THE COOKIES... mmmmmmm

I promised my cousin Denise that I would give her "the cookie" recipe. This recipe is for shortbread cookies ((the best I may add))... and a wonderful dip icing that is the best ever! We used to bake these cookies in the bakery that Thelma and I had worked at... and we sold gozillians (another one of those bakery words I have spoken of) of them! At the end of the poor bakery's life... before it closed... the local hospital in town made a record cookie order. The hospital used to hold a fund raiser every year for the Children's Miracle Network every Valentines day. They would charge a dollar for each cookie... and the money went to the Network. (at least they did for the last few years that I worked at that bakery.) They were not the only ones who placed large orders on holidays... but valentine's day always seemed to be the worst next to Christmas. Well... on valentine's day the last year I worked there... the hospital called way ahead of time to "start" their order. I don't know how they did it... but they kept calling periodically and raising the amount of cookies they needed. That last valentines day... we started cutting out the shortbread cookie hearts a week or so ahead. We would let them cool... and box them up... and freeze them until the day (or two) before the order was to be picked up. The last order I ever participated in was over 2000 cookies. The manager at the bakery and I would take turns every day cutting out the cookies...(so one person wouldn't get sick of them). The day they were to be iced........ I was scheduled for an 8 hour shift..... just to ice the cookies and help package them... if I had time. Now... keep in mind... we had tons of other orders too... plus all of the tons we had to make for just the bakery. These cookies were very popular and very good. So I'm gonna share it. Why keep all the good stuff locked away in an old crusty cookbook somewhere... I say "share the love!"

Ok.... so here it is. Now remember... this cookie recipe has already been cut from a 5X or 6X batch down to a 1X batch... you will have to do some division and adjust all ingredients accordingly for just a small "homestyle" sized batch.

1X SHORTBREAD CUT OUTS

3 pounds sugar
4 pounds all purpose shortening
6 pounds pastry flour
1 ounce salt
1 pound 8 ounces whole eggs
1 ounce vanilla

Mix all ingredients in mixer until well incorporated. Roll out the cookies about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the cookies out with your favorite shaped cookie cutter. Bake at 350 degrees until slightly (only slightly) golden on the bottom egdes on parchment paper. Let them cool before moving them... and it works better to ice them if they are frozen.


WHITE FUDGE (COOKIE ICING)

10 pounds all purpose shortening
9 cans evaporated milk
50 pounds powdered sugar

*place shortening & milk in bottom of bowl
and sugar on top
MIX VERY LITTLE...1O SECONDS IN 3RD

This icing is best if kept in an air tight container in the fridge. To ice the cookies... warm the icing in a double boiler... or put it in the microwave and "watch and stir" often until it is thinner and easy to stir and it has a shine to it... do not get it too hot however. ((If you take the icing out of the fridge and it has a hard crust on the top... gently sprinkle with water and dump off excess... just to moisten the top layer slightly before heating it)). When the cookies are cooled... or frozen... stir the icing and dip the cookie top into the icing and use a flat spatula or knife edge to ease off the excess. Let the cookies stand so the icing will set up for a bit... them eat em!

I told ya they were large bakery sized recipies. Do a little of that math that you never thought you would ever need so the amount will fit into your bowl or mixer.... and make ya the best cookies in the world that will melt in your mouth!

My friend Thelma's husband, Butch, was craving some of these cookies and she needed the recipe. I have it somewhere in my spare room full of partially unpacked boxes... but I went 30 miles today to get it. The manager that I used to work with now owns his own bakery in a little town called Chewelah about 30 miles from where I live. **It is called "Go Nuts Donuts". It has a little painted donut man with red converse type sneakers on the window. Well worth stopping by if you are ever in the area.** I knew he would give it to me if I asked. My poor little toesies needed some time out... so we went down there to get it. Of course you know... I then needed one of his very delicious finger lickin good best in the entire universe apple fritters once I got there. So there Rich and I sat... each enjoying a cup of coffee and fritter... and visiting with an old friend. Not only that... when I asked for the recipe... he brought out the same old books... with the same old crust still on them!! EWWWW! His books need a clean up... but... they sure hold some of the best things inside! This is one time that the old saying is true... "Never judge a book by its cover!"