Linkspam: NYC Trip, March 2010

In the middle of March, I went to New York City for about a week. The family was there for the first few days, and then I stayed at triannamaxwell's apartment and got to see a bit more of the city on my own.

I was born in NYC, though we moved when I was relatively small, and this was the first time I spent any time in the city on my own. I still get terribly lost (I can't tell you how many time I got turned around and went a block in the wrong direction before seeing the street signs and going back), but something about the city still feels like home. If I had any doubts about wanting to move there after college, this trip laid that to rest.

( so nice they named it twice )

And then Friday I got back on the bus to go home. Alas. I can't wait to go back.

once more with feeling

[Poll #1552699]

Recipe: Chocolate Shortbread Stars

Chocolate Shortbread Stars
1 cup flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I suggest Hershey's Extra Dark)
1/2 cup powdered sugar*
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Cut butter into inch-thick chunks and rub into dry ingredients with fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add yolk and vanilla and mix with hand mixer or food processor until smooth dough develops; dough will be very thick and almost crumbly. Flatten dough onto plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 45 minutes. Dough can be chilled overnight if necessary.

When ready to bake, remove dough from 'fridge to thaw slightly. Preheat oven to 325°.

Roll dough out on flat surface to 1/4 inch thick. Using cookie cutters or a butter knife, cut out shapes. I use a star-shaped cookie cutter, but any shape that will give you a 1 inch square area is fine. Cover baking sheet with parchment paper and place cookies; they don't spread at all, so you can pack them in pretty tight, as long as they're not touching. Reroll dough until as many cookies are made as possible.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until cookies are firm in the center but not burnt; watch them carefully, since it's hard to tell with dark chocolate cookies. Remove to wire rack to cool.


pictured here with my famous peanut butter cookies

A Note About Sugar: Powdered sugar has the teeniest bit of flour in it, which keeps these cookies from being too fragile. They still work if you use granulated sugar, though I'd consider subbing out half a teaspoon of the sugar for additional flour to keep them from being too crumbly.