My son said a few years ago that he couldn't wait for Christmas because he wanted to sit by the fire and eat pecan pie. I love that.
He is old enough now that I need to teach him to make a pecan pie. We have a simple and foolproof recipe. My brother learned to make it as a teenager because he loved that pie so much. He still makes it today.
So much of the joy of Christmas revolves around food. I see nothing wrong with that.
Food is a way I show people I love them. I prepare food with love and I think no matter how good or bad my cooking is, (mostly good, but there are Epic Fails sometimes, as my son says) serving it in a loving way makes a huge difference.
As a little child, part of the wonder of Christmas was the baking. I loved to get down my mother's Betty Crocker Cookie book and read all the recipes and stare at the photos of cookies. Mother often made chocolate chip cookies, and brownies, and Rocks.
Rocks were baked by my grandmother and her sisters in Hepzibah, Georgia, and my dad LOVED Rocks. The delight on his face when he bit into a rock was childlike and beautiful.
My Aunt Ceph would never give anyone the recipe. Dad's brother married a wonderful cook, my aunt Diddy, and she figured out the Rocks recipe. Diddy is the Queen of Cookies - hers are always the best. She emailed me the recipe years ago.
One thing I love about this cookie is that it's savory, not just sweet. The nuts and raisins give it an unbeatable flavor.
ROCKS
This is the recipe I have, and have used for years:
1 t. soda 1 t. cinnamon
2 egg yolks 1 t. cloves
3/4 c. butter 1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 c. flour 1 t. to 1 T. water
1 1/2 c. sugar 1 box raisins
1 c. chopped nuts ( preferably pecans)
Cream butter and sugar. Add egg yolks, well beaten. Sift flour, spices, and soda together, and blend well with butter and sugar. Add water, nuts, and raisins. Mix well. Drop by teaspoon on cookie sheet and bake in 350 degree oven approximately 15 minutes.
Dee, I use part butter and part margarine, and rarely add water unless the dough is too stiff after testing a few in the oven first.
I thought this was the authentic recipe. Anyway, it bakes heavenly cookies!
below, Diddy in 1972, with me just behind her, my brother in the yellow shirt
