Birthday Sweets for a Sweet Friend!

This past Saturday night my friend Julie and I got out for a much deserved (and very rare!) ladies night.  So we left the kids with our hubbies and hit the road Thelma and Louise style...top down, hair blowing in the wind, ready to let the night take us where it may!  

Ok, who's kidding who here?  It was night time in the "winter" and way too cold to let the wind blow through anything....and anyone that knows me knows that I am anything but spontaneous!

Julie and I had both researched some fabulous Westchester eateries prior to our night out and decided on Via Vanti in Mount Kisco.  This eclectic restaurant had delicious food, a cute atmosphere, and very yummy desserts...the main reason we decided on this quaint little spot.  Their gelato was to die for!


It was so nice to relax with a glass of wine and catch up about our kids and our lives!


Of course, being that sweets are a very big part of my life, the conversation naturally went in that direction for a little while.  We discussed what desserts I'd made recently, the tempting treats on the menu for the night, and our favorite sweets.  Over the course of this chat it came out that Julie's favorite childhood sweet was shortbread cookies.  She so vividly described this one sweet shop that all the kids would go to in her neighborhood.  

Listening to her fond memories from her childhood got my wheels turning about trying to make some shortbread myself.  And with Julie's birthday being right around the corner, this would work out perfectly!  Time for a visit from the "Eat your sweets fairy"!


I've never made shortbread before and, accordingly, researched various recipes until I found one that looked good.  I was a little wary about the consistency of the dough as no other cookie dough I've made before had that texture.  But, I persevered and continued on with my baking task of the day...determined to make a nice birthday treat for my dear friend :).


Well, after all is said and done, here is the delicious final product:

I dipped them in chocolate for a little extra pizzazz!  Chocolate makes everything better, right?
And here is how the final wrapped gift looks:

I know, how very Ina Garten of me...this is how she always wraps up cookies, and I thought it would look perfect!  I'm very pleased with how these cookies came out and have squelched my wariness about making shortbread.

Ok everyone, I'm off to deliver my treats. 

Happy birthday Julie! Thanks for being a dear friend and I hope you like the cookies!