Nature’s Bounty

I am a fanatic about fresh produce. We can blame it on being a vegetarian and vegan for 10 years, or that my mother fed us from her garden growing up, either way I don’t really care. Whatever the source may be I just know that there is nothing on this planet like the scent of freshly picked Rosemary or Basil, the mouth watering juice from a vine ripened tomato, or the crisp sweetness of an Autumn apple. There is a level of joy obtained in no other way than enjoying the purity of the best foods nature has to offer us. It may sound like I’m going a bit too far on this point, but I seriously eat Green String Beans like a 5 year old nabs Skittles out of a candy bowl. Yum!

Also, being the Frugal Franny that I am, finding these treasures at a reasonable price is proving to be a tougher challenge as the days progress. This is especially true if you are wanting to buy in-season, local, and organic. (I will readily admit that practicality takes the front seat over presumption. I cannot justify spending $6 a pound for organic peaches. Sorry, but I’m taking the more affordable route on this one). I have the incredible blessing of having the freedom to visit and go to multiple grocery stores to get the lay of the land and see who has the highest quality Portobello Mushrooms, or the best price on Pink Lady Apples, or the best of both worlds and has high quality with low prices. I am especially thankful for this because seeing how busy moms’, like my older sister, lives can get, one stop shopping is a must and I cannot nor will I ever pass judgement on her going to a superstore. We have what we are given, and it is our responsibility to make the most of it.

So what are we left with if our budgets cannot make room for pricey organic fruits and veggies? Call in the reserves! This my friends is THE END to the guilt of asking for favors! As someone who could never ask help for anything (and still struggles with it daily!), this is huge! Think of all the amazing people that fill your life. You get to enjoy one little fraction of their lives and vice versa. Imagine all the wonderful and beautiful things that they can reach and see and experience that you may not have access to! Case and point (2 actually): My mother has the most INCREDIBLE Lemon Tree in her back yard. The tree produces year round, and let me tell you, these lemons are the most luxurious and sensationally sweet Lemons on Planet Earth. I have never seen their equal. Haha, ask anyone who knows me well and they can tell you how obsessed I am with this tree. So rather than going to the store and shelling out tons of money on lemons, I asked my mom and step-father if I could help myself to the tree when I come to visit and not only did I get permission they insisted upon it! Another example of this, I love Rosemary, but spending almost $3 for a couple of small stalks is hard to swallow sometimes, over one conversation with a coworker I come to find that not only does she dislike Rosemary, but she has a huge plant that produces very pungent Rosemary that always goes to waste and now I have a limitless, free supply of the herb any time I want it!

I believe that we are all so afraid of being an inconvenience, or viewed as a bum that we never ask those we are surrounded by for favors. Personally speaking, I do backflips for the opportunity to bless my friends and family, and I should accept that those who love me would do the same! Take a chance, you never know what amazing things can happen when your make your self vulnerable, you may even develop a deeper relationship with someone.

Enough about all of that though! I have the most delightful recipe to share with you! I have made these multiple times and I have yet to find an unhappy belly! Enjoy!

Lemon Sugar Cookies with Fresh Lemon Glaze (Adapted from Craft of Baking)

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
• Zest of 1 very large Lemon or 2 medium Lemons
• 1-2 tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice (1/2 large lemon or 1 medium lemon)
• 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 large Egg, room temperature
• 2 cups Unbleached All Purpose Flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 teaspoon Salt (Kosher or Sea Salt preferred)
• Optional: 1 tablespoon Poppy Seeds

1. In your mixing bowl combine the soft butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Using an electric mixer beat until combined, while mixing pour sugar in a steady stream and beat on a medium speed until the butter is light in color and fluffy.
2. Scrape down the sides of your bowl. Turn your mixer on to medium-low speed and add one egg and beat until the butter mixture returns to a light color and is fluffy. If needed, scrape down the sides of the bowl again. Begin beating again on medium-low speed and add your second egg and your vanilla extract, beating until the mixture is a pale yellow and light and fluffy (If your butter mixture looks broken and chunky, it means that your eggs were too cold and it is causing the butter to solidify again. To fix you can slightly warm the bowl in another bowl of warm water until the butter begins to aerate once more.) Once the mixture is fluffy stop mixing, over creaming the butter mixture will actually beat out all the desired air that will make your cookie soft and fluffy.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt whisking to combine. This doubles as sifting the flour making it more airy and light.
4. In three additions while mixing on a low speed, add the flour to the butter mixture, mixing only until just combined. Over working the dough will result in a tough and hard cookie.
5. Remove the dough from the bowl and shape into a disk and wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for no less than 1 hour.
6. Preheat your oven to 350F. Lightly dust your work surface with flour and roll your dough out to 1/4″ thick. Cut into whatever adorable shape your desire and place on a lightly greased or parchment lined sheet pan. Bake with the racks on the top and lower third of the oven for 10 minutes then rotate the pans and bake for 10 minutes more. Once the edges start to become a lovely golden brown, pull ’em out of the oven and immediately transfer to a cooling rack. (If you have more than one batch, allow your pans to cool completely before starting again, the butter in the dough will begin to melt causing the cookie to flatten and lose its shape in the baking process).
7. To make the glaze, in a wide mouth bowl combine two cups sifted powdered sugar, juice from the other half of the large lemon/medium lemon, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional: 1 tablespooon milk, and adding water incrementally whisk the mixture until it is runny. This is not to be normal royal icing for decorating but a thin, sheer glaze to lightly coat the top of each cookie. Once the cookies have cooled and the glaze is made dip the cookies facedown in the glaze and hold the cookie upright so the excess drains back into the bowl. Place cookies on parchment (or foil) until the glaze hardens.
8. The cookies will keep air tight for 1 week, but good luck letting them last that long!

Vegan Variation!

• To replace the egg, I use Ener-G Egg replacer or 2 tablespoons of Cornstarch mixed with a scant 1/4 cup of water.
• To replace the butter, I prefer Earth Balance. It has a wonderful flavor, but it is salty, so you may want to back off the salt a bit.
• Watch the water content, if the dough feels too wet, add a bit of flour to counteract the replacements.