Toffee Almond Sandies

A lot of guests have been asking for this recipe.  You can find it here at Taste of Home. 

Toffee Almond Sandies

Scottish Shortbread

Easy to make and ready in no time. This is a go-to cookie for busy days with many guests.

Makes enough batter to fill a large baking sheet (approximately12"x16")

5 cups white flour
3/4 cup cornstarch or potato starch
1 cup sugar
2 cups cold butter (4 sticks)
(1-2 cups ground almonds -optional)  If using 2 cups ground almonds decrease flour by about 1 cup.

Cut butter into pads.  Put half the ingredients in a food processor - blend until chunks of butter are no larger than the size of a pea. Pour on cookie tray.  Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Press mixture into pan firmly with hands or other flat object.  Lightly score with a fork.  Bake at 350º for 20 - 30 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar.  Cut into squares while still hot.  If you forget to cut while hot, put the pan back into a hot oven until warm.  Then cut into squares.

Vegan Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe I copied directly from the PBS link below.  The only thing I changed for the Guest House was the cashews.  I substituted raw sunflower seeds instead. I believe the raw cashews would have made a sweeter cookie.  But we are a long way from town and there was no chance to make the trek to Redway.   Next time I will try cashews.

Use very ripe bananas in this healthy, gluten-free recipe to get the right moisture and sweetness without having to add sugar or fat.

(Recipe Courtesy: Marc Matsumoto from the Fresh Tastes Blog) Continue
Yield: 12 cookies

• 10.6 ounces (300 grams or about 2 large bananas) very ripe banana

• 2.7 ounces (75 grams or about 1/2 cup) raw cashews

• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• 6.7 ounces (190 grams or about 2 cups) rolled oats

• 2.3 ounces (65 grams or about 1/2 cup) dried fruit

Put the oven rack in the middle position, and preheat to 300 degrees F (150 C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put the bananas, cashews, nutritional yeast, cinnamon and salt in a food processor or blender, and puree until smooth.

Measure out the rolled oats and dried fruit, and place them in a bowl. Stir in the banana mixture.

Use your hands to roll out balls of dough, and flatten them onto the cookie sheet. Because they contain no leavening they will not rise, so you can put them pretty close together.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the cookies are chewy.

These are best served warm, so if you have leftovers, just heat them up in the microwave for a few seconds.

Produced by:

Original URL: http://www.pbs.org/food/fresh-tastes/vegan-oatmeal-cookies/Ingredients

Directions

Oatmeal Delights (Cookies)

These cookies are substantial and even good for you. I used Original Flavor Honey - but you could experiment with Orange Flavored for a more fruity flavor.

1 ½ cups shortening
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup Monastery Creamed Honey
2 eggs
2 Teaspoons Vanilla

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cloves
2 cups raisins
2 cups nuts
5 cups oats

Mix first 5 ingredients
Sift together and stir in remaining dry ingredients. Add raisins, nuts, and oats. Drop by spoonfuls – press into desired shape. Bake 10 – 15 minutes depending on size at preheated oven 350°. Makes 10 dozen small. 5 dozen larger size cookies.