Great Great Grandmother's County Roscommon Shortbread Cookies (by way of Bangalore)

This recipe will yield the most buttery shortbread cookies you've ever tasted. They're perfection with a glass of cold milk--whole of course!

***

-1 C salted butter, softened and just slightly melting (20 seconds in the microwave?)
-1 C granulated white sugar
-1 - 2 Tbls melted ghee ***
-2 C all purpose unbleached flour
-approx. 1 tsp salt

1. Mix butter and sugar until well blended. Add the melted ghee and blend in.
2. Add flour and salt, mixing well.
3. Flour your countertop or board--don't use Silpat unless you flour it too--and roll half an inch thick. Cut out with cookie cutters and place on ungreased baking sheet, 2-3" apart. Don't use a dark cookie sheet or your bottoms will be burned--light, silvery aluminum works best.
4. Lightly poke tops of cookies with the tines of a fork.
5. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes or until cookies *just* start to turn golden at edges.
6. Cool completely before storing.

***Don't skimp on the secret ingredient--buy it online if you don't have an Indian grocery near your house. Ghee is an Indian food. It's clarified butter, i.e. 100% milkfat but don't let that scare you away. A little bit gives a lot of taste and it's even reputed to have health benefits in moderation.