Buckingham Palace Shortbread

It's that time of year when the oven is cranked and the candles glisten as I sit with the latest recipe book. I'm preparing for the holidays by experimenting with some new ideas. I've found some real treasures hidden in the pages of this book. One caught my eye because only few ingredients were needed. It's called Buckingham Palace Shortbread.

I decided to try this recipe and the results were amazing. One bite of this shortbread and I wanted another one. I decided to split a piece with the children to justify getting another one. That was so kind of me. :)

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

 2 cups of cake flour
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1/4 salt
1 cup butter (at room temperature)
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of powdered sugar

Direction:
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt until well blended.

 2. Beat the butter until creamy. Beat the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.

3. Add the flour mixture in 2 or 3 additions until it forms a soft dough.

4. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

5. After 30 minutes preheat the oven to 350*F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or leave ungreased.

6 On a light floured surface, roll the dough out to 3/4 inch-thick stab, about 5x8 inches.

7. Gently lift the dough and transfer onto the baking sheet. Baked for about 40 minutes. Slip the parchment paper with the shortbread onto a hard surface. Immediately sprinkle the shortbread heavily with the powdered sugar.

8. While it's still warm, gently cut into 1 and 1/2 inch squares. Let it cool completely.

The shortbread taste best at room temperature. 

I hope your family enjoys it as much as mine did. 

Real Ministry

As I sit here at the kitchen table watching Sarah look up definitions of this weeks spelling words, the words spoken by my son last week keep playing over in my mind. It was just an ordinary day this school year. Sarah and I sitting across the dining room table not only "doing school," but also sharing life together when my son walked in and said, "Mom that's real ministry you're doing there."

I turned around and looked at him and asked him what was he referring to. How could this be "real ministry?" After all, I'm just a mom who is homeschooling her teenage daughter. A wife who serves her husband. A woman who loves Jesus and enjoys the simple things in life. I'm not standing before hundreds and thousands of people giving the latest talk. No one really sees what I do day to day but my family. If truth be told, there are days when I'm quite lonely and would enjoy the fellowship of adult conversation.

He proceeded to tell me just that. He said although I spend many many hours here at home, but what I'm doing here in my home is "real ministry." He thanked me over and over again for my presence here in the home. He encouraged me to continue doing what I'm doing and don't change for anything or anyone.

As a mom, to have your 20 year old son say such wonderful things is a blessing to hear. There were many years of toiling that I thought my children would never get past the years of depending on me for everything. Looking back, I'm so glad I was there because now I'm reaping the benefit of all that hard work.

Though our days may seem long and tedious, you may not get the recognition now, but wait. It will be worth it because God is true to His word:

Her children rise up and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praises her.
-Proverbs 31:28