Sleepy Warm Nights (Cherries & Cream Shortbread)

Don't you just love breezy, warm summer nights?  Sitting in a lawn chair with your favorite person in the world, sipping a glass of wine or a cocktail...talking about nothing...

Those nights mean everything.  Those are the nights I will carry with me forever.  When you can lay aside the daytime things, the to do lists, the job stress, the housework, the endless laundry and the full dishwasher and bask in the soft way the night settles over our little corner of the world.  Watching the dog chase fireflies, listening to the crickets and the birds that come out at dusk.  That's my favorite time of day.

Cherries and Cream Shortbread

(inspired by Smitten Kitchen)

I love Deb's peach shortbread recipe - I've put many fruits atop it, all to great degrees of success.  I topped this version with a cream cheese topping (reminiscent of my cinnamon yum-yums) and fresh dark cherries.  Superb.  Make this.  You'll be glad you did.  

I also make the base in my food processor.  So easy - watch out, pastry blender, there's a new kid in town, and his name is Cuisinart.

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces

1 egg

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 to 2 cups fresh cherries,  pitted and roughly chopped

Time and temperature:  375 for 25 minutes

Preheat your oven to 375 and grease the bottom of a 9x9 inch pan.  In the bowl of your food processor, combine the 1 cup sugar, baking powder, flour, salt, butter and egg.  Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (about 1 minute of pulses - be patient with it).  Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the pan.  In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla.  Spread over the cookie base.  Spread the cherries on top in a single layer.  Press lightly into the cream cheese.  Sprinkle the remaining the crumbly mixture over the top.  Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown.  Store in the refrigerator.