FIRST PLACE - PEACHY PISTACHIO ICEBOX COOKIES
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking power
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup peach preserves
1/2 cup finely chopped roasted salted pistachios
Directions:
1. Cut parchment paper into eight 12-by6 inch rectangles.
2. Beat butter with a heavy duty stand mixer on medium speed until creamy for about 2 minutes. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined.
3. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
4. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating on low speed until blended.
5. Transfer dough to work surface and divide into four equal portions. Place one dough portion between 2 parchment rectangles. Roll out dough to 9-by-3 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with remaining dough portions. Place on baking sheet and freeze 30 minutes.
6. Pulse peach preserves in a food processor until large pieces are broken apart.
7. Remove dough from freezer. Remove top pieces of parchment from the dough rectangles. Spread about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the preserves over one dough rectangle. Sprinkle with about 8 teaspoons of finely chopped pistachios. Top with one dough rectangle. Repeat layers with remaining preserves, pistachios and dough, leaving the top rectangle uncoated.
8. Trim dough stack to an 8 1/2-by-3 1/4-inch brick. Wrap in plastic and freeze for an hour.
9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from freezer and slice into 1/4-inch thick rectangles. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
10. Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned 13-15 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and cool completely for 20 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies — Recipe and cookies submitted by Roxanne Williams of Springboro. This recipe originated from Southern Living magazine.