Very good! Yes Dessert First!

Persimmon Cookies

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup persimmon pulp

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

¼ teaspoon each of salt, cloves, nutmeg

and cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup raisins

1 cup nuts

Cream shortening and sugar-add eggs and

Cream again.  Add vanilla and persimmon

pulp, stir well, mix in flour which has been

sifted with spices, soda and baking powder,

stir well.  Add raisins and nuts.

Drop by teaspoonful on greased baking

sheet.  Bake 12 minutes at 350°

Recipe makes about 31/2 dozen cookies.

Norwegian Apricot Bars

1 cup dried apricots

Crust:

½ cup butter (1Stick)

¼ cup sugar

1 cup flour

Topping:

2 eggs

1 cup light brown sugar, well packed

½ cup flour

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

½ cup-chopped pecans or walnuts

1/3 to ½ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°.  Rinse the apricots.

Place in a saucepan and cover with water.

Bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes or

until tender. 
Drain well. 
Cool and cut into small pieces.  In a mixing

bowl, combine the butter, sugar and flour. 
Blend together until crumbly.  Press into

the bottom of a greased 9 inch square pan

…or use a 9x13 pan to make a thinner bar

and the crust still holds up well).  While

the crust is baking prepare the topping. 
Beat the eggs and add the brown sugar

gradually. 
Add the flour, salt, baking powder and

vanilla and mix well.  Fold in the nuts

and apricots.  Remove the crust from the oven. 

Spread the topping over the crust, return

to the oven and bake for approximately

30 minutes more.  Cool, and then cut in bars

or squares and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Yield 40 bars if you use a 9x13 pan.

These are delicious!