Lemon Lavender Cookies

A friend and fellow knitter, Greer, made these cookies the other night and they are so perfect for summer -- light and lemony, with notes of lavender, made with the simplest of recipes. Yum!

Lemon Lavender Cookies

1 cup flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
zest of a lemon
1/2 teaspoon lavender buds, ground or chopped finely

1/2 cup butter, (1 stick; 4 ounces) room temperature

two egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

 

Glaze

the juice of a lemon

powdered sugar

pinch of salt

In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, lemon zest and lavender and pulse to combine.  Add the butter and mix until it resembles bread crumbs.  Add the two yolks and the vanilla and process for a minute until it comes together. Tip it onto a work surface and knead it just long enough to make a ball.  Wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour. 

 

Preheat oven to 350F.  Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch or just a bit thicker. Cut into rounds or shapes.  Place on a greased (or lined) cookie sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes, depending on size and thickness.

 

Glaze with the juice of the lemon, a bit of salt and enough powdered sugar to make the glaze the right consistency. 

Makes a couple of dozen cookies

Picnic Fave: Peanut Butter Pie

Nothing like an ice cream pie for warm weather festivities, though we need no excuse to whip up this yummy family favorite.


PEANUT BUTTER PIE

a deep dish chocolate cookie pie shell (like Oreo, or Keebler chocolate)

1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened slightly

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

1 cup chopped peanuts

Hershey's syrup or other chocolate sauce

---WORK QUICKLY---

Note: have your cream whipped, peanut butter measured out, and the peanuts chopped and ready before starting this recipe

Blend the ice cream with the peanut butter on medium low speed of a kitchen aid mixer just until blended. By hand, fold in the whipped cream, then the nuts. Pile into the pie shell and cover loosely with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.

On day of serving, remove from freezer 5 minutes before slicing. Place a slice of pie on an individual dessert plate and drizzle with chocolate sauce - serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8