As easy as falling off a log

While my roommate and I were in the check-out line at Target (around December 27th) I turned and sniffed a box of cookies. (I was attempting to ascertain if these were the only kind of mass-produced cookie that I long for during the holiday season.) The cookies were white with green frosting.
My roommate asked: what are you doing?


I replied: sniffing these cookies to see if they are the kind I like.

Alarmed she said, Look at the ingredient list!

I had noticed there were about 30 or so ingredients in the cookies but at $3.99 a box it wouldn’t’ve been a hardship to purchase them take a nibble to find out.

As we approached the cashier my roommate -- with Robitussin and 4 boxes of tissues -- was greeted by the clerk, “How are you?”

I answered: she’s Benji.

The clerk smiled but was clearly bewildered.

When it came my turn to check out the clerk, had she been just a tiny bit sharper, might’ve gotten the joke. I had 2 DVDs: the Criterion Collection “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and “Benji.” (Trust me -- these selections sum us up to a tee.)

On the drive back to the house I couldn’t get the desire for cookies out of my head. My roommate said she had a recipe for sugar cookies at the house. It turns out she didn't have a recipe for sugar cookies but rather for short bread.


(my take on short bread)

2 cups all purpose flour

10 tablespoons organic butter (unsalted or salted)*

1 egg from a free range, organically fed hen

half cup organic, fair trade, granulated sugar



In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar and butter, with a fork, until light and fluffy.

Mix in the egg until combined. Mix in flour until smooth. (* If you didn’t have salted butter in the house, add two pinches of sea salt, and mix until combined.) Shape dough into a ball. Break the ball into halves and flatten each half into a small disk. Wrap and place in the fridge for an hour (or until chilled).
Preheat over to 350
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough until it's 1/4” thick. Cut into any shape you like (I used an antique aperitif glass which yielded round cookies and then with the leftover dough I created Dadaist (or Cubist?) cookies (which might have been a bit rough on the eye but were as delightful on the pallet as their circular shaped kin).

Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper (or parchment paper). They will be done in about 8 minutes. (Cooking time will vary due to the specifics of your oven. Feel free to make a test cookie.) They are done when they are set and have not browned. (Although the browned ones are not to be ignored and should be eaten with as much vigor as any other cookie you produce that day).
This recipe yielded approx. 20 round cookies (1 ½” diameter) and a slew of cubist cookies.