Quick Biscuit Recipe - Shortbread Cookies

This is the first year my children have been socially out and about.
So, with lots of Children, its Christmas time, and how do I make lots of small treats?
This is an awesome shortbread recipe I found on the side of a box of cookie cutters. So I adopted it as one of my favs - Ive been making two batches at once and get around 120 small cookies or 80 thicker ones.
Decorate as you like - we went for icing & 100s and 1000s  for the dance, as the theme for the disco was *Stars in Your Eyes*
We went for blue icing for the second batch, as that is Mr 12's fav colour.
We packaged them up for his class party tomorrow.

It was hard finding a nice blue, but he is happy with what we did. We ended up painting on the icing, it was the easiest way to get them all done...
In total, I think we ate more than we painted, between all of us :-)
Theyre really easy to make and very tasty!
They also store well and dont go too soft overnight etc.

COOKIE DOUGH - Shortbread
120 grams butter (can be unsalted)
1/2 cup of sugar

1 whole egg
2 cups of self raising flour
3-4 drops of vanilla essence.

Preheat oven to 170C
Cut butter into small cubes, rub into dry ingredients, mix egg in.
Knead together, put in fridge til it hardens a little. (approx 20mins)
Take out and roll flat, use cookie cutter shape if you like, or if youve put it in the fridge in a roll, you can just slice off the cookies, and prick them with a fork (the traditional shortbread way)

Place on tray, Bake around 5-7 minutes til very lightly browing.
Remove and let cool
Ice as you like... vanilla or almond icing is great for Christmas cookies.
Sprinkle with 100s and 1000s
Or coconut... or whatever.

Have been enjoying more strawberries. Its become the favourite thing to do first thing,  the kids checking out the new ones. It was the best thing ever leaving some of the plants to grow their suckers out! We may have a strawberry farm yet! Some potash and some crushed poo has given them a bit more oompf and theyre away again.

Well, another week down, another one on its way... Im loving these beautiful if windy days, roll on Summer :)




Take care,
Oh and if I didnt say it already -
Have a wonderful festive season... Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas!
Love
EB

Baking Day... Anzac Biscuits for Morning Tea...

Mixing all ingredients together

Im enjoying having the kids busy and doing things with me - is this what home schooling would be like?, I do wonder. Im not sure how it has been for Mr 10, but today he set about baking some ANZAC biscuits - YUM!.

ANZAC BISCUITS 

Recipe in the Edmonds Books

Makes 30, depending on size

1 cup flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
2 cups rolled oats
125g butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
1 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp boiling water

1. Heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan bake). Line two baking trays with nonstick baking paper. Place flour, caster sugar, coconut and oats in a bowl and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre.

2. Place butter and golden syrup in a saucepan to melt, or microwave in a bowl to melt. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Add melted ingredients and dissolved baking soda to dry ingredients and mix to combine.

3. Roll spoonfuls into balls and press onto prepared baking trays, allowing space for biscuits to spread while cooking.

4. Bake for 15 minutes or until firm and golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool, and enjoy!

Tip: Stored in an airtight container, Anzac biscuits will last well for up to a week.

Dry ingredients, well in the middle

melting butter and golden syrup

So here are some photos of the last day at home before heading back to school... I hope his teacher enjoys her ANZAC bikky... if they should last that long!

Anzac Biscuit History

Anzac biscuits (originally called Soldiers' biscuits) came into being around 1915 (during World War I) when soldiers' wives and/ or mothers would bake and send the biscuits to the troops stationed overseas. The biscuits were ideal because they were cheap to make (remember that it was the Great Depression), non-perishable (Anzac biscuits contain no eggs or milk) and so didn't need refrigeration, and gave the men some added nutrition and sustenance. As a bonus, the Anzac biscuit recipe is also really quick and easy.

After the now-famous landing of Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZACs) in Gallipoli, the biscuits were renamed in honour of those brave soldiers who landed that fateful 25th day of April on the coast of Turkey, now known as Anzac Cove.

Today, Australians and New Zealanders alike pause and reflect on Anzac Day, and take time to remember those fallen soldiers - as well as those who served - in times of war in service to their country, their flag, their people, their customs and traditions, and the freedoms that we enjoy today as a result of those efforts. There are dawn and memorial services held all around the country on Anzac Day which hundreds of thousands of people attend to pay tribute to their forebears.

Now, almost 100 years after their conception, Anzac biscuits are still hugely popular, and are even available to buy commercially in supermarkets. But, as always, the best tasting Anzac biscuits are those you bake at home

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Blaises plants havent done too badly through the Storm.

Last night there was a storm, and the wind was horrendous.
The children have been sweeping up the fallen leaves off the yard this morning, it was brisk, but nice to see the sun!  No aftershocks, it as if the weather patterns have changed completely. We sat here and discussed the new noises last night. The wind shook down the southern side of the house, and the rain was whipping in where ever it could... I feel for those who have holes in roofs where chimneys had come down and tiles had come off due to the Earthquake. For them, with the terrible gusts of wind, there was no escaping the wet.

And... Look at this. I think I ll keep him :)

Im not even sure he was aware this was taken...And Thats about me for now...

Love and Light 
From My Hearth to Yours
Earth Butterfly
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