I even posted a picture this time, looks like I left it out last April.
LAST COOKIE.
I was lucky to get this photo. This batch went awfully fast!
Toffee Almond Sandies...mmm... I often find myself swapping recipes with relatives or friends at work, church or elsewhere. We are all working moms, and who would know better than a working mom how important it is to share good things that work?
My hubby's aunt, Punky, gave this recipe to my mother-in-law, Dawn, who is the source of some of the best and easiest recipes I have. Absolutely maaavelous! These melt in your mouth...
Auntie Punk’s Toffee Almond Sandies
My new favorite cookie!
1 cup butter (Auntie Punk uses ½ margarine)
1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp almond extract
4 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
2 cups chopped almonds (sliced almonds work well, too - Punky uses walnuts)
1 package English toffee bits (I use the Heath candybar brand bits without the chocolate).
Mix together butter, powdered & granulated sugars, oil, eggs and almond extract with an electric mixer.
Add all of the remaining ingredients and mix by hand. Roll dough into 1 ½” balls, then roll in granulated sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and flatten a little with a glass, fork or fingers (if you use a glass, dip the bottom of the glass in sugar to keep the cookie dough from sticking).
**NOTE - This cookie dough may seem a little sticky. It's ok to chill the dough in the refrigerator before rolling into balls. I make mine one day, then bake it the next to break up the work if I'm really busy.**
These cookies will spread a little, flattened cookies should be spaced about 1 ½” – 2” apart.
Bake at 350° F. for 12-14 minutes (only until set firm, not brown). Allow cookies to cool on the pan for a couple of minutes before moving to a towel or cooling rack.
Yield 8-10 dozen.
I am going to try something different next time: substituting rum extract for the almond extract, and pecans in place of the almonds. I will let you know how it turns out!
12/10/09 - P.S. - I did try out the recipe with the pecan and rum extract substitutions. They tasted alright, but the original is far better! Something about the almond flavor and scent of the cookie and the almond chips with the toffee just seemed to mix better to me.
After the beef has been seared on both sides, add 1 cup of water. Cover and transfer from the stove top to a 350 degree oven for one to one and a half hours (depending on the size of the roast - I did an hour and a half for a 3-lb. chuck roast). After the first hour, add quartered potatoes, some carrots, and onion if you like. Stir those into the meat juices and return to the oven for 30-40 minutes I was really rushed with other things tonight, so I only added the potatoes and did the mixed veggies in the microwave.
If you like gravy, transfer all of the meat and veggies from the pot to a large bowl or roaster pan and cover, leaving the meat juices in the original pan. Add about 1 1/2 cups water to the pan, blending the meat juices with the water. If the mixture does not taste strong enough, add a cube or two of beef boullion. The broth should be strong. In a separate bowl (or even better yet - a cup with a tight-fitting lid, combine 3 tablespoons flour and 1 cup of water, mixing or shaking until all the lumps are gone. Stir thoroughly into the broth. Heat to boiling, stiring constantly as to avoid lumps. Boil for at least one full minute. Gravy will thicken a little more as it cools. If you like mushrooms, add a can of cream of mushroom soup to the gravy - that will stretch it a little further. I never seem to make enough gravy for potatoes, my guys all like it a lot - so the cream soup is a handy trick I picked up from my mother-in-law. 
