Birds In The Nest

1 c Brown sugar

1 c Butter or shortening

2 Eggs, separated

2 tb Water

2 c Unsifted flour

1 ts Vanilla

1 pn Salt

1/2 c Ground nuts

Jelly-your favorite flavor These cookies have been a "must" on my family`s holiday table since I was a little girl. My earliest memories of "birds in the nest" take me back to my maternal grandmother`s house where she filled each "nest" according to the favorite jelly flavor of each of her grandchildren. In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter or shortening. Add egg yolks, water, flour, vanilla and salt. Mix well and compress into a ball. Preheat oven to 350?. Break pieces off to form small, walnut-size balls. Dip each ball in unbeaten egg whites, then roll in ground nuts. Slightly flatten ball to form disk, then press finger in center to form a small well. Fill the well with a drop of jelly. (Don`t put in to much or it will melt over the side of the cookie.) Bake at 350? for 15-20 minutes on a greased cookie sheet Remove from oven and cool cookies on wire racks. Yield: about 4 dozen. Bunny Polmer, Editor, Kitchen Bazaar Times, Rockville, MD Randy Shearer