Swedish Tea Cakes

 Ingredients for cookies include pecans, butter, powdered sugar, flour, salt and vanilla.

Finished cookies

Swedish Tea Cakes (p.139 in the VV5th Ward cookbook)

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter (2 cubes)
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (almonds or pecans)
extra powdered sugar

Beat 1/2 cup powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt together until light and fluffy. Stir flour into mixture.  Then add nuts to mixture and mix just until dough holds together.  Shape into 1-inch balls and place one inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until cookies are set, not brown.  Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheet, cool slightly, then roll into extra powdered sugar.  Cool completely, then roll again in powdered sugar.  Makes about 3 dozen.  

(Note from cook:  The cookies may be starting to brown on the bottom-this is fine-you just want them to hold their shape and not squish before taking them out of the oven.)

Sunday Randomness: #13 Sun and Shadow on a Mallard duck

 This juvenile female Mallard duck came visiting in early April.

Both pictures were shot on the same day near the same time with the same camera-just different natural lighting from nearby trees.  I wish she wasn't so blurry but she moved faster than we expected but she didn't seem scared.  She was more interested to see if there were food tidbits to be had in the lawn.

Mexicorn Casserole

 Ingredients in top picture with yellow rice, corn and peppers (substituted for Mexicorn), cream of chicken soup, sour cream, butter and cheese

Finished casserole

Mexicorn Casserole p. 37 from the VV 5th Ward Cookbook

1 (5-oz.) Yellow Rice, cooked

1 can Mexicorn (don't drain) 

1 c. sour cream

1 can cream of chicken

3 T. butter, melted

1 c. shedded pepper jack cheese 

Mix everything but the cheese and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.   Top with cheese and cook until melted.  You could also double the recipe and add sauteed onions and cooked chicken to make a main dish.

(Note from Jean: we used a generic corn and peppers blend and a Mexican cheese blend since that's what we had on hand.  It still tasted delicious and we loved it.)