Cookies, Cookies, Cookies

Two posts in one week?! Has the world come to an end?

No, I'm just a procrastinator and blogs are a wonderful tool for the procrastinator. So is baking by the way, which I have been doing a lot of. Cookie baking to be exact. Cookies for Christmas. It started last week because I have finals and its spilled over because I've been have certain flavour and texture issues. I found an awesome Gingerbread recipe in one of my mothers numerous cook books. It was simple and heavenly. No, my problem is my shortbread recipe.

I should probably explain the story behind my shortbread. Its award winning. Granted it was small community contest, but the point is I won a cooling rack because my shortbread is awesome. Its so awesome because years ago I went though nearly 10 pounds of butter trying to recreate my grandmothers shortbread recipe that she used to make for her Christmas parties. I had to tweak it quite a bit cause Gran has a cookie press and I don't. I needed to find a balance between the super butteryness of a spritz cookie and still have it stable enough to be a sliced cookie. It took me freakin' forever but in Winter of 2003 I did it. And I only make it once a year, for my grandfather at Christmas.

I am fiercely protective of this recipe. Apparently it is a family trait, my great grandmother was just as protective of her doughnut recipe. She went as far as to give her churchgroup recipe book the wrong recipe so people would stop asking her for it. I am just as paranoid so I share my shortbread recipe with no one. Seriously, not a soul on this planet knows the recipe and until about 20 minutes ago, that included me. I refused to write down the recipe because then it could be stolen. I figured that I had spent so long working these cookies, I would never forget it. Yeah, I'm an idiot. I forgot the ratios, so I've been spending the past week trying to remember how to make these cookies. After 4 batches and 6 pounds of butter I got it right!!

Grampa gets cookies this year! And I've written down the recipe and hid it so well I'm wondering if I'll be able to find it again but that's OK because I'll remember the recipe this time....

On to Happy Things! I could cop out and just say cookies, but that would be too easy. The newest happy thing is my Coat. Yes my new red wool coat. Its red. Its wool. Its flippin' awesome! Its a double breasted pea coat from Torrid. I bought it in Buffalo last month. Wanna see?
http://www.torrid.com/torrid/store/product.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302032102&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442165990&bmUID=1196476318852

Isn't is just so pretty? It makes me so happy on so many levels. Its warm, its red, its pretty, and it looks grown up!

I'm off to study for my last geography exam ever! Seriously, I am never taking another geography course ever again. That too makes me happy.