Julie who?

When I started this blog, I really didn't expect to chronicle my attempts at cooking. However, the unemployed must find something to occupy their time, and today I chose baking. Thus far I have finished a batch of Nanny Tilton's fruit cookies and a batch of Family Circle's cocoa oatmeal jumbos. There's also a sweet potato pound cake in the oven that I have high hopes for.

Okay, I abandoned writing for a while. The first batch of mini pound cakes just came out of the oven. Nanny Tilton, you are an amazing woman. They are delicious.

Anyway. The real point of this post was to inform you, and anyone scanning the blogosphere for Julie Powell copyright infringements, that these posts are not standard operating procedure around here. In fact, I've been hiring a ghostwriter for the past week, so it's not even me writing and you can't sue me at all. But do yourself a favor and try this recipe:

Nanny Tilton's (née Gatzman) Fruit Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups flour
1 cup crushed pineapple (Note: My mom always blots off the excess pineapple juice when she makes these cookies. Personally, I use a slotted spoon to make sure the pineapple isn't sopping, but I think a little juice in the cookie mix is good.)
1/2 cup chopped maraschino cherries (They will inevitably dye your fingers)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla

Combine the shortening and sugar and beat until fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients and add to mixture alternately with pineapple. Add other fruits and mix well. Rounded spoonfuls on a tray. I baked them at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes. You want the bottoms to be a golden brown color. Enjoy! Just don't share with the masses. Or the Russians.