#302 - Pinwheel Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup Parkay margarine
1/2 cup Domino's dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. chopped dates
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup chopped black walnuts

In an mixer, combine Parkay, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup white sugar, egg, vanilla and beat well. Add baking soda, salt, and slowly add flour--if too stiff for mixer, continue by hand. Store batter in covered bowl in refrigerator overnight. The next day, remove dough from refrigerator and divide into two equal amounts. Date filling: In a saucepan, combine chopped dates, 1/2 cup white sugar, 1/2 cup water and set heat on medium. Cook and stir until it thickens. Once it's thick, add the black walnuts and stir. Allow it to cool. On a lightly floured surface, place 1 section of the dough and sprinkle flour over the top. Roll dough with a rolling pin to 1/4" thick rectangle (12" x 8" approximately). Spread 1/2 of the date filling over the dough (like buttering bread--use a butter knife). Start at long end of the roll, use a spatula to slide underneath, and roll it up like a jelly roll. Repeat spreading dates and rolling with 2nd section of dough. When you have both logs rolled, slice each in half and wrap each in saran wrap. Place both rolls in a long cake pan and refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove dough logs from refrigerator, remove saran wrap, and place on a cutting board. Slice cookies about 1/4" thick for each cookie. Place on greased cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Place paper towels on top of your heat proof surface and place saran wrap on top of the paper towels--remove cookies from oven and place them on the saran wrap covered paper towels and let them cool.