So as many of you know I love to bake with odd ingredients. I have tried everything from avocado pound cake to bacon and peanut butter cookies to potato chip chocolate chip cookies. I just get a cheap thrill out of combining ingredients that at first glance sound really wrong together. I am even happier when those oh so odd combinations turn out to be really good. And to be honest I have had some successes and some less than desirable results. Like the bacon peanut butter cookies were not a hit and they will not be made again, however the potato chip cookies were pretty much as close to PMS heaven as one could get.

Cheater ingredients are the best!

My most recent experiment and pleasant surprise involved the combination of sweet and savory. I found a Sandra Lee (does anyone else want to call her Sara Lee like the pound cake?) recipe for Lemon Rosemary Cookies or as she calls them "sandies." I find the whole "sandie" thing  to  be just a cute marketing play on her name and butter cookies. Anyway the combination of the dried rosemary, sugar, butter and lemon were too die for!! The cookies had a crunchy exterior and a soft chewy interior and the combination of zesty lemon, herbal spice and sugar just made me happy. Everyone who tried them were seriously surprised...in a good way!!

So here is the recipe:

1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 egg
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 pouch (17.5oz) sugar cookie mix
1 stick butter, softened
Sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a food processor, combine sugar and dried rosemary; cover and pulse until well mixed. This is where I got myself into a bit of trouble as I somehow created a giant sugar and rosemary dust cloud when I took the lid off the food processor and I almost choked myself to death. Luckily I survived.


2. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and lemon extract. In a large bowl, combine cookie mix, butter and sugar mixture. Add egg mixture and stir until dough forms. Yes, this part is really easy, except if I was making this right now I couldn't stir the dough because my shoulders feel like spaghetti from working out...and yes I know I just over shared.


3. Using your hands (I love any recipe that allows me to get my hands dirty), roll 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball; roll in additional sugar. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing evenly on cookie sheets.








4. Bake in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool.


Yes, this recipe is very easy and you will not be disappointed. I decided my next baking endeavor will include culinary lavender, which in case you were wondering I ordered on-line from Amazon. I plan on making lavender sandies...wait for it....and wish me luck. Cheers!