♥ Valentines day ♥ is right around the corner. And you know what that means. Yep, you guessed it. The hubby/boyfriend/significant other/male species has no clue what so ever. Okay, the 11 yr. old male still knows…there’s still hope for the male race.
Sure, the commercials are plastered all over the TV.
Sure, you have dropped hints.
Sure, his female coworkers have probably reminded him for the last several days.
You know though that until THE day he will be like, “What, today is valentine’s day” ? “Oh $hit”, he’ll say, “I had no idea”…. and off he’ll go running to some market/Safeway/or equally cheap equivalent to buy some bargain bouquet of flowers for you. Little do they know, it doesn’t really matter. We know they ♥ love us. What really means ♥ love is when he brings you something home on ANY given day of the week surprising you for NO reason, with NO significance to the date, a SMALL TOKEN or gift or present and says, “No reason”, “Just because I ♥ love you”. THAT’S what gets us, right ladies? Guys like to be reminded too that we ♥ love them, dirty socks on the floor and all; every day of the week. Hang this little cookie on his mug before he dashes out the door just to remind him, how much you ♥ love him, and perhaps to remind him it’s valentines day…
(a little guilt never hurts). You know you still want that boquet, ’cause the girls are gonna ask.
Espresso Chocolate Chip Shortbread
Recipe from Smitten Kitchen
Yield: 3 dozen
1 Tbsp. instant espresso powder
1 Tbsp. boiling water
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter; room temp
2/3 Cup confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Cups all-purpose flour
3/4 Cup mini chocolate semi sweet chips
1. Dissolve espresso powder in boiling water. Set aside to cool until slightly warm.
2. In a stand mixer, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in vanilla and espresso, then reduce mixer speed to low and add flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough too much once the flour is incorporated as to avoid a tough cookie.
3. By hand using a large spatula, fold in the mini chips. Using the spatula, transfer dough to a gallon-size zip-loc bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.
4. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. (in this case I used my split shaped heart cutter instead).
5. Transfer the cookies to baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time for about 18-20 minutes. You want the shortbreads to remain mostly pale in color. Do not overbake. Transfer the cookies to a rack.
