Lemon Drop Cookies

Okay... I love to cook so much and not too many recipes make me go WOW.... I have been cooking since about first grade (where the obsession began I should say). HOWEVER, every now and again I do come across one of those recipes that I know I have to try and this is one of them.

First of all... if you have not been to the blog I am about to post you are silly, as she has fantastic recipes all the time. I scour her site as if these cookies are this good, I am sure her others are as well. Her photography is fantastic on the food and she needs to teach me how to do that. That is one thing I want to work on is the photography (and finding time to post...)

Her sites name is See Jane in the kitchen. I go there often. (insert, again when I find time... shoot). Just click on the purple lettering above. You need to stop by and give a look to the wonderful food she posts.

My son is autistic and lives in a home for disabled young men. He goes to school during the school year, but when school gets out... he is not able to and he gets bored easily. He only gets $10 a week after room and board etc that his SSI gives him. We are teaching him how to earn money as he will not be able to hold a job on his own. (Let's hope that changes someday with the living skills he is learning, but for now... he isn't able to.) So.... we have been making these cookies for him to sell by the dozens... etc. This will give him extra spending cash for events. He loves the cookies too... so it is hard to try to convince him not to eat them. I also usually bake for people instead of sending thank you cards... so I have been baking these as a thanks for those that helped while the kids dad went through surgery for his stomach cancer. Needless to say, I have been baking a lot.

You can find the recipe for lemon drop cookies here, but I am re-posting it as well. Again go see her blog. You will love it.

2 c. sugar

1 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. lemon extract

4 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Finely chopped zest of one lemon

1 (6-oz) package lemon drops (sometimes these are tricky to find, I usually keep two or three bags in my pantry) (I found mine at Winco in the bulk section but you can also get them at a local Target... love Target!!!! )

2 c. powdered sugar

juice of two lemons

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, cream sugar, shortening, and eggs; add flavorings. Stir in dry ingredients, lemon zest, and crushed lemon drops (I crush them in my blender). Roll into balls, flatten slightly, and bake on parchment lined (if you don't use parchment, cookies will stick to pan) baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly on pan for a couple of minutes. Make a glaze by mixing powdered sugar with lemon juice. Brush glaze over cookie tops. Let cookies cool completely.

makes 4 to 5 dozen cookies.

While on the subject of these cookies, I thought I would mention three of my favorite kitchen tools, since they are all used in this recipe. You can usually find each of these at TJ Maxx for a great price. The citrus press is my latest favorite, I use it for salsa and pico de gallo all the time. It gets a ton of juice out with practically no effort.