Wedding Cookies

One of the best Christmas gifts I have ever received -and one I use at least every few months- is a cookbook my aunt Susie created using recipes from family and friends.  She collected and printed these recipes.  Then she put them in a 3-ring binder.

Today that binder is filled with other bits of paper with recipes from my mother and own friends.  It is my go-to cookbook when I want to make one of the delicious recipes my mom, aunt, or maternal grandmother would make.  I know this cookbook is a work of love, but it also took a great deal of time to make and copy.  Yet, what a wonderful gift this makes for any family of cooks.

Here is a recipe from my aunt Susie's cookbook courtesy of her friend Gus L. Liveakos.  Mr. Liveakos was a famous local cook and these wedding cookies were his specialty.

Gus L. Liveakos' Wedding Cookies

2 cups sifted all purpose flour
2 sticks (1 cup) margarine, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 (1 pound) box confectioners sugar
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

Sift flour and 7 tablespoons of confectioners sugar together into a large bowl.

Blend in the margarine one spoonful at a time.

Add vanilla and mix well.

Add pecans and mix well.

Cover and chill dough for up to a week.

When ready to use, grease a cookie sheet with oil spray and wipe off.  Take a 1/4 of the mixture and form balls about the size of the end of a thumb.  Each 1/4 of the mixture should make around 30 balls.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Do not overcook.

Cool the baked cookies slightly.

Fill a paper bag with the remaining confectioners sugar.  Put the warm cookies in the bag and gently roll from side to side.  Do not shake or the delicate cookies will shake.  Coat the cookies with the confectioners/powdered sugar.

DIETS:
Diabetic:  no
Gluten Free:  no
Nightshade Family Free:  yes
Paleo:  no
SugarBusters:  no
Sugar Free:  no
Vegan:  no
Vegetarian:  yes* (only if you use vegetable shortening instead of lard)
Wheat Free:  no
200 Calories or Under:  no

Notice:  Be sure to check with your doctor and nutritionist about the safety of any eating plan for you.  Also, check ingredients as different brands and products may have different ingredients or have changed them since this post.  Some calories are estimates based on packaging.