Snowballs or soccer balls, whatever you prefer

'Tis the season for baking and I have fulfilled this calling, my feet and legs can attest to this statement due to the time spent cooking over the stove and standing in front of the uneven burning oven, but I think the pain is well worth it. I enjoy baking and making gifts for people with the homemade goodies, but I have to confess I like to eat the homemade goodies almost just as much. Before I knew it, during my baking marathon, I had eaten a half a dozen cookies completely without realization. When I go to the Y this month, I tell myself, it's all about maintaining my weight. Apparently I'm exercising in order to go back home and devour another half dozen of cookies, plus a cup of hot chocolate!

Oh well, as I said, 'tis the season, and I just made what has become a tradition in our home around Christmas time; what we lovingly call Momma's Skillet Cookies. My son calls them snowballs and sometimes calls them soccer balls for good reason. They are small round balls of outrageousness coated in awesomeness, well really Rice Krispies cereal, dates, sugar, and pecans coated in powdered sugar. It's like Christmas exploded in your mouth as soon as you take a bite! Try 'em, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. My momma's tradition is now my own. Once you have tried these you may want to make it yours too.....

Momma's Skillet Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup dates, chopped

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sugar

1 egg, well-beaten

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

powdered confectioner sugar, enough to coat cookies

Directions:

Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Combine sugar and egg, mix well. Add sugar mixture and dates to melted butter. Cook 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring to keep from sticking. Remove from heat. Add vanilla, nuts, and cereal; stir until combined. Let cool, until able to touch. Pour powdered sugar into a small bowl and roll cookies in sugar till coated. Seriously, I'm telling you, Christmas in your mouth!