another holiday cookie

This time, it's Savory Cheese Swirls...


I felt that they could benefit from a bit more salt and were too labor-intensive for the final product, but while on sabbatical, I really have nothing else to do, so...

SAVORY CHEESE SWIRLS
recipe courtesy of: a photocopy of a random Christmas cookie magazine -- not sure which one!

Yield: 50 cookies

2 5.2-ounce packages semisoft cheese with garlic and herbs (I used Boursin)
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3 cups AP flour
several drops green food coloring
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives (I used scallions)

1. For filling: In a small bowl, combine semisoft cheese and Romano cheese. Stir in pine nuts. Cover, chill.
2. In a large bowl, combine butter and shortening; beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until evenly combined. Beat as much flour as you can with the mixer. Add green food coloring one drop at a time, beating until dough is pale green. Stir in any remaining flour and the chives. Divide dough in half. Cover; chill for one hour or until dough is easy to handle.

3. Place half of the dough between pieces of waxed paper; roll dough into a 10-inch square. Spread half of the filling over dough to within 1/2 inch of edges; roll up dough. Pinch edges to seal. Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Chill for 4 to 24 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Using a sharp knife, cut dough rolls into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place slices 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.

5. Bake in preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until edges and bottoms are lightly browned. Let stand on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool.

gettin' my holiday bake on

It's been much too long. Don't worry -- I have been eating. Heartily. I just sadly haven't been photographing every morsel that goes into my belly.

Made some of these Cranberry, Rosemary and Cornmeal Shortbread cookies today for a soiree my mom will be attending this weekend.

They came out nicely: a bit more golden on the edge, with a dense crumb in the center.

Not too sweet, not too savory.

I think they'll be displayed with some extra sprigs of rosemary (or, rather, this is what I've suggested to my mom).

Try them yourself!

CRANBERRY, ROSEMARY, AND CORNMEAL SHORTBREAD
Recipe courtesy of: a photocopy of a random Christmas cookie magazine -- not sure which one!

Serves: 16

1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon snipped fresh rosemary
Dash cayenne pepper
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons finely snipped dried cranberries
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
2-4 teaspoons orange juice (I used 4)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, rosemary, and cayenne pepper. Using a pastry blender (or two knives), cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling. Add cranberries. Form mixture into a ball.

2. On an ungreased cookie sheet, pat dough into 8-inch circle. Cut circle into 16 wedges. Do not separate wedges. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until bottom just starts to brown and center is set. While warm, cut circle into wedges again. Let stand on cookie sheet for 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, for glaze: In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar, orange peel, and 1 teaspoon of orange juice. Stir in enough juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make a glaze of drizzling consistency. Spread glaze over wedges. Transfer glazed wedges to a wire rack; let cool.