More than just another pretty face!

My wife has talent that is beyond description. To begin, she can find beauty in the most unlikely places (like me, for example). She can also bake like an angel. We actually have tubs of lard in our refrigerator - used to make the most wonderful pie crusts on earth. As you can imagine she loves holidays and uses them as an excuse to indulge her second greatest passion - baking. (Her first passion is hanging out with me. What can I say, I'm a catch.)

Here are some of her Christmas cookies:

Here's her recipe for shortbread.

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar

Beat with mixer till light and fluffy, like 10 minutes or so.
Add 1 t. flavoring, like vanilla or almond extract.
Add 2 c. flour and 1/2 t. salt, let mixer go for a while, like 5 minutes.
The dough might be crumbly at this point, so add cold water 1 T.at a time until the dough comes together (like a pie crust dough).
Turn out onto lightly floured surface and roll to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut out with desired shapes.
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
When cookies are cool, mix 2 cups pwd. sugar, 2 T. corn syrup, 1 t. flavoring and milk 1 T. at a time until the glaze is of pouring consistency. Tint to color if desired. Drizzle over cookies. I do this on a cooling rack set over a cookie sheet to catch the drips. Let set until dry.