and bake for 45 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

*How to "blanch" peaches: Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, carefully drop in 2 or 3 peaches into the water. Wait 30-60 seconds, or until you see the skins starting to peel. Remove peaches from the water with a slotted spoon and allow to cool briefly. Cut peaches around through to the middle from stem to bottom, and using your knife or fingers, remove the skins. Skins should slide off easily.