Enjoy Life

Take Time to Enjoy Life

It has been 3 weeks since my last post; all the while feeling guilty about not writing, cooking, and photographing for my blog. It wasn’t that I didn’t have things to do – we had home renovations going; took a trip to West Palm Beach; I was teaching art; I attended a 3 day Atlanta Food Photography Workshop: and lastly I had the privilege to be the sous chef for Laura Vein (she has a wonderful food blog – Sweet Treats: a baking blog. This is a must read and try the recipes, they are out-of-this-world) at another wonderful Food Photography workshop in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

After all the activity I was struggling to return to my routine of creating, writing, and photographing. I kept saying to myself – today is the day I will start again – then I would busy myself and guess what, a day would go by then a week.

What has brought me back from this slump – my quiet time for this morning. While reading, my guilt and feelings of inadequacy where broken. I was inspired. The pages were all about being spontaneous; take some time to enjoy life and the good things that come your way. Take the time to be a Mary and not always be a Martha. Enjoy the special things that come into your life; the work will still be their when you return.

As I was reading I realized I should not feel guilty for participating in all the wonderful things that had come my way. And now I am ready to get back to it – writing, cooking, and sharing photographs of wonderful recipes. I really do love to create, write, cook, and photograph food. My hope is that I make other people happy too.

The recipe today is a beautiful, buttery melt in your mouth cookie. This is a great cookie to have with your morning coffee, at tea time, a sit and take a moment for yourself time.

Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread Cookies

Yield: 20 cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup confectioners\’ sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1/12 tablespoons poppy seeds

1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice, zest, and vanilla and beat well.

2. In a bowl, combine the flour, poppy seeds, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until well combined. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

3. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Roll the dough between two sheets of wax paper to a 1/4-inch-thick rectangle (about 10×12 inches). If the dough seems soft, return it to the refrigerator to chill for an additional 30 minutes. Cut the shortbread into shapes with a 2-inch cookie cutter or into 3×2-inch bars using a knife, and place them 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Prick the shortbread with a fork ad bake until pale golden all over 23 to 25 minutes. cool on a wire rack.

Thanks for Stopping Bye!

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