Just like clockwork, it happened: I'm sick. I don't know exactly what it is about my school, but the start of each new semester is seemingly incomplete unless I end up sick by the end of the first week. So congrats Loyola, you did it again!

As if getting adjusted to my new hectic schedule wasn't enough, I now feel bogged down the cold from hell. I know I've mentioned this before, but when the stress piles up, there's only one cure: baking therapy.

I'm sure that some of you guys get me on this one. There's just something therapeutic about going through the steps of a recipe that helps me lose myself and get my mind off of whatever it needs to be off of, even if for a single second. Once my creation enters the oven, my stresses seem to melt away.

This past weekend, I did just that. I went on a full-fledged baking marathon for absolutely no reason other than to de-stress. You'll see more recipes throughout the week, but the first thing I made were these delicious glazed orange butter cookies. I usually don't like cookies that aren't soft and chewy, but these really hit the spot. So buttery, orangey, and they have the most perfectly subtle hint of cardamom. Delicious.

Orange and Cardamom Butter Cookies

2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp orange zest
4 cups all-purpose flour
pinch of salt

Orange Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 2 small oranges

Using a mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add in vanilla, egg, and orange zest. Stir in flour, salt, and cardamom until a dough is formed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a clean cookie sheet with parchment paper. Scoop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto sheets. Flatten and sprinkle with sugar. (Note: the dough can also be piped on or formed with a cookie press) Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the cookies are set and the edges are golden brown.

Combine the powdered sugar with the juice of 1 small orange. Glaze the cooled cookies. Top with orange zest.