Thursday, April 28, 2011

Still Cooking With Teeny

Welcome!

Have some cookies and let me tell you

about one of my favorite southern authors,

Michael Lee West.



"It started Monday, the first week in June, when I thought I'd gotten the dates wrong for my cake baking class. Numbers don't usually stick in my mind. This one did because it was my twenty-ninth birthday, and my fiancé, Bing Jackson, surprised me with the darlingest gifts --pastry bags, a fifty-three-piece Wilton Supreme Cake Decorating Set, and eight prepaid classes at the Vivenne Beaumont School of Cake Design." GONE WITH A HANDSOMER MAN


Have I mentioned that I'm a fan?

Yes, Michael Lee West has done it again.

Teeny Templeton is yet another lovable southern

belle who cooks her way through the pages of

GONE WITH A HANDSOMER MAN.



Teeny arrived at HFTS on April 12,

and that girl has had me baking ever since.

I do believe the "chef" thinks he's lost his kitchen.



"What are you making?"
"Shortbread."
"How clever of you. Lavender,
to calm the stomach and the mind."



"I cut the warm shortbread into wedges . . .



and put it on a tray with the mugs."



"We settled in Uncle Elmer's library. It was a cozy room, with butternut paneling and cherry antiques. Uncle Elmer's porcelain bird collection was lined up on the mantel. Pink-and-green plaid curtains hung on the windows. Through the wavy bubbled glass, I saw the garden. I set the tray on the coffee table. Ava curled on the settee and reached for a shortbread wedge. I lifted a mug and sat down in a chair."



Lavender Shortbread
GONE WITH A HANDSOMER MAN
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch or rice flour
1 cup all-purpose white flour *
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fresh lavender flowers,
finely chopped or 2 T dried lavender

Cream butter and sugars. Add flours a few tablespoons at a time and salt. Mix until crumbly. (You can mix by hand or put the ingredients into a food processor.) If dough is too thick, add 1 to 2 teaspoons cream. Add lavender. Chill mixture for an hour. Pat into a shortbread mold, or gently roll and cut dough with a cookie cutter. You can also shape the dough into a circle. If you aren't using a mold, place dough on an ungreased baking sheet. Prick the surface with a fork. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool; cut into bars.
Yield: 2 dozen cookies
Preheat oven
to 325 degrees.

(* I doubled the amount of flour)



If you enjoy humor, spunky characters,
and pages

laced with culinary delights
pick up a copy of

GONE WITH A HANDSOMER MAN



Or any of the works of Michael Lee West.

Michael Lee West is the author of six novels.

GONE WITH A HANDSOMER MAN

CRAZY LADIES

MAD GIRLS IN LOVE

AMERICAN PIE

SHE FLEW THE COOP

MERMAIDS IN THE BASEMENT

CONSUMING PASSIONS, A FOOD MEMOIR



Click here to view a previous review of

MERMAIDS IN THE BASEMENT.

Linked To




Sarah
Sarah

The summer we married, my husband was in graduate school, and I was employed as a teacher. We took a portion of our savings that summer and purchased a sailboat. We christened our Catalina 22, “Hyacinths For The Soul” after Saadi’s poem. Our "Hyacinths" provided years of pleasure.

35 comments:

  1. You did it! You cooked Teeny's lavender shortbread. What fun.

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  2. Wonderful review, Sarah! I have Micael's book and can't wait to read it after I finish the one I am reading as a Blogher reviewer.
    Your lavender shortbread looks so delicious -- I know I will love this book!

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  3. Fun, fun post, Sarah! The shortbread looks so pretty, almost too good to eat! I have to find this book!

    XO,
    Jane

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  4. Hello, I'm a new visitor! I love shortbread and yours looks delicious! Too bad I wasn't there to eat some! ;)
    Best,
    Gloria

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  5. That looks wonderful Sarah! I will have to pick up a book for my true blue Southern friend here. I may learn a thing or two. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  6. Great pics and your shortbread looks beautiful Sarah! Wish I had a piece right now:@)

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  7. Great review post Sarah, the lavender shortbread looks so moreish.
    I have this book on my TBR list, I read Crazy Ladies a little while back and enjoyed it very much and will be taking She Flew the Coop with me to the UK tomorrow.

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  8. They look wonderful, Sarah! Can you use any kind of lavender flowers? I wouldn't want to poison anyone! :)

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  9. Sarah~ This look wonderful! I love your cake decorating class mosaic~ I wonder if lavender really does calm the mind, I need some :-) I loved your Mermaids in the Basement review!

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  10. The shortbread came out beautifully!
    Love the picture on the book cover. You can see the sense of humor!
    Have a great weekend.

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  11. Your shortbread looks delicious!!

