Lemon Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies

It’s a week until Thanksgiving. Are you panicking yet? I’ve been going through my stack of the last 10 or so years of November Martha Stewart Living and Everyday Food magazines, scouring for the perfect recipes to serve on the big day. Since about the beginning of October. I’ve looked through countless blogs and cookbooks, trying to narrow the list down to the chosen few that will grace our table. Who knew there were so many ways to cook a turkey! And let’s not even talk about the mashed potatoes.

Along the way in my Thanksgiving planning I got distracted. By cookies. (Are you surprised?) Lemon Cornmeal Shortbread Cookies to be exact. I always forget how much I enjoy shortbread cookies. Here I am, thinking I only love soft, chewy cookies, forsaking all the rest, and then bam. I bite into a shortbread cookie, with its ultra-buttery goodness, and realize how wrong I’ve been. There’s room for all kinds of cookies in this world.

Buttery, crumbly, and sweet, with a cornmeal crunch and a burst of lemon, they’ll win over even the most staunch of chewy cookie lovers. And shortbread is the perfect “pack it up” cookie to ship in cookie care packages! I hope you'll share some this holiday. Or keep them all for yourself. That's okay too.

We're onto the 3rd Cookie of the 12 Cookies of Christmas already! Hope you keep coming back for more cookie goodness in the weeks to come!

Lavender Lemon Scones

I'm not a trendsetter. In fact, I seem to always be a bit late to the game. Especially when it comes to entertainment. Whether it's books, movies, or TV, I always find myself getting into something long after everyone else has already realized its awesomeness. (I didn't start reading Harry Potter until just before the 6th book came out.)

TV is the worst. I'm always the last to start watching things. I didn't fall hard for shows like Buffy, Angel, and Alias until they were long over. (And I've still never seen Lost.) My absolute favorite show on TV, Supernatural--it wasn't until this current season, its 8th, that I've actually watched them as they've aired. I'm always a bit behind.

Because of my habitual ignorance to anything popular, I completely missed the boat on the whole Downton Abbey deal. Until now.

I don't have Netflix or anything like it, and I'm poor, so to get caught up on what the cool kids are into, I rely on the library. Which means I put my name on a list and wait 4 months. After being nearly 500 names back for Downton Abbey, my turn finally came, and I totally binged on all things Crawley. (As much as you can binge on a series that only has 7-9 episodes per season.)

After immersing myself in hours of high British life, I found myself craving scones. And wanting to talk to the cat in a (very bad) accent, but let's not mention that part.

I wanted a scone that was light and delicate-- so I settled on lavender and lemon. A bright fresh flavor with a hint of floral tones-- they were the just what I was looking for. Warmed and drizzled with honey, they were the perfect breakfast (and afternoon snack) these past few days.

I had a bit of a hard time tracking down dried lavender that I could bake with though. My quest took me to 2 kitchen stores, 2 craft stores, Trader Joe's, and some specialty French store that only sold dried bundles for fragrance and decoration. But I finally scored some at World Market for pretty cheap. (And on my quest, I realized just how lucky I am to live near a shopping area that has all of this and more in the vicinity, so I didn't have to drive all over town.)

They're a cinch to put together, after you track down your ingredients, and you'll be pulling from the oven beautiful, delicious scones to serve with afternoon tea in no time. That is, if you like tea. (Which I don't...)

Lemon Triple Berry Buckle

I’m a sale shopper. Nothing makes my little heart soar more than those 4 little letters. S-A-L-E. Even if I don’t really need it, I can’t help myself if it’s on sale. A pair of shoes that I can’t wear through an entire shift at work without feeling crippled? But they’re adorable, and they’re on sale! 5 of the exact same shirt in different colors? They're half off!  Numerous bottles of BBQ sauce? They’re on sale for $1 and I have $1 off coupon. They’re FREE! No matter that I have no use for 8 bottles of BBQ sauce. I didn’t pay a dime!

