Lemon Cornmeal Cookies

My name is Rachel and I'm addicted to crunchies.

What are crunchies? They're the tidbits of burnt cheese left on the pan after you bake a pizza. The fried-to-a-crisp fries that sneak their way into the carton. They're anything poppable and crisp that I can get my hands on, be it in a box, a bag, or scraped from a casserole dish.

The name was coined by my worried husband, who many a night followed the faint noises of a rat crunching away at crumbs, only to find me, eyes gleaming in a dark kitchen as I nibbled away on burnt bacon from that night's omelet or the broken remains at the bottom of a Doritos bag.

What's wrong with me? Why can't I be content with the actual meal on my plate instead of scrounging for things that go crunch in the night?

I didn't realize how serious my crunchies problem was until one afternoon at my grandmother's house. There I was, neglecting her delicious roast chicken while maniacally sneaking crunchies from the platter when no one was looking. I thought I was enjoying delicious pieces of crisp, fallen meat. I later found out it was burnt lard. Oh the shame.

Yes, sadly, my taste buds are about as refined as those of a street dog. But alas, I've learned to curb my crunchies cravings with an elegant, more acceptable food. One that can be followed with sips of iced tea. Not Pepto Bismol.

These cookies are great. They're actually a little chewy on the inside, with a wonderful crisp crust and crunchy cornmeal bits throughout. Along with their great lemony zest, they make the perfect summertime cookie.

And they're so simple to make. Just a little zesting, a little mixing, and a little baking for a light lemony cookie fitting of a lazy afternoon.

And yes, I rolled each spoonful of batter into balls instead of just dropping them like a normal person. That's because I'm also addicted to things that look as close to perfect as possible. But that's for another post.

So grab a plate of cookies and ditch the milk. These are perfect with ice-cold lemonade or tea. And there's no shame! Such a lovely cookie at only 55 calories, I didn't have to crunch away at them in the dark. In fact, I think they're best enjoyed in the fresh air of a front porch.

They definitely satisfied my crunchies craving. Although, I did sneakily scrape off some of the crust that stuck to the pan. And ate it. And it was wonderful. (Please don't tell Luke.)

Lemon Cornmeal Cookies
Kathy Farrell-Kingsley, Cooking Light, MAY 2008
Yield: 3 dozen (serving size: 1 cookie)

Ingredients:
1  cup  all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1/3  cup  yellow cornmeal
1/2  teaspoon  baking soda
1/4  teaspoon  salt
1/4  teaspoon  ground ginger
3/4  cup  plus 2 tablespoons sugar
6  tablespoons  butter, softened
1  large egg
1  tablespoon  grated lemon rind

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients (through ground ginger); stir with a whisk. Combine sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Scrape sides of the bowl occasionally. Add egg; beat well. Beat in grated lemon rind. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, and beat at medium-low speed just until blended.

Spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons batter 2 inches apart onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until lightly browned and almost firm. Remove from oven. Cool on pans for 2 minutes or until firm. Remove from pans. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information: Calories: 55 (34% from fat), Fat: 2.1g (sat 1.3g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.1g), Protein: 0.7g, Carbohydrate: 8.6g, Fiber: 0.2g, Cholesterol:11mg, Iron: 0.2mg, Sodium: 49mg, Calcium: 2mg.

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