Italian Lemon Cookies

    Be forewarned, this post contains a shameless plug for utilizing your local public library services!

   Several months ago, my friend Jamie asked me if I would consider leading the monthly Knox County Public Library book discussion called All Over the Page.  I quickly agreed but then immediately became quite intimidated when I envisioned myself actually doing it, especially when I saw the list of other discussion leaders, all of who are immensely talented in various ways.  I mean, sure, I was an English teacher in my former life and have led many a book discussion as a high school librarian, but still, me?

    Luckily for me, the members in attendance were not at all intimidating and I ended up absolutely falling in love with this group!  So much so that I bought the next month's selection straightaway and was so excited to begin reading it.  There are a number of things that made me want to return to this group.  First of all, most importantly, THEY ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT THE BOOK!  While I have been a member of several book clubs in the past and wouldn't trade the camaraderie and friends I have made for anything in this world, it really is nice to focus only on the book for an entire hour.  I also found the group to be so thoughtful even in disagreement over various points.  I also love that the discussion takes place at the library.  I always feel so at home in a library so it's nice to have one evening on my calendar that feels so comforting.

  I can hardly wait for our meeting tomorrow evening because the author will be leading the discussion. Her name is Pamela Schoenewaldt  and she lives here in Knoxville.  We will be discussing her second book entitled Swimming in the Moon.  It is truly one of the most beautifully researched and written pieces of historical fiction I have ever read.  The moment I finished it, I went searching for her first book, When We Were Strangers.  I found it to be just as incredibly crafted and moving.  Both books deal with Italian immigrants spanning the late 1800s and early 1900s and the incredible struggles they faced.  I fell in love with the characters and found myself living in these time periods even when the book covers were closed.

  I decided that I would contribute a few themed snacks to our gathering tomorrow evening, so I made pizzelles with my pizzelle maker from a King Arthur flour recipe.  Lemons play an important role in Swimming in the Moon, so I made a batch of Italian Lemon Cookies.  The base of the recipe is from my Delicious Sugar Cookie post and then I simply added a fresh lemon glaze.

  I am so looking forward to our discussion and to sharing the cookies with our group!  If you are searching for your next book, I urge to you to pick up either of Schoenewaldt's books and once her beautiful images of lemons start to tempt your taste buds, try these Italian Lemon Cookies!

Italian Lemon Cookies (click title for a printable version)

3/4 C. salted butter, softened

1 C. sugar

1 t. vanilla

2 eggs

2 3/4 C. all-purpose flour (Always and only White Lily for me)

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

Glaze:

1 C. sifted powder sugar

zest of one lemon

juice of one lemon

coarse sparkling sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt together.  Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until well combined.  Add eggs and vanilla and continue to cream until light and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes.  Slowly add flour mixture and mix just until combined.  Be careful to not overbeat.

Chill dough for at least one hour.

On a flour-lined counter or board, roll out dough to no less than 1/4" thick.  Using cutters dipped in flour, cut cookies into various shapes and place them on the baking sheet.  Sprinkle with decorating sugar or bake as they are and glaze when they are cool.

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes or just until sides are set.  DO NOT LET THEM GET BROWN!

Cool completely if you are planning to glaze the cookies.

For the glaze, mix the powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice together until smooth, thinning with a little milk if necessary.  Dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze.  Sprinkle with coarse sparkling sugar if desired and allow to dry on racks.

Chicken Caesar Salad

    Let me confess up front that this really is not a recipe per say but rather a very simple set of directions for one of my favorite meals.  Think of it merely as a suggestion for dinner.  I will say, though, that choosing the right ingredients for this salad is key to it being as delicious as it is at my house.  None of that wimpy, sadly shredded parmesan for us!

   Many years ago, I left everything I knew in Virginia and moved to Atlanta to be with a boy.  That boy later became my husband.  Luckily for me, it all worked out!  My very first night in the city, he offered to take me out on a date.  That date turned out to be to Boston Market.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, out of the vast culinary offerings this huge city has to offer, he took me to Boston Market.  Good thing I didn't base my decision about whether to stick around or not on his ability to wine and dine a girl.

