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Pecan Chewies

This recipe is one I have from my mother. 
She had the habit on jotting recipes on yellow legal paper. 
I will forever associate those pads with my mom and cooking!
Many of her recipes call for oleo. I always have to smile when I see this term. Several years back, a group of us were looking through some recipes and came across one calling for oleo. Not being "from around here," one of the friends asked with a quizzical look, "What in the world is oleo?!" Of course, it gave the rest of us a good laugh. I don't know of a person who was raised in the South during the 50's, 60's and 70's who doesn't know that oleo is margarine! 
I grew up on Parkay and Blue Bonnet!


What is the difference in butter and oleo? 
Butter is made from dairy cream. United States law requires that butter contain at least 80 percent butterfat, which is derived from milk products.



Margarine is a nondairy product containing at least 80 percent fat, which is generally derived from plant oils - such as corn or soybeans. 

Until 1952, the law required that margarine producers use the name "oleomargarine" to describe their product. Since that time, the terms "margarine" and “oleo” have been interchangeable. In our area, "butter", "oleo", and "margarine" were all used interchangeably. If you meant authentic butter, you called it "real butter." 

 I was laughing with my friend, Julie, in Sunday School just a couple of week ago about using butter vs. margarine. Although we grew up on oleo, we are both dyed-in-the-wool users of the "real stuff" now. There's just no substitute for the taste of real butter!


Pecan Chewies

Pecan Chewies

After baking, these can be dusted with powder sugar, if you like!

1 stick oleo (I used a stick of salted butter.)
1 box light brown sugar
3 eggs, well beaten (room tepterature)
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt oleo (butter) over low heat.
Stir in brown sugar; mix well.
Stir in eggs.
Sift baking powder into flour; add to sugar mixture. Mix well.
Fold in nuts.
Pour into a greased 9x13 pan.
Bake at 300 degrees for 45 minutes. (In my oven, it took only about 40 minutes.)
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Comments

  1. EmilyNovember 5, 2010 at 11:53 AM

    My, but those look good Connie! I think I'm going to add these to my Thanksgiving menu. They are just the thing my family would really enjoy! And they are quite simple to make too! Thanks for sharing your mom's recipe with us.

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