Independent, Fee-Only Financial Advisor

Independent, Fee-Only Financial Advisor

Friday, December 18, 2015

Christmas Cookies!

A friend who is currently in Germany recently asked for christmas cookie recipes. This one is full of memories for me, so I shared it with him, and decided to share it with everyone!

First, story time: When Geraldine Ferraro was the Democratic VP candidate in 1984, she stopped at a blueberry farm in Mississippi on the campaign trail. She asked the farmer if he had any good blueberry muffin recipes. He looked her in the eye and said "ma'am, down here, men don't cook". This inspired my mom and dad to solicit recipes from Mississippi men and make a cookbook, titled "Down Here Men Don't Cook" of course. This recipe for "Southern Sand Tarts" comes from Charles Balch and Gus Liveakos in Tupelo. Dad made these every year around christmas time and my joy was getting to put them in a big bag with powdered sugar and shake them until coated. I probably got clouds of powdered sugar on everything, but I can still smell the sweet buttery cookies now...

Now, recipe:

Southern Sand Tarts. From Down Here Men Don't Cook. Recipe by Charles Balch and Gus Liveakos of Tupelo.

2 c (250g) plain flour
1 lb (450g) confectioners sugar
1.5 c (180g) pecans, chopped
1 TBSP (15mL) vanilla extract
2 sticks (220g) butter

Lay out butter to reach room tempo. Sift 2 cups flour with 7 tablespoons powdered sugar. Blend flour mixture with butter. Add vanilla, mix well. Add chopped pecans. Mix well. Place in covered bowl and refrigerate OVERNIGHT or longer.

Roll chilled dough into neat balls. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 325F (162C) for 20-35 minutes until slightly brown (DO NOT OVERCOOK)

Remove from oven. Leave to cook 7-10 minutes. Gently roll all cookies at once into remainder of powdered sugar which has been sifted into a heavy paper bag. Cookies will absorb most all of the surge. Store in a sealed container once completely cool.

Yields 110-118 cookies.