RECIPE: MOMMA’S COCOONS

Momma and Daddy had the State Times newspaper delivered every afternoon. Back then, folks had a choice of the morning or evening edition. This was the way we received news if one can only imagine. Yes, we had a television with limited stations and viewing. But Momma and Daddy were young parents who were interested in the world around them. They also liked to read obituaries and Daddy especially liked the crossword puzzle.

Some of my earliest memories include seeing both of them every evening after supper perusing that paper. Daddy had a vinyl chair with wooden arms. The bottom pulled out as a footrest. There was a button on the arm one pushed to allow the chair to go back. I loved pushing that button to make it come back forward because it made a very loud racket. I used to think when it slammed forward, it would pitch me right into the air but it never did. Daddy smoked a pipe back then and I can still see that smoke trailing upwards as he read the current events.

One Christmas, the newspaper announced a children’s coloring contest. Now I was too young to remember this but the story has been told countless times so I will tell you as I was told.

My sister, Diane was about nine or ten years old and Momma thought she was a near genius and artist. She was the first child. Diane didn’t need much encouragement because she loved to color and she was creative. Her teacher confirmed this for Momma. Diane had drawn a dog for an artwork assignment. Poor Momma was horrified that Diane had gone so far as to ensure everyone would know this was a male pooch. The teacher allayed Momma’s fears that her oldest child would have some perversion and stated that Diane paid meticulous attention to detail so not to worry. That didn’t keep Momma from worrying, I am sure.

Anyway, Diane entered the contest and actually won. She had a choice of prizes. There was a large doll with an extensive wardrobe or a Lionel train set. And she selected the train so she could give it to Daddy for Christmas. Now, I happen to know that I would have picked the doll being the middle child. But she was the oldest, a thinker and she had a heart.

This train set had about ten cars, tracks, some accessories like the crossing signs, control box and even little pills that you dropped in the first car smokestack. The pills made actual smoke as the train went around the tracks. Every Christmas that I remember, Daddy set that train up under the tree. We would all help unpack each car and put the tracks together. He would always acknowledge how he came by this train set. When company came, we always had the train running around the tree.

As the years passed by, my children enjoyed the train. Daddy gave it to my daughter when her son, Brady was born. My son-in-law, Francis (Actually I call him St. Francis because he is still married to my daughter) set it up this year. It is still in great condition. The Saint was able to order a new control box and made some track adjustments. Lionel trains are made to last. Just think if Diane had selected that doll, it would have been long gone and maybe not even a memory. The choices we make….a very interesting statement someone once made. This train is about sixty-three years old and still going. I hope it survives a few more generations and they understand how it came to be.

Like Daddy’s Lionel train, we also came to expect Momma’s Cocoons every year. They were small bite-sized cookies covered with powdered sugar. And they were shaped like a real cocoon because Momma pointed out the real ones out to us in the yard. They were under leaves and on branches.

So, now that the train is set up and running and the Cocoons are out of the oven, I know it is Christmas time. Why? Cause Momma and Daddy said so.

Yield: 24-30

MOMMA'S COCOONS

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Small, sweet cookie that has ground pecans in dough. Outside is covered with powdered sugar

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 3/4 cup confectioners sugar plus additional cup for rolling the dough in
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
• 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup ground pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare cookie sheets by placing parchment paper on the bottom.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Beat butter until creamy.
4. Add egg and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
5. Add confectioners sugar and flavorings.
6. Slowly add flour mixture.
7. Add pecans and mix just until completely blended.
8. Take about 1/2 teaspoonful and roll into a ball. Roll into the confectioner's sugar and gently roll between palms to obtain a rectangular shape. Gently curve into an arc like a cocoon.
9. Bake 8-10 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven. Cool a couple of minutes and roll in confectioner's sugar.

Notes

Remember these cookies rise due to the baking powder. The key to these are bite size.