Nothing gets me more than fresh fruit on sale. Every trip to the store, I load more fruit in my cart because, “you just can’t beat that price!” Before I know it, I have more fruit than is humanly possible to eat, and I’ve got to use it NOW. Because unlike BBQ sauce that’ll hang out in the pantry for awhile, fruit doesn’t stick around forever. We’re just hitting the stride of summer fruit sales, so right now, my fridge is packed with berries, cherries, and other fruity goodness just begging to be used up. When I saw this recipe, I knew it’d be the perfect way to show them off—a Lemon Triple Berry Buckle.

Honest truth—I’d never heard of a buckle before, other than what’s on a belt. Cobbler, crisp, crumble, pie—those I get. But buckle? What the heck is a buckle? Think of a buckle is a cake/crumble hybrid. A moist soft yellow cake base, a layer of delicious juicy berries, topped with a lemony sweet crumb topping. I think I found my new favorite thing to bake! It's perfect for summer picnics and barbecues. Portable cake you can eat with your hands, and no worries of melty, gooey frosting! It may be your perfect 4th of July treat!

I used a mixture of blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries, because I had them all hanging out in my fridge, but feel free to use whatever berries you want. And absolutely make sure you rub the lemon zest into the sugar first before mixing it in with the other ingredients. It releases all the oils from the zest and gives it a bright lemony pop.

Now to find more recipes to use up the rest of my raspberries and blueberries before I bring the next load of fruit home.

Lemon Pound Cake

I can think of new ideas to bake nearly every day. New flavor combos or new ways to showcase classics. But cooking meals? I draw a blank every time. I’ve been trying to cook more and eat out less, but it’s been a struggle. I find myself every single day, getting hungrier and hungrier while I pour through endless recipes and blogs and magazines looking for something that I can make for dinner. I usually end up grabbing my collection of Everyday Food magazines and scanning through several of those before I land on an idea. But sometimes in my scouring, I forget about dinner completely because I’ve come across a dessert recipe that begs to be made immediately. On those nights, I scarf down a PB&J and break out the mixer, because there are Lemon Pound Cakes to be baked.

I’ve had a bag of lemons sitting on my kitchen counter waiting to be used for far too long. So when I stumbled across the recipe for lemon pound cake while looking for a dinner idea, I had to make it. Like immediately. By the time it was done and cooled, it was dark outside, so I told myself I’d hold off on taking pictures until the next day when I could have some nice natural light.

And then I cut myself a piece to taste test. And then another. And then I had one for a midnight snack. And I had some for breakfast. And another snack when I got home from work. By the time I was ready to take pictures, half of the cake was already gone! So I thought, “oh well. I’ll just make another one.” And then proceeded to eat the entire cake myself. (In my defense, I halved the recipe and only made 1 loaf from it. I didn’t eat an entire bundt cake by myself. That would have been ridiculous.)

I baked, took pictures, and immediately took Round 2 to work so I couldn’t tempt myself again. Can I tell you how much I miss that cake and want to make it for a third time? I want to eat this cake every day of my life! It's not overly lemony. Just the right balance of sweet and tart. And it’s that perfect pound cake consistency—thick and dense. A total “eat with your hands” kind of cake. A “slice it up and pack it for a picnic” snack. It’s the cake I think of at a summer cookout, soaking up all the juice from a mound of ripe, sweet berries. A cake I want in my face right. now.

Lemon Pull Apart Bread

I give you fair warning—if you’re still going strong on your New Year’s Resolution (go you!), turn away. This isn’t for you. This will completely and utterly derail you from your goal, and I don’t wish to be responsible for your demise. So quick—look away! Click somewhere else! Save yourself! For the rest of us… Behold. The carboholic’s dream.

Lemon Pull Apart Bread. Layer upon layer of delicious lemony sugar coated carbs. Amazing. Beyond amazing! So incredibly good, you won't be able to control yourself.

