Holiday Cookies for a Good Cause

MISSION, KS--(Marketwire - Nov 8, 2012) -  (Family Features) The hottest item to give and exchange this holiday season is a cookie. That's because each cookie shared this November and December can mean supporting Cookies for Kids' Cancer, a non-profit that raises funds for pediatric cancer research through cookie sales. 

Glad has teamed with businesswoman and mother Ivanka Trump and award-winning chef and head judge of Bravo's "Top Chef Just Desserts" Johnny Iuzzini to help spread the word. You can help in two ways:

• Send a virtual cookie to a friend at www.Glad.com.
• Host a Cookies for Kids' Cancer Bake Sale or Cookie Exchange. Register the event at www.cookiesforkidscancer.org and share how many cookies were sold or exchanged.

Glad will donate up to $1 for each edible or virtual cookie exchanged, up to $100,000.

Cookies for Kids' Cancer inspires individuals, communities and businesses to join in the fight against pediatric cancer. Pediatric cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for children in the United States, yet approximately half of the drugs used to treat children with cancer are at least 20 years old, according to the Institute of Medicine.

"As a mom, I want to do everything I can to help our children," said Ivanka Trump. "The Cookie Exchange reminds us that the simplest transactions can be most impactful."

Everyone can make a difference, one cookie at a time. Here is one of Iuzzini's original holiday cookie recipes for inspiration:

Lime Shortbread
Makes about 2 1/2 dozen 2-inch cookies

2		sticks unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
2		finely grated zest limes
1		tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2		teaspoon kosher salt
2 1/4		cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
1		cup confectioner's sugar

Put butter into standing mixer with the paddle, and mix on medium-low until a thick paste forms with no visible butter lumps. Add lime zest, juice and salt, and mix until well combined.

Meanwhile, sift flour and confectioner's sugar together. With mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients to butter mixture, stopping to scrape down bowl as necessary. Mix until just combined.

Turn dough out onto large sheet of plastic wrap and press into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Wrap dough tightly in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand for about 10 minutes.

Lightly flour a sheet of parchment, unwrap dough, and set it on paper. Lightly flour top of dough and place another sheet of parchment over the top. Roll dough to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 2-inch cutter to cut out cookies; transfer them to baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.

Re-roll dough as necessary to cut out cookies until dough is used up. Freeze cookies on pan for 10 minutes.

Bake cookies, rotating pans halfway through, until light golden brown on the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on pan for 10 minutes before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

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