holiday baking, part 2

Today was another day of holiday baking. For the very first time, I attempted to make Grandma Pete's Date Pinwheels. I got the recipe last year, but ran out of time before I could make them. You have to cook the filling, make the dough and then roll it out, spread the filling on and roll it up like a jelly roll. After chilling the rolls for a couple of hours you just slice and bake them. It's a bit of a project. My cookies taste like Grandma's, but they do not look as perfect as hers did. I guess that was either from years of practice or the fact that she had Papa to slice the cookies with his electric knife. Here's the recipe:

Grandma Pete's Date Pinwheels

2 cups dates - cut fine

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

3 eggs beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 cups flour

Make filling first - chop dates finely, add water and sugar and cook until thick. Set aside to cool.

Make dough - Mix shortening and sugars; add 3 beaten eggs. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Flour hands and surface well. Roll 1/2 of the dough into a circle. Spread 1/2 of the filling onto dough. Roll up like a jelly roll and chill. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Chill both for a couple of hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice and bake on cookie sheets for 10-12 minutes.