Shortbread

1 pound butter

1 cup white sugar

3 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar, add flour and mix with hands until smooth. Press out evenly in a 9" x 13" pan, and bake at 300 for about 30 – 40 minutes. Cut while hot


	There's nothing like shortbread cookies. Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without them. You can make it into fancy little cookies or more robust squares. I like to fancy it up with neat additions like chocolate and liquors. Suit yourself, but remember – with all the butter in these things, you better just make them once a year.

		Preheat Oven To: 300

For a more festive shortbread or gifts:

Divide the dough into 3 equal parts,

Add one of the below concoctions to each third and mix well. Pat into 8" cake pans and "score" the top with a knife in a wagon wheel design. Prick the edges with a fork and bake for 20 – 30 minutes (hey, it's shortbread, you have to watch it) until just starting to brown.

2 tbsp. chocolate or chocolate mint liquor

2 tbsp. cocoa

1 tbsp. Grand Marnier or other such orange based liquor

2 tsp. grated orange rind

A simple sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar

Don't cut these ones until serving time. Because they are round, they look great on pretty festive plates.