Yummy Cookies

This is one of the many cookie recipes that I only make at Christmastime.  When they're gone, you're out of luck!  Because these are dry by nature, they last a long time.  When other cookies have become stale and disgusting, these taste just as good (maybe better) than they did on Day One.
First:  Cream together two sticks (one cup) of butter (no substitutes) with 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar.  Keep that mixer going until you have the lightest, fluffiest, most beautiful creamed sugar and butter you've ever seen.

Like this!

While your mixer is churning away, add to a separate bowl two cups of finely chopped walnuts, and two cups of all-purpose flour.  Stir those together.

Back to the mixer!  Add 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.  Now add the flour/nut mixture.

Chill the batter in an air-tight container for a few hours or overnight.

Line a baking sheet with parchment and scoop out the dough one tablespoonful at a time.  If you have a scoop, so much the better.  Scoop them all out leaving about an inch of space between them.

Deliciousness

Before baking, roll each scoop of dough into a pretty little ball.  (If the dough gets too sticky, pop it back into the freezer for a few minutes.)  Sadly, I have no pictures of this step.  But, the one below is what they look like after they've baked in a 350-degree oven for 15 minutes.  While you're waiting, get your hands on some mini-parchment cups and lay those out in rows, ready to go for the next step.

You can fit a LOT of these type on a pan.

While they're still warm, lift them off one at a time and roll them in powdered sugar.  Silicone gloves are useful for this step, or if you're good with chopsticks use those.  Be careful--not only are these puppies hot, they are also fragile.  Give them a nice coating, then oh-so-gently place them in a mini-muffin parchment liner.  The liner will keep them safe and snug and also prevent the powdered sugar from contaminating any other cookies they may find themselves sitting beside in the future, say on a cookie platter.

Oh the yumminess...

When they've been nestled safely into the parchment cups, you may shake more powdered sugar on top.  It's Christmas after all!
The Recipe
Mexican Wedding Cakes (yields approximately 45 cookies)
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup walnuts, finely ground
powdered sugar, to coat
Cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the vanilla. 
In a separate bowl, stir together the nuts and flour. 
Combine the flour mixture with the creamed butter and sugar. 
Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. 
Bake for 15 minutes at 350. 
While still hot, roll each cookie in powdered sugar.
Place each into mini-parchment cup liner.
Shake additional powdered sugar over the top when cooled.

Random Shots

Wants to see the picture!

Santa Baby

 No school today!  Wheee!

Not only that.  It's my BIRTHDAY and so I did what I always do--packed up a bunch of treats to give away to friends far and near.

My kids are off delivering to our near neighbors right now!

Later on we'll deliver to people further away.  This family tradition started even before we had kids, and it's one my older kids look forward to every Christmas season.  They help with every stage of the prep (which is a good thing, because I could never do it alone).

Cookies for the neighbors.  Two neighborhoods.  Plus a couple of old friends.

They love playing Santa!

Revised Recipe

Reposted from here.

Humor aside, I am loving the new translation of the Mass.