I’ve seen these pull apart breads around for quite awhile, usually in Joy the Baker’s cinnamon adaptation, but I’d never gotten around to trying it out myself. Until I saw the lemon version. Something just clicked, and I HAD to make it.

In every post I’ve read about these pull apart breads, they always say they totally just stood at the counter eating piece after piece of this stuff still warm from the oven. I thought it was just an exaggeration—surely all these people could control themselves better than that, right? Wrong. After the first bite, I knew they weren’t just exaggerating. I found myself just standing there, like so many others before me, pulling piece after piece off, indulging in the utter bliss that only warm sugary carbs can give you.

I’m telling you. This bread is like crack. Bright, lemony, candied, carbolicious crack. You won’t be able to stop. You’ll literally stand there, shamelessly pulling piece after sticky piece, losing all control of your senses. You’ll eat half the loaf within hours. You’ll proclaim to the whole world, “Oh... If I die tonight, I'll be going down in a heavenly blaze of carboholic glory.” You’ll find yourself at 3am pulling off just one more piece. Your clouded senses will convince you that it’s really okay to have a couple more pieces for breakfast the next morning. Within 24 hours you’ll have singlehandedly finished off an entire loaf of bread all by yourself. And you’ll dream about making more before you’ve even finished the last piece.

I’m already plotting a roll version of this. Like a cinnamon roll. But with lemon instead. Oh it will be done. I’ve already got the lemons waiting on me. Must. have. more.

Lemon Vanilla Bean Shortbreads

We’re getting dangerously close to the holiday season. Thanksgiving is just a week and a half away, and then it’s time to dive right into the rest of the winter holidays! It’s prime gift giving season, which means Santa needs to start making his list and checking it twice, very soon. Sure you’ve got ideas for the major players in your life, but what about the little people too? The neighbor who always rakes your leaves or shovels your driveway? The mailman who delivers, rain or shine? A teacher? A boss? The friends and family who live far away, or the ones you’ll visit close to home? It’s the season to say thanks and show how much you care. And what better way to express those feelings than something homemade. That’s why this year, for my annual holiday post series, I’m sharing ideas for Handmade Holidays! From food to crafts, there’s something for everyone, near and far!

First up, a little something to pack in those cookie care packages to ship to family and friends around the country.

Shortbreads are perfect for the holiday cookie package. Crisp and sandy, they can handle a few days in transit without losing their delicious buttery flavor. While, honestly, I’ve never been the biggest fan of shortbread (I like my cookies soft and chewy), I have to say I’ve eaten a shameful amount of these. And I’m well on my way to being a shortbread convert too (along with apple pie and baked fruit. This is apparently the year of changing my mind about food!) Flecked with vanilla bean seeds and kissed with just a hint of lemon, they’re the perfect bite-sized treat. If I can tear myself away from nibbling them as is, I might even dip the rest in chocolate for an even more irresistible treat.

What kind of cookies will you be sending in your care packages this year? And what tips do you have for getting them there in one piece?

Meyer Lemon Tart

It’s cold and gray outside. Again. And it has been for weeks—months! I’m so ready for spring to be here. So ready for sunshine and warmer temperatures. I want to look out my back door and see a color other than white, brown, or gray. I’m tired of waking up to dreary skies and a freezing room, wanting nothing more than to burrow further under my pile of blankets and hibernate until April. Spring can’t get here soon enough!

But we did finally get a little taste of warmer weather last week. For about 3 days, temperatures got up into the 60s with blue skies. It was absolutely gorgeous! I even wore a dress to work and drove with the windows down! But of course, in true Ohio weather fashion, it snowed 2 days later. So here we are, back to overcast skies and winter coats again. The only bright spot in this endless drab—we’re still in prime citrus season!

