Segues.

[mrissa]

timprov has almost all of our household's CDs on his computer now in a big random playlist, and the segues just kill me sometimes. We just went from the song about the girl from Duluth ("Where do bad folks go when they DIIIIIE? they don't go to heaven where the angels flyyy...") to a recording of the ballad of Tam Lin. Beautiful.

Also it makes me want to work on "Water, Flesh, and Stone." Which is not the short story I'm supposed to be finishing, but as usual I have Arlo Guthrie in my head reminding me that "you can't always do what you're s'pposed to be doin'."

Oh, and thence into Janis Joplin, ohhhhh, random play, how I love thee.

Without other segues entirely: one of you asked about cream cheese drops in an anonymous comment a few days ago. I've got the recipe up here. For those of you who have been around my parents or their cookies at Christmas, these are the ones iced in pink and green, the ones everybody always likes.

Comments

[zalena.livejournal.com]

We should all share our favorite recipes for Xmas. Your recipe falls in the category of "Frighteningly Good with Frightening Ingredients." (By which I mean Oleo, which I have never used for anything in cooking, but is probably essential to get the right texture.) Other holiday foods in this category include "Sausage Cheese Balls," which is Jimmy Dean Sausage and Cheez Whiz, and "Spice Tea," which is Lipton Instant Tea and Tang.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

You've never used oleomargarine in anything? Wow. It's really not that scary, just veg oil in little sticks.

[zalena.livejournal.com]

My family has been anti-margarine my entire life. We are butter people. The way most people feel about lard is how I was raised to feel about margarine.

[aimeempayne.livejournal.com]

I love setting my iPod to random. I get Beethoven, The White Stripes, The Go-Gos, Dr. Dre, and Yo-Yo Ma.

[marykaykare.livejournal.com]

What would happen if I were to replace the oleo with butter?

MKK

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

The universe would disappear in a flash of pale chartreuse light?

Seriously, I'm not sure. Probably you would have to feel the dough texture and add a bit of flour. I think it could be done, especially if you were willing to make a partial batch and see how they baked up and work from there.

[zalena.livejournal.com]

I never know who can read responses in threads, I hope marykaykare can see this too:

Butter has a lower melting point than margarine. It also has a higher fat content. Either of these properties generally change the consistency, especially in something that is unleavened. The lower melting point usually makes cookies crunchier. The higher fat content usually makes them shinier. (Greasy.) In this case the presence of cream cheese may alleviate either outcome. I guess one would just have to try the recipe and find out!

[sylvery.livejournal.com]

Another question about the cookies: I know you say the nuts are not optional, but what if I really really want to try these--but am allergic to nuts?

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. A tiny bit of oats, perhaps? It won't be "exactly the same," but it might be a slightly different kind of good.

My mom has a walnut allergy that we thought was a more general nut allergy, and a lot of our favorite cookies are fairly nut-heavy. I made up a recipe for raspberry fudge meringues to give her a Christmassy nut-free alternative. Are you interested in that recipe?

[sylvery.livejournal.com]

I'll try putting oats in. I had thought of coconut, but I don't really like the texture of coconut in cookies.

Yes, please, I'd like the raspberry fudge meringue recipe--and thanks!

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I have it entered in a contest, so I don't want to post it until I hear on that. Silly, I know, but there it is. I will e-mail you the recipe if you send to mris at-sign marissalingen dot com to tell me what e-mail address to use.