Today was a busy one for me as not only is it a bread making day but it was also one of the two cookie baking days I have each week . People who come to the hose on cookie day always ask if I am having a party as I never make less than five dozen and sometimes even more.
Today I used one of my standard short bread cookie mixes and added chopped dates and walnuts for a change. This recipe is very simple, here it is.
4oz butter
2oz caster sugar
4oz plain flour
half a teaspoon of vanilla essence. I usually make four time the amount shown here which makes about 4-5 dozen cookies depending upon size.
Cream caster sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, add essence and sift in the flour. Mix to a smooth dough then roll in to small balls, place on a greased baking sheet then press each one down lightly with a fork dipped in hot water. Cook at 360oC four about twenty minutes then cool on a wire rack.
The changes you can make to this recipe are endless. I often top them with a half a glacé cherry of half a walnut. You can add a dessert spoon of cocoa with the flour to make a great chocolate biscuit and if you add a few chocolate drops or chocolate chunks you have a double chocolate biscuit.
A couple of ounces of toasted chopped hazel nuts make a tasty change as does a teaspoon of powdered ginger or a table spoon of caraway seeds. If you wish you can make these cookies finger shaped and half dip them in melted dark chocolate for a real treat, I could go on but all I shall say is that with this one basic recipe you will appear to have an unlimited repertoire of delicious cookies at your disposal
The air was noticeable cooler today and Even my little cat sat among the herbs with her fur fluffed up this after noon. I have found a species of garden ea which grows through the winter, is frost hardy and will produce a very earl crop, I could not resist trying them and weather permitting I shall plant them out tomorrow along with some broad beans. I once said that I would never grow them again as they always seem to get black fly but we like them so much and I was tempted by the strong young plants, 24 for £2.50 so I am crossing my fingers that all goes well.
In spite of all our endeavours the decorators arrived this morning to paint the outside of the house. In the past the former maintenance manager always made sure that the job was carried out when my son was not working the night shift. This clot however has deliberately told the decorators to start on our house even thought here are two more houses which could have been painted first. \the estate manager got wind of this and has attempted to ensure that the painters go elsewhere for the rest of the week, I shall believe it when it happens and not a moment sooner! Should they turn up again tomorrow they will be met with buckets of water from every window and the hosepipe from down stairs manned by Pa. One way of another I will do all I can to ensure that my son sleeps tomorrow so it could be fun!
Since the bread was fresh we all felt that the evening was cold enough for on of our favourite soups good old “London Particular” named for the fabled pea souper fogs that we used to have years ago and of course made with mushy peas, a recipe I have already published and well worth trying.
I think I shall get out one of my long nighties to sleep in tonight, I do not want to put the heat on just yet although, it costs so much these days. We all have lots of quilts rugs and fur throws which we load on to our beds as the winter sets in and actually it is rather fun to snuggle up under a soft throw with a hot water bottle of better still my cat Twiggy.
Our holiday weeks are over and I am sad for it, my son still seems tired and I think OT will take more that a week or two to undo the years of overwork he has endured ,but hey ho he is his own man and will do as he chooses, do you know, I love him all the more for that.
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