5. MEXICAN WEDDING BALLS (IT STARTS WITH BUTTER)

My friend Nadine Wiser spoke at her daughter’s funeral.  No parent should have to do such a thing.  It’s against the natural order of things for us to bury our children.  But Nadine is a wise and joyful soul and she spoke with delight about her daughter, Luana, who died suddenly and unexpectedly in the prime of her life.  Nadine told about the time Luana took them on a tour of the Pepperidge Farm factory where she worked.  That day they were making Milano Cookies. They followed the assemblage of ingredients along the path to perfection.  When they were done there were thousands of delicious Milano cookies being loaded into packages.  As Luana walked her parents to the exit, she remarked,

“You know that’s gotta be some recipe when you start with 400 pounds of butter, add 400 pounds of sugar and end with chocolate chips.”

Luana knew what all good cooks know: it all starts with butter.

One of my sister Libby’s favorite cookies is the Mexican Wedding Ball. We still talk about the unhappy moment after my wedding reception when someone set the large bin of leftover Mexican Wedding Balls on top of the car and drove off, leaving a trail of deliciousness rolling down Old Clairton Road.

Here we have one of the simplest of recipes, full of calories…mostly cuz it is full of…you got it…butter.

MEXICAN WEDDING BALLS

1 
cup butter, softened

1/2
cup powdered sugar

1 
teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4
cups sifted flour

1/4
teaspoon salt

3/4
cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

powdered sugar(for rolling baked cookies in)

DIRECTIONS

            Cream together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy; stir in vanilla.

            Whisk together flour and salt; add gradually to butter mixture; stir in chopped nuts.

            Chill dough if it seems too soft.

            Form dough into 1 1/4" balls and place onto parchment-lined or ungreased baking sheets.

            Bake at 400° for 10-12 minutes or just until the cookies start to turn light golden-brown; remove from oven and allow to cool slightly; while cookies are still warm (but NOT hot) remove them from baking sheets and roll, a few at a time, in powdered sugar until evenly coated; cool cookies completely on wire racks.

            Cookies may (optionally) be rolled in powdered sugar a second time once cooled to room temperature.          36-48 cookies

Parker, my grandson, offers culinary advice below:

              

("every good cook knows the best recipes begin with this...BUTTER")