    Love,
    Susan and Bentley
    xxoo

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  12. OOOHH, that lavender shortbread looks delish!! I just received my copy of GWAHM and can't wait to start reading it this evening!!!

    Big TX Hugs,
    Stephanie
    Angelic Accents

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  13. Looks delicious. Thanks for sharing and have a Happy Pink Saturday. Karie

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  14. I saw this one featured in I think it was People magazine!
    Brenda

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  15. So yummy!

    Would you please come and see my PINK, thank you!

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  16. A great post. It would be a pleasure having some of that tasty food with a pretty pink bouquet of flowers nearby.

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  17. What fun...and how yummy, Sarah! I am soooo far behind...surfacing from grandbaby land for a few moments. I love the way you always cook such interesting things from the books you are reading! I hope you have a wonderful weekend...hugs...Debbie

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  18. Sarah, these look delicious! And they seem so appropriate for this day...the Royal wedding! I have not read these books, but will grab some for summer reading! Thanks for sharing! Christie at Three Pixie Lane

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  19. Hello Sarah,
    love the Lavender shortbread. Looks so yummy. I would love to read this book,because everybody is so exited. But I don't know if I catch the spirit, my English is not good enough. But the title looks amusing.
    Best greetings, Johanna

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  20. Oh dearest Sarah, I am making these delightful little gems for my husband TONIGHT....he so loves shortbread! THANK YOU FOR COMING TO MY POST...let's make the magic happen!!!! Have a perfect day, Anita

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  21. Why, this is so chaaming, Miss Sarah! :) Wonderful story and wonderful looking shortbread! You're very good!
    Thanks for popping in to see me.
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

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  22. Hi Sarah,
    Oh, your shortbread looks scrumptious! And lavender would make them even more special. What a treat with a cup of tea! Happy Pink Saturday and thank you for stopping by.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  23. O, Sarah, I don't have the book yet but it's on my Next Thing To Purchase List.
    The shortbread look so delicious, I can just nearly smell it. Ummmm

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  24. So love the shortbread ... & lavendar to boot! Yum!
    Happy PS weekend ~
    TTFN ~
    Marydon

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  25. Hi Sarah!
    Happy Pink Saturday :) Thank you for the book review and the recipe. I've been in search of a good summer read and now you've given me what look like some great options and a good reason to visit the book store.
    Have a wonderful weekend and visit anytime.
    Hugs~
    Sabre'

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  26. Happy Pink Saturday Sarah Sweetie...
    What a gorgeous share today. Do these ever look yummy or what? I love the wedges that you made, how perfectly they lay on the plate. Lavender to calm the stomach and the mind. How thoughtful is that. I love it.

    Thank you for sharing the recipe as well. I believe some of these will have to be made. Sound wonderful sweet friend.

    Have a glorious weekend. Many hugs and much love, Sherry

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  27. Hi Sarah! What a delightful post. Your shortbread looks simply scrumptious. Have a lovely weekend. Terri

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  28. After a rough week (airplane-clogged ear and lightning-struck house), your post gladdens my heart. I love the hot pink flowers on the lavender shortbread, with its tiny pricks and sculpted edges. Teeny would be proud! XX00

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  29. Hi Sarah, I love shortbread - and lavendar no less! Thanks for the blogger comments. I'm still in a quandry. Linda :)

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  30. You have my curiosity up about this author! The shortbread looks delicious!

    Katherine

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  31. Happy Pink Saturday!

    A reader of my blog, who lives near by, and I met "in person" a few months ago. She doesn't have a blog herself (she should), but is a huge fan of others' blogs...Michael West for one. I wasn't familiar with her, but my reader friend gave me two of her books...Mermaids in the Basement was one of them. I am currently reading it and am so enjoying it.

    I love your introduction of Gone with a Handsomer Man...now I know I will be picking that one up, too!! The Lavender Shortbread looks so gooooood!!

    LOVE all of the wonderful gifts you have received....so beautifully displayed by you on your most recent post!! Lucky girl!!

    Hope you've had a great weekend!! Our Fr. and Sat. were wonderful....today is cool, gloomy and rain is on the way. Two outta three ain't bad!


    dana

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  32. Sarah, You have made Teeny (and MLW) proud! Your shortbread looks so pretty. (I bet Teeny's didn't even look that pretty), and the library setting is perfect. If Mr. Hyacinths reads GWAHM, he might worry that you are preparing one of Teeny's poison family recipes! Great post Sarah. Thank you for linking it to Favorite Things. laurie

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  33. Hi Sarah,
    I really enjoyed this post.

    I just finished reading Crazy Ladies and can't wait to get my hands on the next book.

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  34. So pretty...nice job!

    HaPpY pInK sAtUrDaY!
    Sarah

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