frozen sunshine cookie sandwiches

I was raised to not waste a thing.  Not a thing.  So it is not unusual at all to open up our fridge or freezer on any day of the week and find small containers or baggies of all kinds of things.  A couple of tablespoons of extra pesto that can be stirred into another sauce, a half a can of leftover pumpkin from Saturday's pancakes frozen in a Ziploc, the ends of various veggies stuffed in an even bigger baggie to use for stock later.  I keep it all, thinking I can surely find a good use for it somewhere.  Such was the case with the filling for these.  

A while back, I made a Pig Lickin' cake for an event and did it in a 9x13 pan rather than three round layers.  It doesn't take near as much icing for the 9x13, so the leftover quickly found its way into... you guessed it... a container in my fridge.  Goodness knows I'm not throwing away one ounce of that stuff.  

So after thinking on it for a couple of days, I decided it might make a really great frozen filling between two cookies.  The icing has such a creamy, light and citrusy feel with the pineapple and such, I thought a good lemon cookie might set it off beautifully.  Pineapple.  Mandarin.  Lemon. All together, I think, "sun."  Hence the name.

I really enjoy Summer and all it brings.  Here in Middle Tennessee, each day we get further into it, the warmer and more humid it becomes.  This recipe is a perfect mid-day treat on days like these, I can assure you.  Spread a little sunshine - and cool relief - by whipping up a batch.  You'll love 'em!

Frozen Sunshine Cookie Sandwiches -
makes about one dozen
Ingredients:

• leftover frosting from Pig Lickin' Cake
• 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• zest of one lemon, minced fine
• 4 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar for rolling

~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~ Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

~ Stir together flour, soda, powder, and salt.

~ In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter and sugar until very light and fluffy.

~ Beat in eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest and juice.

~ Gradually add the dry ingredients and blend.

~ Roll balls in sugar and place on the sheet 1 1/2 - 2 inches apart.

~ Bake 8-10 minutes, or until lightly brown.

~ Cool completely.

~ Place about 2-3 tbsp. icing between two cookies and place on cookie sheet.

~ Continue with all the cookies.

~ Place sheet in freezer for 30 minutes. 

~ Remove cookie sandwiches from the freezer and place in a sealable container.

Cookie recipe from My Baking Addiction