Mexico Fancy Cookies

1 cup softened butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla dash of salt

Cream butter and powdered sugar together until smooth. Add flour, salt, and vanilla (Mixture is stiff). Pinch off walnut size pieces of dough. Roll into a ball. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. (These cookies spread a little as they bake.) Bake at 400 degrees about 10 - 12 minutes (bottoms will be light brown). Roll cakes in powdered sugar immediately after removing from oven. Cookies are fragile. Cool rolled cookies on rack. Makes about 4 dozen.

Classic Mexican Flan
Serves 8

1/2 cup sugar
1 can Sweetened condensed milk;
1 cup Milk
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

In a small saucepan melt sugar over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is a dark, caramel-colored liquid. Remove from heat and pour into a 4 cup metal ring mold or 8 individual molds. Quickly turn mold to coat bottom and sides with the caramel. Let cool so caramel hardens. Heat oven to 325. Put the condensed milk, milk, eggs, egg yolks and flavorings into an electric blender. Cover and blend to mix well. Pour mixture into mold; put mold in a larger pan filled with water to depth of 1/2 inch. Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and remove mold from water. Cool and then refrigerate up to 2 days. Cover mold with an inverted serving platter. Hold mold and platter together and turn them over. Lift off mold. Use caramel as a liquid sauce over the custard.

Mexican Chocolate Sauce
10 servings

4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup light corn syrup
dash salt (opt)
1/4 cup cream
2 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/4 cup  sugar
1/4 cup  kahlua

In top of double boiler combine all ingredients and cook, stirring constantly for 10 minutes. Serve over pound cake or ice cream. To store, pour into a jar and cover. Sauce keeps in refrigerator up tp 3 months. To warm sauce, set jar in pan of hot water over low heat.

Arroz Dulce

1 cup rice
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups evaporated milk
1 cup raisins
3 eggs separated
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teasoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine the rice, water, sugar and salt in a large saucepan. Bring the water to a boil and cover the saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 12-15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Combine the milk and egg yolks. Add them to the rice. Then mix in the raisins, vanilla and cinnamon. Simmer for five minutes. Remove from the heat. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold them into the rice. Chill and garnish with nutmeg before serving.

Mexican Bread Pudding

1 Cup brown sugar -- packed
1 1/2 Cups water
2 Tablespoons margarine
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1 Teaspoon orange peel -- grated
5 Cups french bread *see note -- cubed
1/2 Cup almonds -- blanched
1/2 Cup tart apples -- chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese **see note -- shredded

*French bread should be cut into 1/2-inch cubes and toasted.
**Use Monterey Jack cheese if you prefer.

Heat brown sugar, water, margarine, cinnamon and orange peel to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Layer half the bread cubes, almonds, (or walnuts) raisins, apple and cheese into ungreased 1 1/2-quart casserole; repeat. Pour hot syrup over top. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven until syrup is absorbed, 30-40 minutes.

Calabacitas Amaraillas de Taxco

6 to 8 young yellow summer squash
1 tablespoon butter, divided
1/2 cup dark brown sugar or piloncillo
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Grease a 9" glass pie pan with part of the butter. Slice the squash, sprinkle layers with the brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, cayenne and lemon rind. Top with remaining sugar and spices. Dot with butter and bake, covered, in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes.