Gone With a Handsomer Man Publishing Party: Lavender Shortbread

You are invited to join me at Michael Lee West's blog, Designs by Gollum, to celebrate the publishing of  her new book, Gone with a Handsomer Man.

Most of you know Michael and frequent her Friday party, Foodie Fridays, where we gather together to try new recipes.  What you may not know about Michelle is she has written six previous books!  Michael lives on a farm in Lebanon, Tennessee with her husband.  

Gone with a Handsomer Man:  Teeny Templeton believes that her life is finally on track. She’s getting married, she’s baking her own wedding cake, and she’s leaving her troubled past behind. And then?  Her fiance us found dead and all fingers point to Teeny. Her only hope is through an old boyfriend-turned-lawyer, the guy who broke her heart a decade ago. But dredging up the past brings more than skeletons out of the closet, and Teeny doesn’t know who she can trust. With evidence mounting and the heat turning up, Teeny must also figure out where to live, how to support herself, how to clear her name, and how to protect her heart. 

“Gone with a Handsomer Man is fun, funny, and fabulous!”---Janet Evanovich

Today, I am taking one of Teeny's favorite desserts to the publishing party: Lavender Shortbread.

I used a recipe I found online, which called for the cookies to be dusted with Lavender Sugar.     

Lavender Sugar 
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Tablespoon Dried Lavender

Place sugar and lavender in a food processor or blender.  Process until they make a fine texture.

To dye the sugar
Preheat the oven to 325*; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix sugar with a drop or two of liquid food coloring (red and blue).  Stir the sugar to mix the colors.  I was unable to find liquid food coloring and tried using gel.  As you can see, the sugar turned purple, but there are red and blue flecks.  

Spread the colored sugar on the lined pan and place in the oven for 2-3 minutes.  Keep an eye on the sugar as it will easily burn.  

After baking, sieve the sugar to remove and clumps.  Store in a jar at room temperature.

Lavender Shortbread Cookies
1/4 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons of Lavender Sugar, divided
1/2 Cup Softened Butter
1 Cup All-purpose Flour
3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
1/4 Teaspoon Salt

Preheat oven to 325*; line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cream together the butter and 1/4 cup Lavender Sugar.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt.  Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed sugar.

Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls.  Place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.  Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass; sprinkle with additional Lavender Sugar.

Bake cookies for 17 minutes.  Cool completely on the baking sheet before removing.  Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.   

Shortbread was the most 

English dessert I could think of.  

Plus, lavender would defuse the 

cat-fight that was brewing. 

                                              Teeny Templeton

                                                                    Gone with a Handsomer Man

MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!