Mrs. Hayes' Christmas Cookies
Contributed by Diane S.

Barbara Cohn, Baltimore

"Mrs. Hayes was a neighbor of mine in the early '70s and gave this recipe
to me. It is with fond memories I bake this now with my granddaughter,
Stephanie [Carter, age 7]."

Makes about 4 1/2 dozen to 5 dozen

3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1/4 cup chopped pecans
3-4 plain Hershey bars, broken into segments
30 pecan halves

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Cream together butter and
sugars, and add egg, vanilla, oatmeal and pecans. Fold into flour mixture.

Shape dough into 3 (5-inch) rolls, about 1 1/2-inch diameter, and chill two
hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice dough rolls a little less than about 1/4
inch. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes.

After removing from oven, while warm, place 1 Hershey bar segment on cookie
and, when slightly melted, press pecan half into chocolate.