Cookies and

Of course, we were sisters, but with 16 years between us, sometimes we both forgot about that.

I had left the family household at 19 when Mary Elizabeth was only 3 years old.

Later in life our paths crossed often, but never for any length of time until we were both decades older and just a bit wiser.

During that memorable and brief span of time, one snowy Christmas my younger sister gifted me with a copy of “ONE SWEET COOKIE” by Tracey Zabar.

Mary’s gift of the beautifully illustrated volume is robust with marvelous recipes, but probably my favorite is Mark Tasker’s recipe for Scottish Shortbread.

I make the simple and delicious recipe often when I need to remember there were happy moments two sisters shared.

Mary Elizabeth Donlon Ray was claimed by Covid not very long after I opened her gift..

Now that I live in a far smaller home and no longer have the convenience of a wall oven, I find it simpler to bake bar cookies.

Consequently, I adapted this recipe. The shortbread dough is simple to bake in two well greased square pans and divided into bars and/or triangles before putting into heated oven,

Grandma Rennie’s Scottish Shortbread

1 lb unsweetened buffer softened

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup confectioners sugar

3/4 teaspoons salt

5 cups all purpose flour

Cream the butter and sugars together until light and airy,

Add the salt and flour and roll into a disc and refrigerate for at least several hours or overnight.

Pat chilled dough into two well greased 8x8 square pans and bake at 300 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes checking often for doneness.

While warm score into triangles or bars. Divide into four boxes, wrap with festive ribbon and share only with friends who love shortbread. And of course, keep one box for yourself.

That’s exactly what I do.