To Nutella With Love

Dearest Nutella,


      I can't believe I resisted you for so long. Whether it was months or years, I no longer know. Whatever the case may be, I am filled with shame. In part I blame the fanfare that surrounded you. It wasn't your fault, I know, but I'll be honest, I feared you were overrated and poised to disappoint me at first bite. While I'm told some have been consuming you in an array of ways for years, it seems only as of late have you begun your rise to prominence and subsequently, the journey to my heart.


       When I finally decided to take the plunge, I was filled with mixed emotions: excitement, trepidation, fear, and angst. Then, as I summoned my courage and took the first bite of my shortbread cookie with your ridding on top like a king, I was nothing short of elated. 


        It's been a few weeks now since our first meeting and in that time I have come to appreciate both your versatility and the joy you bring me with each encounter. It was from this joy that I was inspired to write this note to you, dear chocolately-hazelnut friend. Thank you for being so smooth, creamy, and always satisfying. I raise my nutella clad cookie to you!

Love, 

Gian

Sugar Cookie Nutella Sandwiches

Ingredients

• Sugar cookie dough (I had some frozen from this recipe)
• Nutella

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Prepare cookie dough according to recipe or defrost dough (like I did....oh, and if you go this route, don't preheat oven until ready to bake as defrosting takes a couple hours)
3. Bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until slightly golden (I prefer a softer cookie). Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks
4. After cookies are cool (I found this to be an overnight process, due in part to the fact that I started later in the evening), spread the Nutella on the backside of one cookie
5. Once cookie has desired amount of Nutella on it, sandwich a cookie of similar size on top
6. Take a big bike and enjoy. i love you Nutella!

Nuts About Nutella

Confession time. Until yesterday, I had never tasted Nutella. I will give you a minute to digest that fact. Better? Possibly the most shameful thing about my hold out was that I had no real reason or excuse for it. I love hazelnuts (at least for the last 5 or so years) and mother made sure to raise me with a healthy appreciation for chocolate as well. Thus, Nutella, at least on paper, seems like a no brainer for me.


To make matters worse, for the last year or so, Alicia has been telling me I would love the stuff and must try it. I often turn to her as my guide when I'm considering trying new foods (she and Daniel provided moral support for my Food of the Year conquering this year), but despite my trust in her judgment, I still failed to pursue the foreign substance. Then, the Nutella craze began. 


It's likely this craze, as I've taken to calling it, has existed for some time. I've never professed to be on top of current trends...and feel even less "with it" as I've gotten older. But in my little world, it seems like Alicia no longer mentioned it to me and it was all I was seeing! Recipe after recipe was calling for Nutella. People on the street and the interweb couldn't stop raving about the wonder that is Nutella. It was being used to whip up all sorts of sweet treats and I was missing out.


This all changed on Tuesday. In the late afternoon hours, as I was browsing some of my favorite blogs in an effort to pass the time at work, I stumbled upon a recipe for mini shortbread sandwiches filled with Nutella. I was intrigued. I'd not been in much of a sweets mood lately (very unusual...I blame the heat) but when these puppies came across my screen, I couldn't resist giving them a try. I took a little field trip to the local Safeway and purchased my first jar of Nutella, determined to finally see what all the fuss was about. As it turns out, Alicia was right again....I'm officially a convert. 

Shortbread Cookiedrops with Nutella

Ingredients 

[makes about a dozen shortbread drops]

• 1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup corn starch

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°
2. Cream butter and sugar together. Sift in flour and corn starch and blend together using a pastry cutter (also known as Mr. Red's hook)
3. Form dough into a big ball (it might be a little dry and flaky but thats ok) and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 20 minutes
4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface and  cut into rounds using a small round cookie cutter 
5. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, but don’t let them them brown
6. After cooling slightly, spread a dollop of Nutella atop them and serve for a delightful (and slightly messy....although that may be due in part to my overzealousness in spreading on the Nutella) treat