Independence Day

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or foil.

2. With a sharp knife, chop pistachios finely. (A food processor tends to chop round nuts, like pistachios, unevenly.)

3. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, cook butter, sugar, and corn syrup until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, and then boil for 30 seconds. Remove pan from heat. Using spoon, blend in flour. Stir in pistachio nuts, vanilla, and almond extract. The batter will thicken. Drop rounded teaspoons of batter onto baking sheets, leaving about 2 1/2 inches between cookies. You will not use all the batter in the first round of baking.

4. Bake for about 9 to 12 minutes, until the edges are light brown and centers are golden. Remove from oven and let sit about 10 minutes on baking sheets, just until cookies are firm enough to move. Use a spatula to carefully remove cookies, and place them on a wire rack to cool. Bake additional cookies with remaining batter.

5. Layer the cookies in a container between sheets of waxed paper and tightly cover. Store at room temperature up to two days.

Source: Hannaford fresh Magazine, November - December 2006