National Cookie Network September Challenge

After first seeing that Septem-ber's secret ingredient was strawber-ries, I thought, "Geez that is going to be a snap!" However it took the entire month for my creative juices to flow and come up with an idea. I knew I wanted to use fresh strawber-ries, and in the end I chose to make a shortbread thumbprint type of cookie. For some extra pizazz I added shaved white chocolate to the cookie dough. I thought that these cookies were super good (unfortunately I'm the only one in the house that will eat strawberries, so these cookies have not been good for weight loss!) However, next time I would dice the strawberries instead of just using halves. I didn't like that the cookie spread and the strawberries got smaller as they baked, leaving "exposed" parts of the cookie middle. If the strawberries were diced, I think it would look a little nicer.

Strawberry Shortbread Cookies
1 c. butter, softened
2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. strawberry extract
2 c. flour
1 oz. shaved white chocolate
white chocolate chips/white chocolate/white candy melts
fresh strawberries, cut in halves
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add extract, then flour and shaved white chocolate. Form into tablespoon size balls. In the center of each ball, make a hole or indentation large enough to place a strawberry half. First place a small amount of white chocolate in each hole, and the top with a strawberry (cut side down.)\
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 12ish minutes (I'm so awful about timing!) or until the cookies are set to the touch (do not let them turn brown.)Stripe with more white chocoalte. Yummmmmmmm!