I stumbled across a bag of Meyer lemons at the grocery store recently. I’d heard everyone rave about them--the smaller, sweeter cousins to the regular lemon--but I’d never actually tried any myself. There they were, though, in the produce section, their own little bag of 5 lemons just calling out to me. Begging me to take them home and turn them into something delicious. So of course, I had to buy them. And of course I had to use their delicious tartiness for, what else? A tart.

Those little lemon tartlets had been staring me in the face from the cover of Baked (by Matt Lewis) for years now, so I knew I wanted to start there. I was a little scared making lemon curd for the first time, but it was actually fairly easy to make. (Other than the mess I made juicing the lemons… But my counter got a good lemony scrub down and my kitchen smelled great!) I didn’t have the amaretti cookies, liqueur, or the almonds for Baked’s tart shell, so I used Smitten Kitchen’s Unshrinkable Tart Shell again. (Which may indeed be unshrinkable, but by no means is it unbreakable. I knocked a whole side off it the first time and had to make another.) Topped with simple meringue, it was delicious! The perfect not-too-tart bite of sunshine. I imagine it’s what spring tastes like.

I just have to keep telling myself, there’s only about a month left of winter.

Lemon Ice Box Pie

Have you ever come across a recipe that you had to try immediately? Not just one of those, “Oh, I’ll put it on my list to make” recipes, but one that, as soon as you see it, you grab your keys and head to the store kind? The ones that practically beg to be made? This Lemon Ice Box Pie was one of those. From the second I saw it, I knew I would be making it as soon as I could.

Buzzing Around in the Springtime (Lemon Honey Cupcakes)

Spring is officially here! FINALLY! So long Winter! And good riddance! Don’t let the door hit you in the you-know-what on the way out! I feel like we’ve been waiting forever for sunshine and warmer weather. And these past couple weeks have been gorgeous. Blue skies. Warm weather. Absolute perfection. Well, except for those couple days of gloom and doom rain. But hey. I’ll take rain over snow any day. After getting clobbered by 4 different storms that dumped almost 2 feet of snow (if not more… I kind of lost track after awhile) all within a couple weeks, I’ll be happy if I don’t see snow for another 8 months at least. But this is Ohio. You never put away your winter coat here. Mother Nature is slightly schizophrenic here. You never really know what you’re going to get at any given time. And as they say, if you don’t like it, wait 5 minutes. It might be different. So I’m going to enjoy my sunshine and 60s while it’s here, and dream of a time in the very near future when little flowers start popping up all over and all the little bugs start buzzing around again.

Lemon Bars

Hello Sunshine!

Today is the first time in the last 16 days that it hasn’t snowed in some form. Whether it’s just flurries or a full-on snow storm, white stuff has been falling from the sky for the entire run of 2010 so far. And then some. But today we finally get a break! We finally get to see the sun again! With blue skies and not a cloud in sight, it’s shaping up to be a beautiful day. Still incredibly cold, but beautiful. And what better way is there to celebrate the reemergence of the sun on this glorious day than some bright sunny Lemon Bars?

Raspberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Summer is finally within reach! The pools are open (but still kind of chilly) and the sun is shining! It's even getting warm enough that I’m starting to sweat in my apartment! (my air conditioning is still broken.) And of course, with summer officially approaching, it means loads of fresh produce in our gardens, farmers' markets, and grocery stores. I think it’s probably because of this that IronCupcake: Earth announced the June challenge of Summer Berries! Yay! I absolutely adore berries! They’re both sweet and tart and pair beautifully with so many things. One of my favorite combinations is ripe red raspberries paired with lemon. There’s just something about the tartness of the lemon mixed with the sweet tang of the berry that explodes on your tongue in a purely delightful burst of flavor! The greatest example of this is in a tall glass of ice cold Raspberry Lemonade—the perfect summertime refreshment. Take that inspiration and turn it into a cupcake and you’ve got one incredibly tasty treat! Or at least I thought so. The Baking Gods seem to have thought differently.