Foodie Blogroll

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Matcha (Green tea) Shortbread Cookies

I just wanted to say that I am not a big fan of St Patrick's Day food. I have never liked corned beef and cabbage. When I was a kid I thought corned beef reminded me too much of ham (which I never liked). Cabbage just smelled funny and I never understood how any one could like it (through a child's eyes). I now eat cabbage and enjoy it ever since I've seen Ina Garten make it this way on Food Network's The Barefoot Contessa.

So simple...just melt a little butter in a pan, add some sliced cabbage, sprinkle with some sea salt and saute until tender...

...and enjoy! That's it! That's all there is to it, none of this boiling it to death...the best thing is...it is so yummy like this. And for corned beef, I do eat it on Ruben sandwich.


As for the green tea cookies, here's the story. It is my Saturday to post on Our Krazy Kitchen, and since my segment is Cultural Connections I thought "oh no they'll probably expect something Irish". Then the other day I was reading the Mountain Rose news letter (I get many of my organic herbs from there) and they had a recipe for Matcha Shortbread Cookies on the Mountain Rose Blog so I thought these would be perfect for my post, at least they are green!



Matcha or green tea powder is used in many recipes across the board...I've seen it used in pasta, cakes, breads and many cookies, including shortbread cookies. I first bought the green tea powder meaning to add it to drinks and such to help incorporate this healthy tea into my diet. Well to be honest, green tea is not one of my favorite drinks. So the ideas have been collecting for other ways to use it. I was able to find it in my local Asian market, I also saw it at Whole Foods, so I know you shouldn't have much trouble finding it.



I made half a batch just to see if I would like it, so here is my "half" recipe that I adapted from Mountain Rose Blog
they made them with a vanilla bean glaze, but I didn't want it that sweet.

Matcha Shortbread Cookies

1 cup organic flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup organic powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons organic matcha powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) organic unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (my homemade)

Directions:
Sift the dry cookie dough ingredients together in a small bowl. In a batter bowl, whip the softened butter until just smooth. Add the vanilla extract to the butter and then combine with all of the dry ingredients. Flatten and shape the dough into a disc. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for about an hour in the refrigerator until firm.

Lightly flour your work surface, as well as the top of your dough, and roll out to about an 1/8”. Cut rolled dough with your favorite cookie cutters and place them on parchment paper lined baking sheets. They don’t expand much at all, so don’t worry about creating lots of space between the cookies. Bake them in a preheated oven at 325°F for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden at the edges.

My Notes: I really liked them, so tasty and good, they did have a strong green tea flavor, but if you don't like that and want to cut back on the matcha powder add in a little more powdered sugar. I think that I had it in the refrigerator for too long because it was so hard I had to wait a while for it to be soft enough to roll out. By the time I had them on the baking sheet they were a little too soft, but they still tasted good. I think next time I won't roll them so thin, or you could shape it in a log and just slice them after refrigerating off from that to make the cookies.


I had a friend tell me once that you shouldn't point out your mistakes, then everyone will think you planned it that way. Well I would do that if I was serving it to people...but here on my blog I want to let you know and learn from it hehehe or not! Okay so here it is, I thought the cookies ran a little because it was too warm, but to tell the truth I used regular organic sugar and not powdered sugar...I even asked myself how odd it was that they didn't use powdered sugar in shortbread, but no, I read it wrong and yes it called for powdered sugar, I imagine it would work better the way the recipe reads. :) But I must say...they were still good!


I'm on spring break so we were able to go see sunset a couple of times this week.


I never get tired of seeing the sunset over the Gulf. We met some people from Maine that were so impressed with seeing the sunset over the water like this. She said there are not too many places that you can see this. I never thought of it like that before. I grew up in Michigan and we spent the summers on the coast where we saw one beautiful sunset after another over Lake Michigan which looked like the Gulf, then I lived in Hawaii and enjoyed such beautiful sunsets as well. I realized how lucky we are to enjoy such amazing sunsets when ever we wish.

