From The Kitchen of The Cypress House Feb.28, 1979:

Cookie baking is the Stamm girls’ job in the kitchen of The Cypress House, and I rarely try my hand at the task. But this past Saturday there wasn’t an assistant chef to be found and we needed a big batch of cookies for the Millsaps basketball team.

It was time to test a recipe given me several months ago by Enez Bourdon and similar to one highly praised by Frances Cashman. It’s so easy, it’s difficult to believe how truly good the cookie bars can be. Thought if you didn’t have the recipe already, you might like to try it.

Praline Cookies

Honey Graham Cracker, whole

2 sticks oleo

1 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

Cover a cookie sheet with the graham crackers, placing them as close together as possible.

Bring oleo and brown sugar to a boil and let boil for two minutes, stirring constantly. Add pecans and spread mixture evenly over graham crackers.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cut and separate immediately. Let cool.

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From The Kitchen

of The Cypress House, March 26,1980:

At a supper party we attended last week, dessert was a big tin of delicious sugar-coated cookies. Delicate little cocoon-shaped morsels of shortbread, crunchy with pecans, and just enough for that “something sweet” dessert.

The cocoons made me think back….My mother made similar cookies she called butterfingers. They were always a family favorite.

This weekend I looked up my mother’s recipe in the old file. It would be a good recipe to have for the Easter week festivities. We’d like to share it with you.

Butterfingers

2 sticks sweet butter

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 1/2 to 3 cups flour, sifted before measuring

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups chopped pecans

Additional confectioners’ sugar

Cream butter and sugar. Add flour, vanilla and nuts. Mix well. Refrigerate until easy to handle.

Pinch off small pieces and mold into cocoon shapes. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar while still warm.