Great Auntie Irene's Cookies

My Great Auntie Irene was a mod gal.  She was born in 1907 and passed away in her 99th year in 2006. She never had children  but embraced my aunts and uncles and all their broods as her own. She met and married my Uncle Charlie, an American, in 1953.

She was young in the roaring 20's and filled my head with fantastic stories. I loved hearing about the parties, hats, shoes and outfits best and bless her soul she remembered every one of them. I too love a great hat and a sparkling new shoe.

When my kids were little and new shoes were far and few between I was overwhelmed as the holidays approached. I wanted to bake cookies but could barley furrow up the energy for one batch let alone the  2-3 I wanted.  Aunt Irene came to my rescue and passed along one of her cookie recipes she had been making since she was a girl. They are simple and everyone loves them. She would make 3 different looking cookies from the same recipe. It looks like you have been baking all day. I included Aunt Irene's recipe in my book Cook--You Can Cook Fast, Healthy Meals For Your Family published by Whitecap Books.

Jam Thumbprints – Aunt Irene’s  Cookies

Oven Temperature: 350˚F

Baking Time: 10-12 minutes

Equipment: Cookie sheets

Servings: 40 cookies

Ingredients

2½ cups all purpose flour

½ tsp cream of tartar

½ tsp baking soda

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup non-hydrogenated lard

½ cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

 Ingredient Options

Raspberry jam

Beaten egg and toasted pecans, chopped

Order of Events

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar and baking soda.

3. In a large bowl, cream butter and lard with sugars.

4. Add egg and vanilla and blend well. Blend in dry ingredients.

5. Roll into small balls and press with thumb and put jam in center. Or press flat, dip in beaten egg, and press into chopped toasted pecans. Or press flat and leave plain.

6. Bake in preheated oven for approximately 10-12 minutes until evenly brown, rotate pans half way through baking.

7. Cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet, remove to wire rack to cool.

Kitchen Gossip

For the timed-starved, you can make 3 different-looking cookies with this one recipe.

TELL ME AGAIN WHY YOU NEED TO BUY BOXED COOKIES

Deb Anzinger P.H.Ec.