Really no matter how you look at it...


...from every angle...

So that is why I like to share them with you all! :D

This recipe joined in on Bake with Bizzy and playing along with #greenslove@ Ms Pensamientos

52 comments:

  1. That sunset is amazing, Wow. We love cabbage, I put a little oil in a pan and add sliced onion when soft we add the cabbage and salt, put the lid on and let it steam for only a few minutes until wilted and serve. Yum yum. Diane

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    1. Diane that sounds good, maybe I'll get more adventurous with my cabbage and try it your way ;)

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  2. Well, these cookies would make anyone love St. Patty's Day, regardless!

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  3. Lyndsey-I hear you about the St. Patrick cuisine...I'm not such a big fan either, but I do love cabbage, just about every way I can make it, and yes, Reuben sandwich is a big favorite of mine, but that gets the sauer kraut, which is derived from cabbage.
    Your Matcha cookies are so pretty, love the first photo! Also love all your Gulf sunset photos, as well. As for the sunset, at our end in West Palm Beach, I only can catch a pretty one from Palm Beach side going down on the Intracoastal, west side. Will have to capture it soon!
    Thanks for sharing, have a great St. Patrick's Day:DDD

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    1. I am getting there with cabbage...the cabbage pakoras were pretty good.

      Thank you, and I am looking forward to that photo you'll be taking of the sunset. Otherwise you have to get up before sunrise to catch it from a different angle than I can get.

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  4. i am in love with cabbage. i stir fry with onions and evoo and i love it!!! and matcha cookies are awesome. i make a vegan version! :D

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    1. Junia, that sounds good! I will check out your vegan version.

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  5. Lyndsey, I love your lovely shortbread cookies with green tea added. I love cabbage too and I just cooked it yesterday with bacon.

    Have a wonderful weekend :)

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    1. Thank you Ann, that was so nice of you to say. Mmm...cabbage and bacon, I'm getting all kinds of ideas.

      Have yourself a good weekend too!

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  6. My husband has his matcha tea ever morning; i will surprise him with these cookies; Your photos are breathtaking! Thank you for sharing.
    Rita

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    1. Rita, I know he will like them you can really taste the green tea. You can make the full recipe, I always bake small batches if I can.

      Thanks you

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  7. I don't particularly like cabbage either because of the smell but now I have learnt to enjoy it too! Love the look of your cookies despite the error in sugar:P Happy St Patrick's Day to you Lyndsey:)

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    1. :) sounds like me! Thanks, hope you day is a good one!

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  8. Corned beef and cabbage always make me think of that syndicated cartoon strip Bringing Up Father with Jiggs and Maggie (Hope I am not showing my age her ;))

    Your matcha shortbread cookies sound really good. I do like matcha and green tea. The trick is to brew the tea at the right temperature so as not to get it stewed. Otherwise, it will taste like overcooked spinach.

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    1. No not at all...:)

      Thanks for the matcha tip, maybe that is what has been wrong...nothing like a good stewed spinach tea! :D These cookies has a nice pronounced tea flavor and I liked that!

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  9. I adore cookies with green tea too! Great sunset photos.

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  10. If we're being honest, the only st. paddy's day food I like is the desserts! These are a major win.

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    1. Thanks, you can't beat shortbread if you are a dessert fan!

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  11. Beautiful sunset pictures!

    I made some matcha cupcakes a while back - but not for St. Patricks Day, just because I thought they would be interesting. And they were. I'll have to see if I have a picture of them.

    My hubby loves shortbread cookies. I should make these for him. Thanks for sharing them! :)

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    1. Yes I'd like to see your matcha cupcakes! The cookies are pretty easy as long as you have the ingredients! :D

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  12. Thank you for this recipe. My daughter is definitely a fan of Matcha. I have never tried it. I think the Gulf has the best sunsets. It is a nightly ritual for so many people who will drive to Clearwater Beach and watch it. Just breathtaking and over in the blink of an eye.

