Ladyfingers

     You should always have some of these ladyfinger cookies on hand because they are not only tasty cookies, but they are included in many dessert recipes as a base for trifles and puddings.


6 separated eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Dash of salt                                                                                                                                       2/3 cup sifted flour
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

     Heat oven to 300. Grease and flour or spray two baking sheets. Whisk egg yolks till thick. Beat in sugar slowly and add vanilla. Combine egg whites with the salt and beat till it peaks. Add a quarter of the egg whites and a quarter of the flour to the yolk mixture. Fold gently. Do this again and again till all the flour and whites are in.

     Lay in strips using a pastry or plastic bag with the corner snipped. Lay 1 inch apart on the baking sheets. Sift powdered sugar over cookies till well covered. Tip pan and gently shake to remove the excess powdered sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes on top rack. Cool on the same sheets for a couple minutes, then transfer sheets to wire rack. When cool remove from sheets and either store or serve.photo credit: distopiandreamgirl via photopin cc

Cheese Cake Cookies

1/3 cup lightly salted butter, soft
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup pecan, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 egg
2 T milk
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

     Grease or spray an 8x8 baking pan and heat oven to 350. Cream brown sugar and butter till well combined, then stir in flour and pecans. Put aside 1 cup for the top. Using fingers press the remainder into the bottom of the pan to make the crust. Bake about 15 minutes just till lightly browned.

     Blend sugar with cream cheese, then beat in egg, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Pour this filling over the crust and use rest of crumbs mix for topping. Bake for 25 minutes. Chill on wire rack for 15 minutes and them put in fridge till chilled. Cut squares and serve. photo credit: Christi @ Love From The Oven via photopin cc