Potluck!: Rosemary Chocolate Chip Shortbread

4th Annual Pumpkin Party Potluck and Carving Extravaganza:

...we missed the first three, but that's okay.

Guests were asked to bring something with pumpkin (ingredient or theme).  Well... we went a different way.

We were slacking with preparation and have a limited budget, so I went to one of my go-to make-and-go recipes, rosemary-chocolate chip shortbread.  It's pretty amazing and works well during the holiday season.  So, I viewed it as having the ambiance of the season (don't judge; I didn't want to deal with pumpkin).  It's been a big hit, and friends have even requested it, which makes me happy.

I first learned of the recipe from Melissa d'Arabian, and it's really easy.  You can use a mixer to make this happen, but I find it simple enough to do by hand.  Also, it's a small arm workout, so that's always good.

Here's everything you'll need, sans an implement to cut the pieces.
Yes, that's a pizza pan, it works well for this purpose.

Rosemary Chocolate Chip Shortbread:

1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
*if you only have salted butter, lessen or omit salt, depending on your taste
[Note: If you don't have softened butter, cut it into pieces in the bowl you'll be working in and leave on or near the stove for a little while.  This speeds the softening process.]
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup chocolate chips (can use chunks and the like)
pinch salt (I use kosher)
pinch rosemary chopped finely (there's a bush in the courtyard, so we use fresh)
[Note: A little goes a long way]

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees
• Cream butter with sugar and salt
• Add rosemary
• Add flour 1/4 cup at a time
• Knead or work together
• I use the spatula to do this
• Flour baking sheet
• Put onto sheet

• press down to about 1/2 inch
• (I find it difficult to roll)
• form into a rounded shape
• (I find this easiest)
• Bake about 25 minutes
• Let cool
• you can put it on a cooling rack, but it's not necessary
• Slice into small pieces
• I prefer to use a pizza cutter to do this
• BONUS: you get to eat the funny little pieces that aren't big enough to present
• Put into an airtight container

People seemed to like them and complemented us.  When we packed up to leave the party, there were only crumbs left (not my doing, I only had 1 piece).  That says it all.