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    1. I hope your daughter will enjoy them! thanks for stopping by. We enjoy the sunsets all year long here. We always look for the green flash! (we see it too)

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  13. Love your Asian-Western fusion way of celebrating St Patrick's Day!

    Dessert, cakes or cookies with matcha are always delicious! And your cookies look yummy :D

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    1. Thank you I enjoy many Asian-Western fusion, glad it worked :)

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  14. i like to cook cabbage with curry leaf, very fragrant..Your green tea cookies sound good!

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  15. Lyndsey, your pictures always blow me away and I just want to be beamed to your beach!!! I love to go to the coasts and see the amazing sunsets that we don't have here, but your gorgeous photos always take me there! The cabbage sounds like a great alternative to the boiling it to death. Love it and will be trying it. Bet the cookies are good with the green tea, mistakes or not! Relax and enjoy your spring break!!!

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    1. Pam, thanks, your comments always make me smile. I wish you could be beamed to our beach and enjoy the beautiful sunsets too. I am glad everyone is not getting tired of seeing them yet.

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  16. beautiful cookies - I've never heard of matcha! what lovely pictures - so gorgeous!
    Mary x

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    1. Thanks Mary! I believe it is Japanese and it comes in a powder form. They use a bamboo tea whisk when they prepare the green tea and froth it all up just right, and at the right temperature to come out good.

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  17. I never baked with matcha before! I do like green tea though and having it in a cookie form sounds yummy! You're pictures are gorgeous! Enjoy your break.

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    1. Thank you Reeni. I actually liked the matcha better than I thought I would, it tasted like I was eating a nice cuppa tea!

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  18. Your beach photos are spectacular, Lyndsey. We love shortbread, but I'm not so sure about adding tea flavor to it. I'm always up for something new so I'll have to try it.

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    1. Thanks, I wasn't so sure about it either, but they taste better than I thought and I would make them again!

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  19. hi lyndsey, i cook a lot of cabbages just like the way you did, just that i used vegetable oil instead of butter and your matcha cookies sounds good too. it's been quite sometimes since i last baked something matcha, now i feel i need to bookmark this. Btw, i forgot to mention to you that i had some baked eggs 2 weeks ago and you hv inspired me for that looking at one of your baked eggs recipes. Have linked it back to yours earlier. Thanks. Yes, i do enjoy looking at all the sunset and scenery pictures that you post each time. Have a lovely week!

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    1. Lena, thanks so much for telling me and linking it to mine. I'm can't believe I missed that post! I must of been off on break or something :) I did check it out and your eggs looked beautiful! It is so fun to inspire someone!

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  20. You said two words I love and they are "Shortbread Cookies" so I will be making these very soon.

    Thank you,

    Grandma Kat
    XOXOXOXOXO

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  21. I almost buy cabbage once every 2 weeks and usually do a saute or roast it!

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  22. I never do st. paddy's day food really, but I have seen some fun festive goodies around :) And these are delightful for any time...love shortbread and green tea!

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    1. yes I agree I've seen some mighty good St Patty's day foods around. I will make these again...anytime! :)

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  23. P.S. Love those gorgeous beach shots :)

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  24. GOOD ONE! I never thought of posting Green Tea cookies for St. Patty's Day. You are so good, Lyndsey! The thought never occur to me... if I remember this and post green tea something next year, then please remember it's your idea (or remind me if I forget selfishly and post about it). ;-) Love your cookies!

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    1. Nami, you crack me up! I always enjoy your comments, and I am certainly not worried about you posting your green tea something next year:) Sharing...isn't that what blogging friends are for? :D

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  25. Great green post, the healthy cabbage and those wonderful green tea cookies. Matcha powder is probably easier to use than actual tea leaves. However, between the cabbage and cookies, I will have to choose the cookies-yum! Have a great evening!

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  26. Love all the green food. I've gotta get my hands on some matcha powder. The picture of the bird is gorgeous.

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