Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my dad's birthday so first let me say HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! My parents just got back from vacation so while they were gone I whipped up some Pecan Sandies my dad has been wanting. Parents are so hard to buy gifts for when they have everything so you can't go wrong with food!

This is a quick and easy recipe and makes about 40 spoon full size cookies. I throw in extra chopped pecans so had a hard time rolling them in balls because they wouldn't stick together. That's why I chose to use a spoon and then mound up the dough before dropping it on the cookie sheet. I think they actually looked better by doing it this way.

Pecan Sandies

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg, beaten

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Measure flour, cream of tarter and baking soda together and set aside. Cream vegetable shortening and sugars together until fluffy. Add vanilla, salt and egg to sugar mixture and beat until smooth.

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture 1/3 at a time, beating after each addition until smooth. dough will seem a little thick. Stir pecans into dough with a strong wooden spoon. Chill dough for 30-45 minutes.

Roll dough into 1 to 1 1/4 inch balls on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten balls to 1/4 inch thickness. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until slightly golden brown. Remove to cooling rack. When completely cool, store in air-tight container.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!