Tea Cookies

Good Morning!
It is the beginning of a new path. Life isn't easy but when you have great people in your life it can be a little easier then you would think. I have great people in my life and am grateful for every single one of them. I am also realized this past weekend how much I've grown up.
This weekend I cleaned, which before I would not have done on my own. I also cooked a lot so that I have lunches for the week. Before I wouldn't bother with lunches. I never took care of my health and would rather just grab something at work then worry about eating right. I have realized that this is not a good way to deal with your health. So I made a very healthy salad. But I also made cookies.
Now let me talk about these cookies. The original recipe called for Early Gray tea. I didn't have any on hand and did want to buy a box of tea just for a little bit of tea. So I used PG tips. This is more of an English breakfast black tea. Jono likes it so we have a box of it in the house most of the time. It is a slightly darker bolder tea. You can use any tea you have on hand I would think because you don't get a very strong flavor from the tea. I find them to be really cute. I love the look and the fact that you can just bake up a few and leave the rest of the dough log in the freezer till the next time you want cookies.

Earl Grey Tea Cookies
makes 2 dozen
1 cup all purpose flour 

1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon black tea leaves (cheap works better due to the fact it's finer. I used PG tips. )
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
Preheat oven to 375°F. Pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor until the tea leaves are pulverized.
Add vanilla, water, and butter. Pulse together until a dough is formed. Form the dough into a log onto a piece of wax or parchment paper. Wrap the paper around and roll the log smooth. Freeze now, or chill for at least 30 minutes.
When chilled, slice the log into 1/3 inch thick pieces. Place on baking sheets and bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.


I would also like to share a little shortcut recipe with you. Potatoes. I love crispy fried potatoes but normally they take forever to cook and I never have the time or the energy to cook then from raw.
ingredents
3 small potatoes ( I tend to keep small red or multi-colored potatoes on hand)
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Italian seasoning
olive oil

Take the potatoes stab them with a fork a few times.  Then microwave them for about 2 minutes. I check after each minute to see if they are soft by sticking the fork back in.
When they are mostly soft I take them out and slice them.
Toss them with a little garlic power, Italian seasoning, and salt/pepper.
Throw them in a pan where they can all lay flat and cook them in a little olive oil over midiun high heat.
Cook about 2 minutes per side or till they look golden brown.

Over all the whole thing takes about 10 minutes and you are crispy cooked potatoes. They go great with anything! Any time I'm making dinner and don't know what to make as a side I tend to fall back on this recipe.

Hope you all have a great day!
hugs+kisses
mce