What is that yellow thing?

I think it may actually have been the sun, poking out from behind a cloud (or two, or three).  At least it came out long enough to make me think that I could get the sheets washed and dried.  Fingers crossed.

So here we are in a New Year and summer is trying very hard to make itself scarce.  Strawberries are thin on the ground (literally) this season, simply because of all the rain that has fallen.  While the courgettes have been hit hard with mould because of the humidity, the yellow beans have taken off - think they'll do quite nicely with the steak I have in the fridge for dinner.

So for Christmas this year, one of the things I made was shortbread.  I used Gordon Ramsay's recipe (more or less) that I cribbed off one of the Christmas cooking shows and am still not sure what I think of it, as it was very sweet. 


Shortbread

1 tsp Vanilla essence
2 eggs

Mix eggs and vanilla

125g butter
90 g caster sugar

Cream until smooth, add eggs and pinch salt. Add 250g plain flour, mix to a dough. Roll to 1cm thickness and put on baking tray. Chill for an hour, bake medium oven 20min until just done, then sprinkle with sugar.
His recipe used vanilla seeds from a pod - I only have essence and that does the job just as well.

Enjoy...