18. Plans/dreams/goals you have

First, tonight I had to bake Christmas cookies for enrichment, and I had a very difficult time deciding what to make. I thought long and hard about making sugar cookies because they definitely say Christmas to me, but I was not excited about it. But then I came across this recipe in Sunset Magazine and it is a new favorite. Allow me to introduce you to "Lemon Rosemary Buttons"

Yes, that's right, a lemon rosemary shortbread cookie with lemon icing and a sprig of rosemary on top! They are delicious, really easy to make, and are pretty too! Here is the recipe {Via Sunset} so you can try them! The recipe is part of a story in this month's issue where they take four basic doughs: shortbread, chocolate, sugar cookie, and gingerbread and then give you four twists on each--the result 16 delicious cookie recipes.

Time: 1 1/4 hours. Rich, buttery shortbread gets a subtle, savory twist from the rosemary.

Yield: Makes 32 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Zest of 2 lemons, divided
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 32 small fresh rosemary sprigs

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Put flour, butter, granulated sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the zest of 1 lemon and rosemary. Mix on low speed, then increase to medium and mix until dough is no longer crumbly and just comes together.

2. Form dough into a disk and chill 30 minutes. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough until 1/2 in. thick. Cut dough into circles with a 1 1/2-in. cookie cutter. Reroll scraps as needed. Arrange on baking sheets 1 in. apart and chill 15 minutes.

3. Bake until light golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

4. Mix powdered sugar, lemon juice, and the remaining zest until smooth. Spoon 1/2 tsp. glaze over each cooled cookie, spreading with the back of the spoon; then press 1 rosemary sprig into center of each cookie.

--So, I had this whole awesome post typed up last night, and then blogger logger me out and this was all that remained. It was terrible, and I'm sorry to say that means you only get one goal and that is to someday watch the Northern Lights from here: