6 oz pecan pieces

1 ? cups all purpose flour

? cup cocoa powder*

1 tsp. Salt

1 cup butter, room temp

? cup sugar

2 tsp. Pure vanilla

1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)

Preheat oven to 350.Grind pecans so most

are a course powder

without large pieces or chop fine.

Combine the pecans, flour,

cocoa and salt in a bowl and set aside.

In large mixer bowl,

beat the butter and sugar together for

about 45 seconds until creamy and well-mixed.

Add the vanilla extract, beat a little

more to combine. Then add the flour mixture

gradually, beating at low speed until blended

into a nice firm dough ball. Scrape the sides

as needed to combine everything well.

Cover the dough or wrap in plastic wrap

and refrigerate at least 30 minutes to firm up.

Roll the dough into 1 ? balls, place on greased

cookie sheet or parchment paper and bake for

20 minutes. The cookies will flatten out a bit

and should appear slightly dry on top.

Remove from pan and let cool completely.

Roll the cookies in powdered sugar twice,

or if holding cookies, roll in sugar the

second time when ready to serve Yield 36 cookies.

*I prefer Van Leer 120 Dutch Process cocoa

which can be ordered from www.kingarthurflour.com.

Swedish Gems-(Using cookie Press)

Cook 2 egg yolks (drop yokes from saucer,

one at a time, into hot salted water.

Simmer until hard cooked. About 5 minutes.

Cool, put thru wire sieve (you can use a tea

strainer, you just want it finely grated.

Put aside. Sift together:

2 ? cup flour,

1 teaspoon salt

1/8th teaspoon baking soda

? cup butter

? cup crisco, and add gradually,

? cup sugar, creaming well.

Add:

1 unbeaten egg, ? teaspoon vanilla and the

sieved egg yolks,Beat well.

Blend in dry ingredients.

Chill if necessary for easier handling.

Press through cookie press onto

ungreased baking sheets. When sheet is full,

Sprinkle 2 or 3 tablespoons of colored sugar

over cookies or use Spicy Nut toping

(combine 2 tbsp. finely chopped nuts,

1/4 cup sugar and ? tsp. Cinnamon)

Bake 375 degree oven 8 to 12 minutes.

This is a recipe that doubles nicely and is

fast because of the cookie press.

If you want a really terrific,

very chocolate cookie, here it is..but a note:

these do not freeze well and are best

if eaten in a few days:

Fudge Ecstasies

(these are rich, chocolatey and easy to mix)

1 12-ounce package (2 cups) semisweet

chocolate morsels. Reserve one cup

2 squares (2 ounces) unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons butter or margerine

? cup all-purpose flour(that?s right ? ? cup)

? teaspoon baking powder

Dash of salt

2 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped nuts

In a heavy medium saucepan, heat 1 cup

of the chocolate morsels, unsweetened

chocolate and butter or margerine til melted,

stirring constantly. (this can also be done

in a glass bowl in microwave but stir well.)

Transfer to a large mixer bowl to cool slightly.

Stir together flour, baking powder and salt

in small bowl. Set aside.

Add eggs, sugar and vanilla to chocolate mixture

and beat well. Add flour mixture and beat till

well mixed. Stir in remaining 1 cup chocolate

morsels and nuts.

Drop by heaping teaspoons onto lightly greased

cookie sheets. Bake in 350 oven for 8 to 10 minutes

or till edges are firm and surface is dull

and cracked. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute,

them remove and cool thoroughly. Makes about 36

Brown Sugar Cookies

? cup butter, softened

1 large egg

? cup crisco

2 cups all-purpose flour

? cup sugar

? tsp.Baking Soda

? cup light brown sugar, packed)

? tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Pure vanilla extract

Cream together butter, shortening and sugars

until light and fluffy. Add vanilla.

Beat in egg until well mixed.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt

and gradually add to creamed mixture.

Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.

Then, roll dough into nickel-size balls

and roll in granulated sugar.

Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart

and press down with designed bottom of

glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes.

Pecan Shortbread

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

? cup 10X sugar

1 ? cup flour

1 cup pecans, chopped fine

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter and sugar in mixer.

Add vanilla, then flour mixed with a

pinch of salt.. Mix well. Drop onto

ungreased cookie sheet, making them very small.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes in 375 oven.

Makes about 60 small. When cookies are cool,

sprinkle with 10X sugar. If storing,

sprinkle again with 10 X sugar when serving

Date Walnut Ball

? cup butter

? cup sugar

8 ounce package of dates, chopped

2 ? cup cups Rice Krispies cereal

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Flaked or chopped cocoanut

I buy the whole dates and chop them.

Some of the chopped dates come coated

with sugar and are hard.

Combine butter, sugar and dates in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil, cook stirring constantly

for three (3) minutes. Stir in cereal and pecans.

Cool to touch ? shape into one inch balls

and roll in cocoanut. Store in

airtight container.

No baking - easy ? pretty and good.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies

JUST A COUPLE HOLIDAY

RECIPES FOR NOW

Christmas Cookies

Sift together:

1 ? cup sifted flour

? tsp. Baking powder

? tsp. Salt

? tsp. Soda

? cup sugar

Cut in ? cup shortening

(margerine or crisco butter flavored )

until mixture resembles course meal

(using a pastry Blender, 2 knives, etc)

Blend in:

1 egg

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 tablespoons milk

Roll out on floured board. These cookies

should be thin but not too thin or

they will stick to board.

Cut decorate by using pastry brush to

paint on beaten egg, then use colored

sugar or sprinkles to decorate.

Bake in 400 oven for 6 to 8 minutes

These are wonderful but more time consuming

to roll out and bake.

It is best to use a Pastry cloth with flour

well-rubbed in to prevent sticking.

GINGERBREAD MEN

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Butter

1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1 Teaspoon Ground Cloves

1 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/2 Cup Molasses

1 Teaspoon Vinegar

2 Eggs Beaten

5 Cups Flour, Sifted

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

Mix sugar, butter, spices and molasses. Bring

to a boil, stirring constantly.

Cool to lukewarm.

Add vinegar and eggs. Mix well.

Add sifted flour and baking soda blending

to a smooth dough.

Chill. Roll out on floured cutting board

and cut with a 4 to 6 inch cookie cutter.

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at

350 degrees for 10 minutes.

"THE BINGS CRANBERRY SAUCE

Now is the time to buy cranberries.

Freeze them (on trays, then bag)

so that you will have lots for baking.

1 12 ounce bag of cranberries

1 pureed orange or clementine

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup dried sour cherries

1/2 cup yellow raisons

2 medium apples-sort of peeled

(don't be too thorough) and diced or shredded

A touch of water-about 1/3 cup

A touch of sugar-about 1/4-1/3 cup

Place everything in a 3 quart saucepan.

Over medium or low heat, warm to disolve sugar.

Cook to fully soften fruit

(especially fresh cranberries).

Cool, then chill well before serving.

Makes a lot but goes fast.

ENJOY!!

THATS ALL FOR NOW FOLKS,

BUT MORE WILL BE ADDED REAL SOON!!

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