Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
When we received a note from Phyllis Odden requesting a recipe for Mexican Wedding Cookies, I was sure I'd have no problem finding a version of the cookie in the Idea Alley recipe files.
I was wrong.
A search of the archives was fruitless. As was a search through our treasured Southern community cookbook collection and various cookie cookbooks. Just when I thought I'd have to list the request in this column I spied The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book on the bookshelf. And voila, there it was.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
1/2 pound shelled pecans or walnuts
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup superfine sugar (see note)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 4 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Finely grind half of the nuts in a food processor to the texture of cornmeal. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Coarsely chop the remaining nuts. Add the chopped nuts to the ground nuts. Stir in the flour and salt.
In a large bowl, beat the butter and superfine sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla.
On low speed, slowly add the nut-flour mixture. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat until dough is cohesive.
(The dough can be tightly wrapped with plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 3 days; let soften at room temperature, then portion and bake as directed.)
Working with 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, roll dough into balls and place balls on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about 1 inch apart.
Bake until pale gold and bottoms are just beginning to brown, about 18 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
Once completely cool, roll the cookies, 3 or 4 at a time, in the confectioners' sugar to coat. Just before serving, gently re-roll the cookies in additional confectioners' sugar and shake off the excess.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Note: If you can't find superfine sugar, whirl 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a blender or food processor for 30 seconds, then measure out 1/3 cup.
Several punch recipes have been featured in Idea Alley recently. Here's one more from Arlyn Kramer.
"I clipped the recipe from the Arkansas Living magazine years ago, and have modified it a bit," Kramer writes.
Mexican Punch
1/2 gallon sweet tea
1/2 cup granulated sugar
48 ounces pineapple juice
1 (6-ounce) can orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup lemon juice
Mix together and chill. Serve over crushed ice. Can also be frozen in a large container, stirring occasionally until slushy, then served.
Makes 1 gallon.
REQUEST
Roof Jack Potatoes and meatloaf containing grated carrots and milk for Maxine Ratliff.
Send recipe requests, contributions and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; email:
kbrant@arkansasonline.com
Please include a daytime phone number.
Food on 04/01/2015