1 teaspoon baking powder

1 and teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt (decrease to teaspoon if you use salted

pecans)

1 and cups finely ground pecans (grind them up in your

food processor with the steel blade and measure

AFTER grinding)

2 beaten eggs (just whip them up with a fork)

3 cups flour (don't sift pack it down in the cup when you

measure it)

Microwave the b.u.t.ter in a microwave-safe bowl to melt it. Add the sugar and vanilla extract. Stir until blended, and then add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well.

Add the finely ground pecans to the bowl and mix them in.

Pour in the beaten eggs and stir until everything is thoroughly blended.

Add the flour in one-cup increments, mixing after each addition. Continue to mix until all the ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Let the dough sit for 10 minutes to firm up. Then form the dough into walnut-sized b.a.l.l.s with your impeccably clean fingers, and arrange them on a greased cookie sheet, 12 dough b.a.l.l.s for each standard sheet. (You can also spray the cookie sheets with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray, or line them with parchment paper.) Hannah's 1st Note: If the dough is too sticky to form into b.a.l.l.s, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes and then try again.

Flatten the dough b.a.l.l.s with a fork in a crisscross pattern. (If the fork sticks, either spray it with Pam or dip it in flour.) Bake at 350 degrees F. for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown around the edges. Cool them on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to finish cooling. When they're cool, prepare the frosting.

PRALINE FROSTING:.

cup b.u.t.ter (one and a half sticks)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or 1 and teaspoons vanilla

extract and teaspoon of maple extract)

3 and cups powdered sugar (not sifted)

cup cream

cup finely chopped pecans

approximately 6 dozen pecan halves for decoration (optional)

Before you start, arrange the cooled cookies on racks or on sheets of wax paper. Then heat the b.u.t.ter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it turns a medium shade of brown (the color of peanut b.u.t.ter). Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract (and the maple flavoring if you use it). Blend in the powdered sugar, the cream, and the finely chopped pecans. Stir the frosting with a spoon until it's well mixed, but don't let it cool completely.

Frost the cookies and place a pecan half (optional) on top of each cookie for decoration. (Frosting these cookies is like spreading b.u.t.ter and you don't have to spread it all the way out to the edges.) If your frosting hardens before you're through, sc.r.a.pe it into a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for 30 seconds to 1 minute on HIGH in the microwave to soften it so that you can spread it again.

Let the finished cookies rest on racks or on wax paper until the frosting has hardened for at least an hour. Then store the cookies in a cookie jar or other closed container.

Yield: Approximately 8 dozen, depending on cookie size.

Hannah's 2nd Note: These cookies, unfrosted, make a delicious "tea" cookie with a light, delicate flavor. The only changes you have to make are: roll the dough b.a.l.l.s smaller and press them down with the heel of your impeccably clean hand. Bake them for about 8 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden. They're EXCELLENT with hot chocolate.

RAISIN DROPS.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

Jo Fluke's Note: This recipe is from my good friend, Lois Brown.

1 and cups raisins (I've used regular raisins, and also

golden raisins they're both good.)

1 and cups water (right out of the tap is fine)

3 and cups all purpose flour (don't sift just scoop it

out and level it off with a knife)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup softened b.u.t.ter (2 sticks, 8 ounces, pound)

1 and cups white (granulated) sugar

3 eggs, beaten (just whip them up in a gla.s.s with a fork)