   I have to admit, though, that I am really grateful for that date given that this is where he introduced the perfect Chicken Caesar Salad to me.    The combination of tender rotisserie chicken (which Boston Market is known for), crisp romaine lettuce, huge croutons, and perfectly shaved parmesan led us back time and time again.

  I have duplicated this recipe many times at home since we no longer live near a Boston Market and have just shaved the parmesan myself but it never turned out perfectly right.  Recently, though, I stumbled on a bag of parmesan and asiago in the fine cheese section that caused me to turn my cart around and grab all the rest of the ingredients I needed to make one of our favorite salads.  Those of you who read my blog regularly know that I am a huge fan of Sartori cheeses.  I had no idea that they made the perfect topping to my salad!  I recently received several varieties of their cheeses but this one was my own find.  If you can find this in your grocery store, buy a bag!  I promise you it is just the right ingredient to make this salad truly special.  The shavings are so thick and hearty.

    As for the other ingredients, I love the Texas Toast Caesar croutons.  In the past I have tried many different kinds of Caesar dressings and none of them came very close to what I loved at Boston Market.  This time the Kraft Caesar caught my eye because of the large pieces of ground pepper.  It turned out to  be absolutely delicious!  I will no longer go searching for a better one.

   You could certainly use grilled or baked chicken for this, but I can't imagine it without rotisserie kind.  It shreds so easily and is so tender.  Plus, it makes the whole salad much easier to assemble.

   So if you don't have a Boston Market close enough to take a special date to, just gather up the ingredients for this salad at home and turn on some romantic music!

Chicken Caesar Salad (click on title for printable version)

romaine lettuce (I don't recommend the bagged kind)
rotisserie chicken, shredded
parmesan shavings (I find it best to use a vegetable peeler if you don't buy it pre-shaved but I really, really recommend the Sartori shavings)
large croutons
Caesar dressing
cracked black pepper

Wash and dry lettuce thoroughly.  Tear or cut into pieces.  Place in bowls.

Top lettuce with chicken, parmesan, croutons, and dressing.  Top with freshly ground pepper.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

    My entire life I thought I didn't like frosting on cakes.  I usually just scraped it off and ate the cake, unlike any other kid I have ever met.  Turns out I just don't like frosting that has Crisco in it which is what you generally get if the decorator took a Wilton's class.  One bite of the Magnolia's Bakery buttercream recipe and my scraping days were over!  All butter; no Crisco.

   The entire Magnolia Bakery Cookbook is fantastic and great even for beginners.  The original buttercream recipe is quite stained in my copy as I make it for all birthdays and special occasions.  I am not so hot at decorating but when I do attempt to use a pastry bag and tip, this frosting works perfectly.

  Recently I made a lemon cake from a box and since I refuse to use canned frosting, I turned to the buttercream recipe and added one ingredient to make it work.  I absolutely adore Fiori di Sicilia from King Arthur Flour and add it any time a hint of citrus is needed.  I added just 1/4 teaspoon of the flavoring to the frosting recipe and it was perfect!  Fabulous alternative to canned frosting.  Don't worry if you don't have this ingredient, though, as I am providing the substitutions from The Magnolia Bakery  Cookbook.

   If you want to make just a regular buttercream, substitute just add one extra teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract for the Fiori di Sicilia.

   This recipe will frost one layer cake or 36 cupcakes.

Lemon Buttercream Frosting (click on title for a printable version)

1 C. (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
8 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. Fiori di Sicilia *

Place 4 C. of powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Add butter and mix thoroughly.  Slowly add milk, vanilla, and Fiori di Sicilia, and remaining powdered sugar.  Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.  Depending on how thick you want the frosting, add more milk or powdered sugar.

* If you don't have Fiori di Sicilia, replace milk with fresh lemon juice and 1 T. grated lemon peel.