Recipe - Benne (Sesame Seed) Cookies

1 cup Benne (sesame) seeds
1 One half cup Brown sugar, packed
1 cup Allpurpose flour
One fourth teaspoon Baking powder
One fourth teaspoon Salt
Three fourths cup Butter or margarine, melted
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Known as sesame seeds in most of the country, "benne" is the name
southerners learned to call these seeds, which were brought from Africa by
slaves. Toasting benne seeds develop their flavor and also gives these
cookies a slightly crunchy texture.

Heat oven to 375ø. Toast benne seeds on ungreased baking sheet until light
brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Watch closely so they don't burn.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients. Drop dough by One half teaspoonfuls 1 1/2
inches apart onto greased baking sheet. Bake at 375ø until light brown,
about 46 minutes. Cool about 2 minutes before removing from baking sheets
to wire rack to cool completely. Store in tightly covered cookie tin when
thoroughly cooled.

Yield: about 6 dozen. Pat Thomas, retired food editor, Yakima WA

Randy Shearer

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini