Lavender-Lemon Shortbread cookies

Happy Fri-Yay! This week has been a blissful autumn week. It's finally cooled down here, and really starting to feel like Fall. On Wednesday it rained and was cloudy all day, I think the high was 77F, and I was freezing, but it was much needed and felt so refreshing.

There is nothing I enjoy more than sitting on the porch, watching the rain, sipping a hot cup of tea, with something sweet to savor!

One herb I have never cooked with let alone bake with, is lavender. I've been tempted a time or two, to buy Lavender Sugar, but keep thinking to myself, I could make my own. Then while one weekend, we were up in Prescott, I bought some lavender buds to try my hand at cooking with them. Should I make Lavender salt, or sugar, oh no, I must make cookies, and what better guinea pig do I have for Lavender cookies than my husband.

He loves a good shortbread! He came home from work, just in time to have the first batch of shortbread that had cooled off. If I didn't stop him, he would have gobbled them all up!

Aren't these cookies lovely? The flavor of these delicate buttery, shortbread cookies is delightful fragrant, that is not only calming from the lavender, but the fresh burst of citrus, really enhances them.

At first, I was planning on glazing them, but after one bite, they were perfectly sweet enough.

Lavender-Lemon Shortbread Cookies (adapted from Food and Wine)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 cup of  all-purpose flour

a pinch of salt

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1 tsp. dried lavender buds (culinary)

the zest from one lemon

Granulated sugar, or you could use coarse sugar or even Raw Sugar

Directions:

1.) In stand up mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the lemon zest, the lavender, the pinch of salt and the vanilla extract. On low speed, add the flour slowly. When the dough forms a soft ball, transfer it to plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

2.) Preheat oven to 350F. On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Using a round cookie cutter, cut out cookies, and then placing them on parchment paper. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, checking to see the slightest golden brown. 

3.) Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Wishing you a beautiful weekend!

Until next time!

xo Christine

Sharing at these Parties!

A Week in CASL photos x 2: June 29- July 13

Happy Beautiful Monday! Hope you all had a relaxing weekend!

 Today is an exciting day around here, it's my son's 15th Birthday! He wants to bowl and watch Jurassic World with his friends, and then we're having a nice family dinner together! Having three sisters, he tends to escape to his room, so it's fun for him to hang out with his friends! If you are interested, here's a post I wrote about him back in 2006: Joshua's Birthday!

 The girls and I had our Mad Hatter Tea party which was so much fun, we all had a blast, sipping tea, and eating sweet treats, that they helped me make!

 

What I like about doing a Photo365, is that I get to share with you a peek into what my week has been like, and possibly a sneak peek to what next week will bring. I've tried 365 Photo or Daily photo memes several times before, and surprisingly, I am getting farther posting my photos once a week, instead of once a day. It makes a big difference, and it's really nice to look back and see a slice of my day!

June 29th- Design...My first coastal vignette...I really miss living close to the beach.

 

 

I missed a few days over the holiday weekend, but here are a few photos I did take!

 

4th of July- Red White and Blue

 

 

July 5th- Me today. I don't take very many selfies, but I really like this one, I feel refreshed and relaxed after our trip up North!

 

 

July 6th- Outing...This is Katelyn on our little hike. She had fun climbing rocks.

 

 

July 7th- My name...My name...to family I am Christy...My uncle calls me Chrissy...To my husband, my other aunt and uncle and in laws I am Chris...to my kids I'm Mom!!  Watercolor wreath via @Angiemakes1

 

July 8th- Minimalistic...Love the colors Red and White

 

 

July 9th..In my fridge...After I took this picture, I thought of Paula Deene, I now have only 3 boxes of butter, in there! In there you will find....3 jars of jellies..3 dozen eggs...3 mustard bottles...2 mayo jars...2 ketchup bottles...only 1 gallon of milk I usually have 2...no l don't have any left overs I cleaned my fridge Monday after our long holiday road trip!

 

 

July 10th- Street...we live on a very quiet cul-de-sac...This is a good before front yard pic...by Fall there will be more plants...I love this shade tree

 

 

July 11th- Story of My Life...Beautiful roses, hot cup of tea, macarons.

 

 

July 12th- Late...I felt like the White Rabbit...Running late to our tea party!

 

 

July 13th- Early....My son Josh is my Early Birthday present, even though he wasn't early...ten days late to be exact!

 

Are you on Instagram? You really should be!! 

You can follow me here on Instagram! 

 

   I recently started following a photo a day prompt on #fmsphotoaday.

 Let me know if you decide to join in the fun!

Have a great rest of your week! Until next time!

xo, Christine

 

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Chapter 1: Down the Rabbit Hole

Hello and Welcome!! Happy 8th Annual "Mad Tea Party!

 
 Hosted by Vanessa at A Fanciful Twist

(Thank you, Vanessa!)

 

 

My sincere apologies for being unfashionably late for the party, as I have had car problems for the last couple days! Thankfully last night, handy hubby was able to fix it, and I now A/C again, and the fan to my engine is working again.

 

 “have i gone mad?

im afraid so, but let me tell you something, the best people usualy are.”
― Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland

 

  Today, I seriously felt like the White Rabbit, repeating this

I'm late / I'm late / For a very important date. / No time to say "Hello, Goodbye". / I'm late, I'm late, I'm late, and checking the clock every 5 minutes!

 

But before I could enjoy a cup of tea, the Red Queen

demanded to know, If I played croquet??!!

 

 

 

 

Last week, I came upon this blog, that decorates the prettiest macarons. I fell in love with these vibrantly colored flamingo ones. I made my Strawberry Macaron recipe, and followed the tutorial in the link below.

  Lindsay added a snapdragon for a tail, to give it a little flare!!

Flamingo Macarons

 

 

As the day grew later and later, I went from feeling like the Mad Hatter, to the White Rabbit, and then to Alice!

I was beginning to wonder who or what I was!

 

Then I bumped into a caterpillar, who demanded to know Who I was?

And I replied... I- I hardly know, sir. I've changed so many times since this morning, you see...

~Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland

 

On my way to find the tea party, I came across these flowers. I had no idea that flowers could talk! 

 

 

Spode Orchid Plate, I found at a Thrift store for $2! Reminded me of the flowers in 'Alice in Wonderland'; The Rose, the daisy and the Orchid, and how peculiar they all thought she was,

 and that she had no fragrance!

 

via flickr

 

 

via etsy

 

Finally I thought, I made it to the tea party!

 

 

There I came upon 2 Mad Hatters and a Cheshire Cat!

 

 

Katelyn, Mad Hatter 1



 

Lindsay the 'Mad Hatter2

 

 

 

 

 



The Cheshire Cat

 

 

 

Also at the Tea Party, guess who else decided to show up, no other than the

White Rabbit Himself!

He seemed to be very shy, hiding behind the Snap Dragons,

It looked like he was about to run away again!

 

 

What coincidence, I just happen to be browsing Home Goods,

and came across this Alice in Wonderland tea cup!

The Drink Me tag, I created in PicMonkey!

 

 

Sweet Vanilla tea cakes with Strawberry cream cheese frosting

Pink and Purple seem to be the colors of the day, with gorgeous

peach, and pink blossoms!

 

 

Cheshire Cat Tails

Lindsay had fun making these out of strawberry wafer cookies and purple icing!

 

 

Taking my first sip of tea, I could see in the distance, the Red Queen, yelling at me,

demanding Who Painted Her White Roses Red, and then everything started

spinning, faster and faster,

I started to feel dizzy!

When I opened my eyes, I saw my macarons and flowers, just as they should be!

 

 

I sat back enjoyed my cup of tea and reflected on my favorite quote...

 

"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."    

~Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland

 

Thank you all for visiting me today, and I hope that you enjoyed you cup of tea!

 

Wishing you all a magical weekend!

 

Until next time,

xo,