Dried Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Before I write anything, I must say, this is my 200th blog post! It's been a long, fun ride blogging my baking adventures. Here's to many more baked goods and blog posts. To celebrate such a milestone, you'd think that it would be fitting to post about something really exciting and different but I think these down home, simple shortbread bars are just the ticket. I made them to b ring to my brother and sister in law and how easy they were to make! I mixed the dough by hand, which required little effort and beat cleaning a mixer. I added chopped dried cherries to these instead of the cranberries that the original Martha recipe calls for. Powdered sugar, instead of regular granulated sugar, lent a smooth, velvety feel to the dough and to the final cookie. I cut them into rectangles while still warm before they had a chance to set up. The cherries, besides giving a nice tart flavor, lent a jeweled appearance to these deceptively simple and delicious cookies. Here's to many more!

Dried Cherry Shortbread Cookies

from Martha Stewart's Cookies

1/2 cup dried cherries

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 325. Line an 8 inch square pan with foil. Set aside.
Chop the cherries and set aside.
Place all the ingredients in a large bowl,
and beat until a smooth dough forms.
Add the cherries,
and knead until evenly dispersed.
Press into the pan
and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cut into desired shapes before allowing to cool completely. How simple was that?