From the Metal Box of Doom: Martha Stewart's Lemon Polenta Cookies

Yep, I've been away and totally neglecting this blog. I'm lucky that Jaime doesn't totally dump me as an internet friend.

Now that I'm in the last stretch of my pregnancy (read: nesting), I find myself wanting to cook more and more. As you can see, I basically have not cooked...since March. Pathetic, right? I'm so out of practice that I didn't even take a picture of these cookies when I made them!

Years ago, I cut out this recipe from an issue of Martha Stewart Living. I had no experience with polenta then, but I was intrigued by how sunny and happy these cookies looked. I initially tried to use the pastry bag to make them in their cool "s" shape, but I could never do it. Eventually, I gave up and used my cookie scoop, which I highly recommend...they come out looking like happy scoops of yellow ice cream. They are DELICIOUS and perfect any time of the year. I gave my friend Duff the recipe, and she loves them and is smart enough to freeze some of her batches...I'd do it too, but they never make it to the freezer.

Here's the recipe from Martha's website, and I follow it to a T:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup Italian polenta, or yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest, (1 lemon)
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, polenta, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter, sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add egg and egg yolk, one at a time, beating after each addition to combine. Mix in vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip (such as Ateco No. 826). (TOO FANCY FOR ME, GUYS! Use the COOKIE SCOOP!)

Pipe S shapes about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide, spaced 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Bake cookies until edges are golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to wire racks; let cool about 10 minutes. Remove cookies from parchment, and transfer to racks to cool completely.


You'll see another post from me soon...with pictures, I promise.