Cashew-White Chocolate Cookies... and a gift

     I am one lucky person.  I have a sister (yes, Antique-of-the-Week sister) who has, for as long as I can remember, been extremely generous to me and others.  Because of Susan I have traveled to Paris and the south of France more often than I would have on my own.  She has been extremely mindful of all that I love, and if she ever runs across any of those things that I love while at a garage sale, an estate sale, on ebay or scavenging flea markets here and abroad, she will snap it up for me.

     This wonderful, old black and white coffee set by the German company Waechtersbach is my sister's latest find.  She thought it would look great in my new kitchen.  She may have been "jumping the gun" a bit with this purchase.  We are still waiting for that scary bid for our remodel... but if things go as planned, this coffee set will eventually set on a soapstone counter. 

     I thought the Cashew-White Chocolate Cookies were a pretty great treat to serve alongside French-press coffee in my new cups.  Feel free to add more white chocolate and cashews than called for in the recipe (some of my cookies had a lot; others, not so much... and I really liked the ones with a lot !).  I also think pecans could be a great substitution for the cashews, if so desired.

                           Cashew-White Chocolate Cookies
                                        found and jotted down in 1990

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup roasted unsalted cashews (about 7 1/2 ounces), chopped
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1.  Sift first 4 ingredients into a medium bowl.  Using an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and molasses in large bowl until fluffy.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Add cashew and white chocolate chips.  Refrigerate 1 hour or overnight.
2.  Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto sheets 2-inches apart.  Bake until golden brown - about 10-12 minutes.  Cool on sheets for 2 minutes; transfer to rack and cool completely.