[Sca-cooks] cookie!

[CLdyroz at aol.com]

If I remember correctly, no one took the 15th, officially. At this time, I 
would like to, in honor of my "15"  (::cough, cough::, turn 'em around, ::cough, 
cough::) birthday on the 15th....

This is the one cookie that my 99 year-old Grandfather cannot resist, 
especially warm and fresh out of the oven.

Nut Butter Balls
<from Good Housekeeping's book of Cookies, 1958 ed.>

1 cup soft butter or margarine
1 quarter to 1 half cup granulated, powdered or confectioner's sugar 
1 half teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon almond extract or 2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 to 2 cups finely chopped or ground walnuts, pecans, almonds, black walnuts, 
Brazil nuts or filberts

Mix butter with sugar until creamy.
Add salt, extract, flour, nuts; mix well.
Refrigerate until easy to handle.
Heat oven to 350 degrees
using fingers, shape dough into 1" balls or 1" to 2" rolls, triangle or 
crescents. 
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. 
Or drop level teaspoons onto cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 min., or until light brown
While cookies are warm, roll in granulated sugar, or powdered sugar or fine 
cookie crumbs.
Makes 4 to 5 dozen, and will keep well in a container, unless you have a 
houseful of cookie monsters, like I do <G> These go excellently with a tall glass 
of cold milk, hot chocolate or eggnog.

BTW-there are at least 12 other variations listed in the book, anywhere from 
shapes to Choco-butter crescents (add a 6 oz package of mini-morsels) and 
Melting Moments (omit nuts, add 2 teaspoon baking powder. Press flat on cookie 
sheet, top with sliced gumdrops and bake). 

The following is a recipe that has been handed down for generations. The 
Scottish ladies in our former church would give out the recipe only to those who 
passed their inspection. They would feel of the person's hands and say 
either,"You can do this, here." or "You won't be able to make it right, you need to 
get someone else to make it for you." Amazingly, I passed-but Mother didn't! <G>

Shortbread

1 half cup of butter (use the salted!)
1 and 1 half cups of flour
1 half cup of superfine sugar

Sift flour and sugar together in a bowl. Put the butter in the middle, and 
with your fingertips, work in the butter. keep it in one piece and gradually 
work in the dry ingredients.

Knead well and pack into a floured mold or a shallow 7 to 8 inch pan. prick 
well 

Bake at 325 for 45 minutes, until firm and golden.

cool slightly before removing from the pan.
dredge with powdered sugar

Excuse-must run. The timer just went off on the shortbread....

Thank you!

Roz
Meridies