Proof of Life: Alive and Cooking!

Tropical Holiday Cookies

Thanks to my unfortunate tendencies to overestimate my abilities, underestimate my time and generally procrastinate every task, major and minor, the past six weeks have been so much more hectic than anticipated. As a result, anything that dealt with blogging has been held hostage by my utter lack of time management capabilities.

This has been a serious source of stress for me lately: after all, isn't it the cornerstone of nearly every "How to Blog Successfully" article that consistent and prolific posting is a must? Instead of the two-per-week goal I had set for myself at the beginning of the year, I'm ending 2009 barely able to eke out one every 2 weeks. But something had to give - as much as I love blogging and blog reading, my classes demanded full concentration; now that the semester is over, I can honestly say that it was worth the sacrifice. Graduation Day is that much closer - Spring 2010!

Now, it's time to rekindle some blog friendships as I hope to get back into the swing of reading and commenting on my favorite sites. As for my own blog, the old tangled noodle has been in knots over numerous ideas that will hopefully see the light of day in the new year. But before I earnestly promise too much, I should say that actually getting back in the game will be delayed for just a bit longer as Mr. Noodle and I are on our way to spend the holidays in warmer climes.

In the meantime, here's a little proof of life - evidence that my blogging mojo will soon be released from academic captivity as soon as my demands for fruity, frosty, umbrella-adorned drinks are met to my satisfaction!

Tropical Holiday Cookies 
(adapted from Yummy Magazine, June 2009)

My sudden urge to bake as soon as I finished the last class of the year was sparked by the "CS" time of year - no, not Christmas Season . . . Cookie Swap! I've been hearing about them everywhere I turn but the tipping point came when I recently read a New York Times article describing the tradition of a cookie table at wedding receptions in the Pittsburgh, PA region - we're talking thousands of various baked treats, putting the wedding cake to shame.

I am offering only one - what I call Tropical Holiday Cookies, flavored with lime zest, sweetened coconut and dried mangos, in honor of our Christmas destination. These are refrigerator cookies, meant to be rolled into logs and frozen until freshly-baked goodies are needed on the spot [question: why not call them 'freezer cookies' instead?] This recipe yielded a very crisp cookie but with a nice bit of chewiness from the mango and coconut. The original recipe appeared in the June '09 issue of Yummy, a glossy, gorgeously-photographed food magazine from the Philippines; if it were possible to receive Stateside, this would be the gift subscription that tops my Christmas wish list!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of one lime
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 cup sweetened coconut
1/2 cup dried mangoes, chopped fine

Parchment paper
Plastic wrap

To make:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, vanilla and lime zest. Add egg and mix well;
3. Add flour, one cup at a time, mixing until just incorporated before adding next cup; repeat. Add coconut and mangoes and mix well;
4. Turn out mixture onto flat surface and form into 8" logs; wrap securely in plastic wrap and place in the freezer until ready to use;
5. To bake immediately, allow to chill in the freezer until dough is somewhat firm. Using a sharp knife (serrated worked well for me), slice 1/4" thick slices and place about an inch apart on parchment-lined cookie sheet;
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cookies are a light golden color. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Wishing you a happy holiday season and a joyous New Year!

Maligayang Pasko at Manigong bagong taon!