Holly Clusters

1 1/4 c Firmly-packed brown sugar

3/4 c Golden crisco shortening

2 tb Milk

1 tb Vanilla

1 Egg

1 3/4 c All-purpose flour

1 ts Salt

3/4 ts Baking soda

1 c Semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 c Coarsely chopped pecans *

Decoration: 3 1/2 tb Icing sugar

1/2 ts Water

4 oz Marzipan

Green food colouring 1 sm Red cinnamon candies

1. Preheat oven to 375oF (190oC). Place sheets of foil on

countertop for cooling cookies. 2. Combine brown sugar, shortening, milk and vanilla in

large bowl. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Beat egg into creamed mixture. 3. Combine flour, salt and baking soda. Mix into creamed

mixture just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. 4. Drop by rounded measuring tablespoonfuls (15 mL) of

dough 3 inches (7 cm) apart onto ungreased baking sheet. 5. Bake one baking sheet at a time at 375oF (190oC) for 8

to 10 minutes for chewy cookies, or 11 to 13 minutes for crisp cookies. DO NOT OVER BAKE. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to foil to cool completely. 6. For decoration, mix icing sugar with water to form

thick paste. 7. Add green food colouring to marzipan until desired

colour. Roll marzipan 1/16-inch (2 mm). Cut into holly leaf shapes using a sharp knife or small cutter. Place leaves on cooled cookies with paste. Add small red candies for holly berries. Allow to set completely before storing cookies. 3 dozen cookies. * If nuts are omitted, add an additional 1/2 cup (125 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips. -----