OK, the Christmas presents are wrapped and under the tree. All the home made gifts are done and some of them delivered to some special folks I've met here in Northville/Novi who've made my life so much better. During this break from school I've really enjoyed making treats, getting into the Christmas spirit, sleeping! relaxing! getting ready for the next semester, spending time with good friends, and most of all getting to see my boys! I'm going to make my grandmother's Nut Horns today and I always enjoy making them because I remember the day I sat at her kitchen table watching her make them. It was a few days before I got married and she was making them for the "cookie trays" for the reception. Don't know if any of you observe that tradition when you attend weddings for friends or family, but it Johnstown, PA, it's HUGE! When my niece got married, we had so many cookies. Her mother in law and I put the trays together and there were tons. I made all of my favorite cookies for her wedding. I remember my wedding as well. Only we had cookie trays at the bridal shower as well. Anyway, I remember my grandmother making the cookies and "showing me the ropes." I'll never forget that day. If only she could see me now, and my Mom as well. I miss them both so much. Having 3 brothers and 2 sons, I don't have a lot of women in my life. I have two great sister-in-laws who are married to my brothers, and I miss Dan's sister and my niece.
So, here's my grandmother's Nut Horn Recipe. Believe me, it took me a couple of years to perfect it because she didn't put measurements on her recipe cards - she had them in her head! I have both my grandmother's and my Mom's recipe boxes. I also have some of my Mom's cookbooks, along with he ones I've collected throughout the years, and new ones I've purchased recently since I started school. Maybe this is what I was truly meant to do. I wouldn't change a thing about the last 38 years of my life, though. Meeting and falling in love with Dan, all the wonderful years we had together and the two terrific sons we have. I guess it's going to take a while to get over Dan - the hurt, the sadness, the pain that's we've caused each other. Looking back now, I wish we would have worked on our marriage - made it a priority. I hope someday we can be friends again. It's so hard going through life, experiencing everything, and not being able to tell the one person in the world - the person I've shared everything with for the past 38 years - all about it. There are times when something will happen and I still think I can't wait to tell Dan. Then I remember. Divorce and these feelings are going to be a part of my life for the rest of my life. I pray every day that God helps to heal both of our hearts.
Nanny's Nut Horns
5 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. Crisco (I use 1/2 lb. Crisco and 1/2 lb. butter)
Mix like a pie crust. Dissolve 3 pkgs. dry yeast in 1 cup luke-warm milk and 2 eggs. Add to dry mixture. (I let this set in frig. for several hours.) Roll into a circle like a pie crust on a mixture of flour, confectioner's sugar and granulated sugar to about 1/8" thickness. Cut into 8 equal triangles. Starting at wide end, put about 1 tsp. of nut mixture on the dough(or canned apricot, raspberry, or pineapple) and roll up to the point, which will end up on top, and that's how you'll place it on the cookie sheet. Form the cookie into a slight crescent shape. Now Nanny didn't list how long to bake them, so I've estimated they should bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. You could bake at 375 degrees for a shorter amount of time, but I'm always afraid of burning them. After they come out of the oven, remove from the cookie sheet, wait about a minute, then roll them in confectioner's sugar.
Nut Mixture:
2 cups ground pecans or walnuts
1 cup sugar
enough hot milk to moisten
The proportions of the mixture can be adjusted. I cut this in half because I use other fillings as well. My Mom's favorite filling was prune!
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