Brown Sugar Shortbread

 

Hunger Games Week:

Every day this week, I'm going to post a recipe that was inspired by food mentioned in The Hunger Games  trilogy.  In anticipation of the the movie, Cleveland's Plain Dealer hosted a Hunger Games recipe contest.  The recipes had to be original, and we were allowed 50 words of description and one photo. 

I submitted six recipes, I've already revealed Creamy Mushroom Soup, Goat Cheese Wrapped in Basil, District 12 Ration Grain Biscuits and the contest winning Roast Groosling with Sweet Roots.  (Check out the other winning recipes here.)  The recipe below is what I submitted for Shortbread Cookies (contest category: Wild Card Dishes). 

 

Mr. Mellark gave Katniss some cookies before leaving.  I imagined that they were something that would travel well, a sturdy cookie like shortbread.  It's really too bad Katniss threw them away because for such a simple looking cookie, the brown sugar lends a nice flavor.

Mr. Mellark's Shortbread Cookies

Original Recipe

Yield:  about 18 cookies

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened

1 cup flour

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cream the brown sugar and butter on medium-high for 2 minutes.  Slowly add the flour and mix on low until combined.  Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet.  Flatten the dough so they are about 1/4 inch thick.  Bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden.  Remove cookies from the baking sheets and place on a cooling rack.