Lemon Tree Look So Pretty . . .

I mean, I think it looks so pretty. I didn't pick the things, sister Betsy did. It probably looks pretty damn bare right now, since between the two of us we got a metric ton of lemons. Not that I know what a metric ton is, either, but it just sounded right.

So yeah, I got me some Meyer lemons. Right Betsy - Meyer lemons? BTW, the grammar, or lack of it, is intentional.

No, I didn't make lemonade, because I believe that when life (or your sister) gives you lemons, you should dig a little deeper and try to be a bit more creative. Perhaps drying the peel, and sewing it into mini wallets, for that lemon-scented cash we all crave. (I haven't had any coffee today, is it showing?) But because I don't have any cash these days, I decided to opt for some cookies. Not just any cookies, but LEMON DROP COOKIES. Caps because how cool does that kind of cookie sound? Lemon Drop Cookies in the middle of a cold, dark winter. It did hit the low 20s here this morning, so we're calling that cold and dark.

I'll have to go figure out where I found the recipe, but for now let me wow you with the pictures I took while I was creating these delectable morsels of sunshine and goodness.

First things first: you are supposed to add the zest of a few lemons to some granulated sugar in your food processor. The first problem I had was that after searching my entire kitchen (and even cleaning out all the drawers) I could not find my Pampered Chef zester. You know the one, it cost more than my first car. The upside is that I eventually did find it, (days later) at the bottom of my freezer. Don't ask. Okay, back to zesting. I tried that damn box grater, but at the rate it was going, I was going to be feeding these cookies to my great-great grandchildren. I know the pith (ha-ha, I love that word - pith!) is very bitter, and you never want to use it, but these were lemons that had been blessed by North Florida sun, and therefore had mild pith. That's my story. I took my handy-dandy Tupperware grapefruit/orange peeler thingy and just skinned the suckers. Completely. Much easier than the zester with the grater thing. They just looked so vulnerable after the skinning. Made me shudder.

The end result was to be a type of lemon sugar, so I just did what the picture shows. I added the skins of the lemons to the sugar and zizzed. And zizzed some more. Now that was a olefactory treat. Mmmmm, lemons and sugar.

I had to take a picture of the end result. I could have eaten it straight from the bowl, but I didn't. That's what you need to remember. I didn't.

So, you roll the dough into balls, and then roll the balls in the leftover lemon sugar (you added some to the dough recipe) and then you bake them. What you end up with is a sugar cookie, with a little lemon to it. You could make it even more lemony using extract, but what fun would that be? Let's be green already people.

I did find the recipe, I did, I did! It's on the Oh, Fransson blog, one I enjoy reading. Now it's your turn.

Clearly there is some kind of lemon virus in the air - go check out Mackville Road for some more lemony goodness.