Please accept my regrets. I am unable to come for personal reasons.

izzy2 wrote:Please accept my regrets. I am unable to come for personal reasons.

Sorry!

My second entry is chocolate shortbread. Don't worry, both recipes are wee.

Because my loaf cake is a bit squat, I am also bringing Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chunks and Candied Ginger.

Thanks for hosting and for the fantastic meal! I had a great time as usual. Kitty and I are bonding. I predict we will be BFFs by 2027. And let me just note again for posterity: I was there 1 minute early.

I don't have the recipe for the black bean brownies. Once I measured 1/3 cup, I wondered when I'd ever have a recipe that would be ruined by adding that last little bit, and I'd have to figure out a way to use them up. Also, they were fine, but I've had plenty better brownies.

The shortbread came from Better Homes & Gardens Christmas Cookies, and is easy as pie to make. They came about from me wanting to make another brownie recipe, then realizing I didn't have butter. Then I remembered there was some Kerrygold in the freezer but I wanted to do something that would showcase a decent butter instead of covering it up.

1-1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar (I don't sift. Life's too short. So I used 1/2 cup and a little more.)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond (I didn't want it that almondy, so I used 1/4 almond and approximately 3/4 tsp vanilla.)

Lightly grease a 9" tart pan (oops, forgot!) Preheat oven to 325.
Combine flour, cocoa and salt in small bowl. Beat butter in large bowl on high speed until creamy. Add sugar, vanilla, and almond extract; beat until combined. Beat in dry ingredients until smooth.
Pat dough into prepared pan. Score into wedges; prick with fork.
Bake 30 minutes or until top looks dry. Remove sides of pan after 5 minutes (this recipe isn't the boss of me). Cool completely on wire rack.

Thank you Cathy for a your hospitality and a splendid Russian feast. I would post photos, but alas, my camera sits in your dining room by the copies of Fetch 22.

Darn it! Do you have the next date scheduled?

Cathy thank you so much for hosting this wonderful event. (You are the hostess with the mostest!) The desserts were unexpected, unique and delicious each in their own way. The Russian dinner was spectacular. Ms. Ingie I hope to see the photos soon. I loved the food and fellowship, AND the surprise visit from Lenin.