Butter Meltaways and Southern Praline Cookies
I just have to tell y’all what a blast that we had at Cottontail’s Village last weekend. The crowd was fantastic and it was so thrilling to talk to men and women who enjoy cooking as I do. A lady from Jasper bought seven cookbooks and insisted that I make several pictures with her. Pictures are not my “thing” but I have to put business first! Bless her heart, she did make me feel a little special. I loved seeing all of my Gadsden friends who have supported my cookbook from the very beginning. Mary Sue Grissom and Kathy and Pat Sherrill encouraged me when I was preparing so many of my favorite dishes for the teachers at Gaston School. Mary and I loved talking to all of our friends from Gadsden and that was what made our weekend so fantastic!
Butter Meltaways
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Pink Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 (3 ounce) package
cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon
almond flavoring
1/2 drop of red
food coloring
Combine first four ingredients. Beat with a mixer until fluffy. Separate dough into four equal parts and roll each into a log. Wrap each log into flour dusted wax paper. Chill dough overnight. After chilling, allow dough to sit out for about 15 minutes to soften. Grease baking sheets and bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Slice dough into quarter-inch slices and place on baking sheets. Cool on wire racks.
For frosting, combine all ingredients in your mixer bowl. Beat until creamy. Put a dollop on top of cooled cookies.
Andy’s Note: Cookies are almost as fun to bake as they are to eat. Nothing draws little feet to the kitchen like helping to ice or eat cookies. These are so good and they remind you so much of spring and Easter. When Matthew was real small, we were in a candle shop and I was trying to decide on the fragrance to buy. I picked up a sugar cookie candle and he quickly said, “Gann, your kitchen always smells like a cookie.” I love to bake cookies!
Southern Praline Cookies
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups firmly-packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons
baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Icing:
1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar (always use the light for cookies)
1/2 cup heavy
whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Mix dry ingredients together and gradually add to creamed mixture, beating well. Cover and chill until dough is easy to handle (about one hour). Form dough into one-inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet. Flatten cookies slightly with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle each cookie with pecans. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.
For frosting, combine brown sugar and cream in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.
Andy’s Note: I know these cookie recipes are a little involved to make but they are so worth the extra time. This cookie reminds you a lot of praline candy. This is as Southern as a cookie can get.
Next week, I want to share with you some Easter menus and recipes. Now that I am going to share my column on Facebook everyweek, I hope that I will be receiving some of your favorite recipes on my email at andrbdw@aol.com. As I have said many times before, Etowah County has the best cooks ever!
Happy Cooking,
Andy Bedwell
“Southern Cooking with Andy Bedwell” can be purchased at Alabama Gift Company in downtown Gadsden and The Messenger on Rainbow Drive.
