Biscuits and a spot of tea (Guest Blogger Jessica)

Jessica is guest blogging for me. I ate these cookies, still warm from the oven and they were yum! - the food librarian

From Jessica: I never know what to do with myself when I am bored. On those occasions I have been known to rearrange all of the furniture in my room, empty and then reorganize the kitchen pantry, or some other crazy project. Another of my favorite boredom killers is baking, which, as it turns out, is great for guest blogging.

A few Sundays ago I had a lot of time to kill while I waited for the latest installment of Masterpiece’s (it will always be Masterpiece Theater to me) The Complete Jane Austen. As a girl who developed a deep-seeded love of Jane Austen’s stories this newest series of films is too fantastic – even in it’s less than shining moments, like Mansfield Park (don’t get me started.)

It also happened to be the perfect opportunity to use some cooking themed Christmas gifts that were wanting to make their debut. Big ups to B and E, thanks for the cool presents!

Christmas Exhibit A

Since Weight Watchers is reigning supreme in my house right now I wanted to make something of which everyone could partake. I turned to Cooking Light's December 2007 issue for a cookie recipe and I found Chai Shortbread icebox cookies. I’ve always wanted to make icebox cookies because I feel like the convenience of having homemade cookies easily available will cut down on me buying scary preservative-laden cookies from the market; plus, I happened to have cardamom lying around!

Mise En Place...it's a good thing

The cookies were really easy to make – I mixed all of the ingredients, rolled the dough into two logs, wrapped them up, and put them in the freezer to chillax.

Later I pulled out a log and baked it off.

An hour later I had the perfect* evening – homemade, spicy, delicious cookies; tea; and Jane Austen!

*Like so many things in my life, it’s not about perfection, it’s more about lessons learned. In this case I learned how double panning can save a batch of otherwise delicious baked goods from tasting (getting) burnt. So pay close attention fellow novice bakers – if you need to keep something you’re baking from getting too hot too fast, like when forced to bake on the bottom rack of the oven, use 2 pans together to delay the heat reaching your delicious treats.
- Guest Blogger Jessica signing out.

(edited 2/10/08 to upgrade resolution of photos-FL)