School day memories of Cornmeal Cookies

Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

This unusual cookie recipes comes from Steven Long.

“Many years ago, the cafeteria staff at Rogers High School used to make these cookies, and they were a favorite of mine. The cornmeal adds texture and cuts down on the sweetness of these cookies. I don’t add the raisins when I make them (neither did the cafeteria staff),” Long writes.

Cornmeal Cookies (Rogers High School cafeteria)

¾ cup softened butter ¾ cup sugar

1 egg

1 ½ cups flour

½ cup cornmeal 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup raisins (optional)

Mix the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and beat well. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the raisins, if using) and mix together. Stir in raisins, if desired.

Drop the dough from a teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

REQUESTS

■ Lemon Pecan Pie like that served years ago at E’s Bistro on John F. Kennedy Boulevard in North Little Rock for Suzanne Kirchner.

“I ate there once and it was very good. She had a lemon pecan pie that absolutely would melt in your mouth,” Kirchner writes. “The crust melted in your mouth. The lemon filling was just right and the half pecans on top were perfect.”

■ Banana Bread like Trio’s for AW. “It is dark, moist, and the best banana bread I have ever tasted,” AW writes.

■ Gluten-free biscuits and pie crust recipes for Jo Ray.

Over the last several weeks, I’ve been asking for Alley Kats to share what you’ve been up to in the kitchen. To those of you who have sent in recipes, thank you!

As we transition to fall, I’d love for you to share some of your favorite fall recipes, and of course any recipes you think fellow Alley readers would enjoy.

The new ones, the old ones, the easy ones and the complicated ones. Did you improvise a new way to make a favorite dish without all the ingredients you usually use? Tell us about it. Did you teach yourself a new recipe? We’d love it if you’d share.

Do you have a question about a new-to-you term or ingredient? Just ask and I’ll do my best to answer.

Email recipe contributions, requests and culinary questions to: kbrant@adgnewsroom.com