Memories....Like the Corners of My Mind

I saw this recipe and had to try it.  My mother, who passed away in 1993, always loved the flavor Anise. She wasn't much of a cookie maker, but she did make these candy cane cookies where the red was Anise and the white was vanilla. We always had a bottle around our house.  However, I hadn't bought one in years.  It's a very strong flavor and certainly not for everyone.  It has a slight flavor of black licorice.  As one who picks out the black jelly beans at Easter to eat not to throw away, it's made for me.  These cookies were so, so good and took me back to my childhood.  My daughter, Emily, who doesn't like the black jelly beans gave them her stamp of approval, so maybe you don't have to acquire the taste before you like them.  Also, these are kind of interesting because they use oil instead of shortening or butter.  It really took me back to my mom's cookies.  For some reason she hated shortening and we never used it in our cookies!

ITALIAN ANISETTE COOKIES

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon anise extract
1 teaspoon anise extract
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons hot water

Preheat over to 375 degrees.

In large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and white sugar.  Make a well in the center and add oil, milk, 1 tablespoon anise extract, and eggs.  Mix together until dough is sticky.

Oil fingers and pinch off dough in 1 inch pieces.  Roll into a ball and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, 1 inch apart, flatten top slightly.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Dip cookies in icing while warm.

To make icing:  blend in 1 teaspoon anise extract and enough hot water to 1 cup confectioners sugar to form a smooth icing.

Source:  Allrecipes.com, Submitted by Heather. You can find it here.

Above: Here are the cookies that my mom gave me so I could try. I ate them for breakfast this morning! I have decided that if I ever make these, I will need to have a plan to give most of them away...because these would be a dangerous thing for me to have in the house. They would be gone before the week was out, and they would be eaten mostly by me! The flavor was just right...not overpowering, and as I said before, the texture was amazing...they melt in your mouth.