Lemon Verbena Sugar Cookies

Lemon Verbena Sugar Cookies
Nothing is more delicious than lemon verbena!  It is considered the queen of aromatic herbs.  No one knows this better than the cooks who lovingly add it to baked sweets, hot teas and iced drinks.

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
One 6 inch sprig fresh lemon verbena, about 16 leaves
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a mini-food processor, combine the sugars, lemon zest and lemon verbena.  In a medium bowl, cream together butter with the lemon verbena-sugar mix.  Let sit for 15 minutes.  Add egg.  Thoroughly blend flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt into butter mix.  Shape dough into 6 to 12 large balls.  Place 3 to 4 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets.  Using a small, flat bottomed glass, flatten each ball to about ¼ inch thick, dipping glass in sugar each time.  Bake about 18 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Transfer cookies to racks to cool