Last week… I broke up with carbs.

It was painful.

I may have cried.

I definitely cursed.

I may be guilty of delivering undeserved mega dirty glares toward innocent street folk carrying pizza, scones, or baguettes. I’m a freak like that sometimes.

So, why the cold shoulder to our beloved carbohydrates, you ask? (I’ll pretend you asked)

I’ll let you in on a dirty beautiful little secret…

It’s the reason this here site has been utterly lacking all the things I live, love, and devour.

I snuck away last week…

well, we snuck away: there’s totally a boy in the picture now(!!!).

We ditched our beloved concrete jungle for a few days and ate our weight in salmon stuffed bagels, the beefiest burgers, muffins with the crunchiest lids a girl could dream of, nachos of every variety one could think up, and way too many margaritas – all while basking in the sun speckled beaches of California: It was heaven.

But! I’m back. And we’ve got a lot of catching up to do, my dears!

I owe you big time on the sweet front, and i’m ready to pay up.

I can’t stop thinking about fresh strawberry and lime tarts.

Sweet potato fries with maple bacon cream dip… it’s happening.

Macadamia nut crusted coconut lime shrimp is stalking my every thought!

And chocolate… we have so much chocolate to catch up on.

My point is, really, that i’ve missed you and I can’t wait for all the eating we’re about to embark on together – you’re in, right?

I decided to start us off on the right foot; a cookie so incredibly rich, and buttery, and addicting you’ll be adding this to your baking rotation immediately if you’re anything like me.

This shortbread is a breeze to throw together, bliss to bite into, and an added perk: while baking, it generously blankets your home in the dreamiest scent of butter and rosemary: this is a win!

Rosemary Shortbread Gourmet | December 2002

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons mild honey
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

• Garnish: small rosemary sprigs
• Special equipment: parchment paper

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and rosemary in a bowl.

Mix together butter, honey, and confectioners sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed, then add flour mixture and mix until dough resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Gather dough into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead dough until it just comes together, about 8 times. Halve dough and form each half into a 5-inch disk.

Roll out 1 disk (keep remaining dough at room temperature) between 2 sheets of parchment into a 9-inch round (trim as necessary). Remove top sheet of parchment and transfer dough on bottom sheet of parchment to a baking sheet. Score dough into 8 wedges by pricking dotted lines with a fork, then mark edges decoratively. Arrange rosemary sprigs (if using) decoratively on top of dough, pressing lightly to help adhere, and sprinkle dough with 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar.

Bake shortbread in middle of oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Slide shortbread on parchment to a rack and cool 5 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a cutting board and cut along score marks with a large heavy knife.

Make another shortbread with remaining dough.