A friend of mine has spent the last 5 or 6 (or is it 84?) months caring for three very special puppies. They were from a litter of 11 (yikes!) and were born with congenital birth defects that made their front legs crooked. At two months old, a veterinary orthopedic surgeon operated on the puppies to correct their deformities. After a couple broken legs, a little more surgery, casts, external metal pins, special braces, and lots of time and TLC, these fast-growing puppies are now in water therapy and slowly but surely gaining strength and stamina.
You can learn more about Hope, Seal, and LuSeal at the Pet Rescue of Maryland website or check out their news story (these are some famous puppies - at least among Baltimore animal lovers).
Hurricane Irene delayed our celebration of this amazing foster mom’s birthday, but this weekend we partied. When I heard my sleep-deprived, sanity-challenged friend was craving a piece of carrot cake, my Internet search for the perfect recipe began.
But first, I started with the cookie decorations. (Later this week I’ll post the cake.)
Carrot Cake Shortbread Cookies
I slightly adapted this recipe from Bake WhatYour Momma Gave You.
1/3 c shredded carrot
1 t vanilla
2 ½ c flour
½ c brown sugar
¾ t cinnamon
½ t ground ginger
¼ t freshly ground nutmeg
¼ t salt
3 T ground walnuts
In a medium bowl, beat butter, carrot, and vanilla. Form butter mixture into a log and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or, in you’re in a hurry, freeze for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 300° F.
In a large bowl, combine stir, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and ground walnuts.
Cut butter into chunks and add to flour mixture. Using a pastry blender or your hands, cut the butter mixture into the flour mixture until it resembles fine crumbs.
Knead the dough until it is smooth and forms a ball.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut out shapes with a cookie cutter.
I decorated the cooled cookies with cream cheese frosting, a sprinkle of ground walnuts, and tiny fondant carrots.
they look great! the fondant carrots had a nice touch of colour.
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