Applesauce Cookies

It will soon be time to light the bayberry candles and get into the holiday spirit. Why bayberry? The story goes that the early American settlers rendered the wax from the fruit of the bayberry plant and made candles from it. The supply of this wax was never very big so the candles were stored to be burned only during the Christmas season. The burning of these candles during the Christmas season was supposed to be bring good luck throughout the entire year, but the candles had to burn all the way down into the sockets of the candle sticks.

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg, beaten
1 cup applesauce
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream sugar and shortening, add beated egg, then applesauce. Sift together dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture, stirring well. Add raisins and nut meats. Drop by teaspoonfuls on oiled cookie sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees.