Mexican Wedding Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 pound soft unsalted butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups finely chopped pecans
• 5 cups sifted pastry flour
• Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and powdered sugar in mixer until light and fluffy, about 1015 minutes. Add vanilla, salt and pecans. Remove from mixer and stir in pastry flour by hand being careful not to overmix. Form into football shapes about the size of small walnuts and place on a buttered cookie sheet. Bake 1012 minutes or until just beginning to get the slightest bit colored on the bottom. Remove upon the first sign of color and set on a rack to cool. When cool enough to touch place in a bowl with powdered sugar on top and bottom and toss gently. Occasionally toss with sugar while cooling, trying to get as much sugar as possible to stick. When cold, place cookies in airtight container and cover until ready to serve.

Honey Lavender Ice Cream

Ingredients

Makes about 1 quart

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup dried lavender
• 1/3 cup honey
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine milk, lavender, and honey. Bring to a gentle boil, cover, and remove from heat. Let steep for 5 minutes. Strain mixture, reserving milk and discarding lavender.
2. Combine egg yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until very thick and pale yellow, 3 to 5 minutes. Meanwhile, return milk to a medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
3. Add half the milk to egg-yolk mixture, and whisk until blended. Stir mixture into remaining milk, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
4. Remove from heat, and immediately stir in cream. Strain mixture into a medium mixing bowl set in an ice-water bath, and let stand until chilled, stirring from time to time. Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Store in an airtight plastic container up to 2 weeks.