Morcellation is one of my new favorite words from gynecologic surgery. Typically, you morcellate something large, that is, to turn it into morsels so it is easier to deal with. For example, a large fibroid in a uterus might need to be morcellated and put into a baggie to exit through the teensy holes surgeons now make for minimally invasive surgery. But anything could be morcellated, say, a cookie, or a book you have decided is not worth reading anymore, or, a cardboard box and/or superfluous walls in the house when you’ve had a tough day and no one wants to hear about it.
I had no idea how difficult it is to make shortbread. There is just no liquid to bind the gluten—all butter. So much butter. These were incredible, but not terribly food blog-photogenic because of their morcellatory tendencies. Figure A. Well-formed, healthy cookies. Figure B. Morsel.
Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies and/or Shortbread Morsels
Adapted from Starbucks recipe I found laying around
1 ¼ cups butter, at room temperature
½ cup sugar
3 cups all purpose flour
½ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp water
1 cup mini chocolate chips
Grate the butter and mix in the sugar by hand until it is clumpy. Then mix in flour and salt. Still will be clumpy. Add the vanilla and water until it starts to come together—but it won’t feel at all like it is coming together. You’re going to have to squish it together with the warmth of your hands, still will be crumbly. Roll into a large log, or two, wrap in saran, and refrigerate for at least two hours.
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 350. Cut the dough into rounds 1/3 inch thick. Arrange as many as you can on a baking sheet.
Some people like to brush with egg wash. I only do this for bread, not cookies. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Enjoy. 
I’m sure there is some sort of gynecology-relevant histologic analogy I could make with these cookies if I really wanted to go there. But I don’t. Happy OBGYN rotation to me!