Tangy Surprise Shortbread Food

TANGY SURPRISE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Shortbread:.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a small bowl or cup stir together diced dried apricots, dried cranberries, cointreau and 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice. Let sit for 15 minutes or more.
• Melt butter in microwave.
• In a large mixing bowl combine melted butter and 1 tablespoon of orange zest. With an electric mixer on medium speed beat in brown sugar,powdered sugar and vanilla.
• On low speed beat in flours 1/2 cup at a time, scraping the sides down after each addition until mixture resembles soft crumbs.
• Drain dried fruits and reserve liquid for glaze if desired.
• Stir dried fruits and white chocolate chips into the shortbread dough.
• Press dough evenly into an ungreased 15x10 cookie sheet with 1/2" sides. Prick the top all over with a fork.
• Place on the middle rack in preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes until firm to the touch and very lightly browned around the edges.
• Let cool 5 minutes. Cut into 48 squares with a sharp knife while it's still warm.
• Optional Glaze:.
• In a small bowl stir together sifted powdered sugar, orange zest, cointreau and fresh squeezed orange juice until a thick pourable consistency is reached.
• Pour glaze over cooled cut shortbread still in the pan and spread in a thin even layer with a spatula. Let glaze harden.
• Lift out squares with a butter knife inserted under the edge of them.

CLASSIC SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-12-1/2-inch jelly roll pan and line it with parchment, then butter the paper.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Slowly add the flour mixture and beat on low until the dough is just combined; do not overwork.
• Transfer the dough to the prepared pan, spreading it out as evenly as possible with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, then use your hands to press and flatten the dough into a smooth even layer. Remove the plastic and cut the dough with a sharp knife into approximately 1-by-3-inch bars. Use a fork to prick a decorative pattern into the tops.
• Bake, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through, until golden, 60 to 70 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes in the pan, then re-cut the bars along the previous cuts. Carefully lift the bars off the parchment with a small spatula and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

SWEET AND TANGY SLOPPY JOES

Steps:

• In a large skillet brown ground beef and onion over medium heat.
• Drain off excess fat.
• Stir in the remaining ingredients until well blended.
• Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Serve hot on your favorite buns or bread.

GLAZED PEARL ONIONS & CARROTS

Steps:

• Put carrotes, parsnips, pearl onions and cinnamon stick into a large pot.
• Add the orange rind, thyme, garlic salt, powdered ginger and fennel into the orange juice and pour over the vegetables in the pot.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes.
• Drain the vegetables and remove the cinnamon stick.
• Next add the butter and brown sugar to the cooked vegetables and cook on medium heat, gently stirring until all vegetables are glazed about 2 minutes.
• Garnish with finely chopped red peppers.