CHRISTMAS PUFFS

1/2 cup of butter or margarine

1/2 cup of sifted powdered sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon of salt

Meringue Filling

Cream butter with powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla.

Gradually add flour and salt, blending well to make a stiff dough. Form into small balls

and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Make a well in center of each ball with tip of a

wooden spoon handle. Chill while making meringue filling.

MERINGUE FILLING:

1 egg white

2 tablespoons of sugar

1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans

Candied red cherries, halved

Beat egg white until foamy, add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in pecans and

spoon generous amount of mixture into wells in cookies. Bake at 350 degrees for 15

minutes. Top with half a candied cherry after baking. Yield: 2 dozen.