Butter, butter, butter!

I love butter. I love everything that butter does. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't cook if I couldn't have butter. I must go through at least 4 pounds a week, if not more. Certainly more through the holidays. My uncle says buying a cow would be cheaper...But where would I keep it? I currently live in an apartment and I don't think they take cows, even with a deposit. Still, I think he's right. It has to be less expensive than $3+ per pound.

Butter does add to the waistline, but sometimes it's worth it. I've resolved to reduce my food portions so that I can keep my butter. I want to be slender, but I want butter too.

I NEVER use margarine! I hate margarine...And I use the word hate because it's the only word that's strong enough for the way I feel about it. Margarine is one molecule away from plastic. And as far as taste goes, you might as well just melt some household plastic and cook with that or spread it on your toast. My aunt, Beth agrees, which is good because we lived together for 5 years. As a matter of fact, if she goes to a restaurant and they don't have real butter, she won't put anything on her bread. So if anyone is reading this, please, please, PLEASE don't use margarine to cook with. Go to a discount grocery store and buy butter there. Even cheap butter is better than fake butter.

For baking, I find that using unsalted butter really makes a difference. It is easier to cream with sugar because it is less likely to take on that curdled look, which can sometimes happen. So I buy a pound of each per trip to the store. It does, of course, mean that you have to add salt, but you usually do anyway.

For the holidays, I wanted to make a cookie that would showcase butter, but I didn't want to make butter spritz cookies. So I decided to make butter melt-aways. They are so rich and delightful, and you just can't mess them up...Even if you try. I will include the recipe below. My uncle enjoyed them, which is high praise.

My uncle is a vegetarian, which means I can only bake or cook vegetables...Or use soy products. I don't like tofu. I don't like the consistency or the vapid taste. But, I love my uncle enough to cook it. The upside to all this is that he really likes my baking. And I think he might have even put on a pound over the holidays. You wouldn't notice anyhow because he's rail thin. But it's nice to know he enjoys my food.

I made them with both regular flour and gluten-free flour. A neighbor gave me a pound of gluten-free flour and I wanted to try it. One of my best friends has celiac disease, and therefore cannot eat regular flour. So I am always looking for ways to make desserts without flour, or with gluten-free flour. Generally, I find the GF flour to be dense and difficult to cook with. And unless you find a really good pasta brand, the GF pasta is almost inedible. However, I found that with this recipe, even the GF flour doesn't make a difference. Try this recipe, if anyone reads it. It's really good!

Butter Melt-aways:

1 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups All purpose (or gluten-free) flour

1/2 cup cornstarch (corn flour)

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup finely chopped salted pecans (optional)

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. Whisk until fully blended and fluffy. Cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed using hand mixer. Add the vanilla. Slowly add the flour mixture and nuts and beat on low speed. Wrap in plastic and chill for 45 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from fridge and cut into 1 inch squares. Roll squares into balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until they start to brow around the sides.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes on wire rack. Fill a rectangular baking dish with powdered sugar. (I've tried bowls and plates etc., and I find this to be the easiest.) Carefully roll the cookies in the sugar until coated. Serve and enjoy. The best part is that they taste like butter.

I salt my pecans by chopping them and then sauteing them in a pan of BUTTER! Then I salt them. They're delicious that way.

I guess that's all for now. I have to go feed my family...Again.