I’ll be honest; I’m not a fan of shortbread cookies. Maybe if they’re chocolate-coated, I’ll eat them but other than that, no thank you! I threw these in the poll because I was hoping to change my feelings towards shortbread (and because the picture in the baking-book looked sooo good!). I’m not sure if my feelings have changed, but I discovered that dipping shortbread into whipped cream is a worthwhile extra touch!

Shortbread Fingers recipe: Martha Stewart - Baking Handbook

Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- Granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 12-by-8-inch bakingsheet and line with parchment paper.
- Whisk together flour and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter until fluffy on medium speed, 3 to 4 minutes. Add confectioners’ sugar; continue to beat until light and fluffy. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed, until just incorporated.
- Using a small offset spatula, evenly spread dough in prepared baking sheet. Chill in the freezer or refrigerator until dough is firm, about 15 minutes.
- Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake until shortbread is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. (mine needed 55 minutes)
- Transfer to a wire rack and immediately sprinkle with granulated sugar. While still hot, cut shortbread into 4-by-1-inch pieces. Cool completely.

Shortbread dough, pre-oven.

Post-oven. I didn’t succeed in getting the shortbread 100% evenly, but that didn’t matter after I sprinkled the sugar on top.

Slicing the shortbread is like cutting into butter; so soft!

The sugar on top didn’t add much extra flavor, but I would recommend dipping the fingers into whipped cream, yum!

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite…The wineries along the Lorane Highway in Oregon owe much to money that was made by electronic and computer moguls towards the end of the 20th century. That money enabled imagined ventures in Oregon’s booming wine industry to become realities. The best, and I must admit most wonderful example of dreams come true, is the vinery at King Estates. When seen from the highway the estate looms above the valley floor. A bit of imagination will transfer you in time and place to the chateaus of the Loraine Valley, especially when lavender and sunflowers are in bloom. The estate has been developed in stages and now encompasses a wonderful restaurant as well as a tasting facility. It is a remarkably civilized spot with gorgeous vistas and I love to visit here. The chef has developed an herb garden that is open to the public and it adds another layer of old world charm to the grounds. A few miles down the highway is Chateau Lorane. It sits on the banks of Lake Louise which is part of the winery grounds. No grapes are grow here but wine is made and bottled for distribution throughout the region. The winery and other structures on the property are for sale for 5 million dollars. I’ve put my family on notice - if I win a lottery this will become their ancestral home. When we serve wine apart from a meal, I like to serve a cheese board and kindred finger food. One of my favorite small plate items is Parmesan crisps. I found the recipe on which these are based at Cook Sister! They’re easy to do and any leftover crisps are wonderful salad toppers. Here is the recipe.

Parmesan Crisps…from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 cups finely grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
Caraway seeds or red pepper flakes

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2) Using 2 tablespoons per crisp, form a mound on the baking sheet and flatten slightly with back of spoon. Leave at least an inch between mounds and edges of pan. The baking sheet will hold 8 to 12 crisps depending on how they are spaced. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and quickly sprinkle with caraway. Allow to cool and carefully remove from parchment paper. Continue process until all cheese has been used. Yield: 24 cheese crisps.

Cook’s Note: Any hard grating cheese may be used. Crisp are best eaten the day they are made.

I’m sending this to Outdoor Wednesday, an event sponsored by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.