Fortyhboobs's blog post - Guess I spoke too soon

Thought I'd have time this week to get back "into" NN, but it just didn't work out. Too much to do and too many places to go. Unlike last year, D and I aren't hosting any parties or anything this holiday season except Christmas dinner, but we've been invited to lots and are trying to attend everything. Crazy!

I spent all day Thursday baking my Holiday Fruit Drops, made a double recipe and got 14 dozen cookies out of it. I thought that would do me this year, but since I usually bring homemade baked goods as my hostess gift, I need to bake more. I'll try to do that tomorrow, I guess.

Here's the recipe in case you're interested. I've been making these for about 20 years, and they're still D's and my favorite Christmas cookie.

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HOLIDAY FRUIT DROPS

1 cup shortening
2 cups brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 cups broken pecans (approx. 2 – 6 oz. bags)
2 cups red candied cherries, quartered (1 lg. or 2 sm. containers)
2 cups cut-up dates (I use a bag of pre-cut sugared dates)

Mix shortening, sugar and eggs well. Stir in buttermilk. Blend flour, soda and salt; stir in. Stir in pecans, cherries and dates. Chill at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 350°. Drop heaping teaspoonfuls of dough about 2” apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 6-7 minutes then turn baking sheet in oven and place a pecan half on each cookie. Bake another 6 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly. Makes 7-8 dozen cookies.

(NOTE: These cookies keep beautifully and actually improve with storage. I make them up to two weeks before Christmas and keep them in a large Tupperware container, separating layers with waxed paper and putting a piece of bread on the top layer to retain freshness [I change the bread every couple of days].)

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And BTW why is there pro football on Saturday night???