Jenelle’s Lime Meltaway Cookies

It doesn’t matter where Jenelle is, as long as she can find a kitchen to cook in, she’ll wrap an apron around herself and get busy.  This thirty-something active duty Warrant Officer, lover of all things food has been blogging about her unbounded joy being in the kitchen since January of 2010 when her culinary efforts were showcased in From Pantry to Plate.  Jenelle loves to cook for anyone who is hungry and especially for  her fiancé Seth, her family and friends.  In February of this year, one of her recipes was featured on Chic Galleria. In April, she decided to retire her blog From Pantry to Plate but continued sharing her love of cooking on her new  blog, One Apron. Having been stationed in South Korea since October 2010, Jenelle regularly delights her readers with her interesting posts and tasty recipes from Asia.  She also had a page on her site dedicated to her photography hobby and a pictorial log including on and off duty events that this Army Warrant does during her time overseas.  Moving to a self-hosted sight wasn’t too far off for Janelle and today she has refined her blog but kept the very apt name, One Apron.  Readers will find that the recipes and the accompanying stories are just as interesting and as endearing as their author who has also added some additional pages that are definitely worth the read, not to mention her honest reviews of some Korean restaurants.  I am very happy that Janelle is here today, sharing her story and recipe with us.  You can follow her on Twitter @one_apron

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I happened to find Frosting For The Cause by accident. I was browsing my Twitter feed and someone mentioned being involved in the project. Since I was avoiding doing real work on the computer at that time, I followed the rabbit hole and clicked on the links.

I am so glad that I did! Breast cancer awareness and celebrating the courage of breast cancer survivors is something that is close to my heart. Plus the project included frosting and sugar which is also something that I love!

My stepmother, Lisa, and her sister, Krista, are probably the bravest people I know. They exemplify strength, family, and courage. They are excellent role models as mothers and women.

Krista was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago. She has been through aggressive treatments and stands up today as a survivor. Lisa was always there by her side. She spent weeks with her in Atlanta to help with the kids and the house. She was the best sister ever.

After further testing, it was discovered that the kind of cancer Krista had was the kind that was hereditary. So Lisa went in for a screening. The doctor didn’t have good news. Lisa had the chromosome that was linked to breast cancer. Talk about a scary fact to face. But Lisa faced it head on and made sure she was in charge, not that little gene. I know it wasn’t any easy decision but she had the love and support of her family to get her through.

Now Lisa and Krista are part of a group of women called the Blister Sisters! They have been participating in the Atlanta 2-Day Walk for Breast Cancer for 5 years now. They walk 30 miles together as survivors and champions! They are heroes.

Today, November 5, is also my dad’s birthday! (He is my other hero.) His favorite dessert is key lime pie. So in honor of his birthday and all the love and support he has given to Lisa, I made Lime Meltaway cookies.

This is a Martha Stewart recipe and they live up to their name. They were easy to make, looked pretty when they were done, and were perfectly sweet with a tangy citrus burst. Plus they totally melted in your mouth. They were flaky and creamy all at the same time. I don’t know how Martha does it but I am so glad that she does!

I am a Soldier stationed in Korea. Things are a little different over here and getting involved in the community usually starts with the organizations on the base. There is no cancer ward on the hospital on the base. Patients are sent back to the states that require special long-term care.

I did participate in a volunteer program with the post chapel. The pastor leads a group once a month that volunteers at the Shalom House in Seoul. The Shalom House is a home for mentally and physically disabled adults. The Korean culture doesn’t accept the handicapped and many families send their relatives away. This home is run on donations only, the government doesn’t support projects like this either, and volunteers help keep up the house, provide basic supplies and food, and groups like my church provide a chance for them to be social.

On this trip, I brought along my lime meltaway cookies. After lunch, they were served with ice cream and cake. I hope they provided a touch of sweetness to their day.

Additionally, I made a cash donation to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer research.

Thank you to Frosting for the Cause for allowing me to participate in such a fun and significant project. And thank you to all the women who continue to fight and the families and friends who support them every step of the way.

Enjoy the cookies!

Lime Meltaways from Martha Stewart

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Finely grated zest of 2 limes

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

Put butter and 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add lime zest and juice and vanilla, and mix until fluffy.

Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt in a bowl. Add to butter mixture, and mix on low speed until just combined.

Divide dough in half. Place each half on an 8-by-12-inch sheet of parchment paper. Roll in parchment to form a log 1 1/4 inches in diameter, pressing a ruler along edge of parchment at each turn to narrow log. Refrigerate logs until cold and firm, at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove parchment from logs; cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Space rounds 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies until barely golden, about 13 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool slightly, 8 to 10 minutes. While still warm, toss cookies with remaining 2/3 cup sugar in a resealable plastic bag. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 weeks.