The Covered Dish - Date Pinwheel Cookies

By the time you read this column my family will be home from the Gulf Shores. It’s only the second Christmas morning I have not awoken in my own bed. In the past we have pulled out Christmas Day or the day after for skiing and trips to Colorado. One year it was due to family illness, but we arrived home on Christmas evening. So; this year feels really weird for me. I have a lit tree in a bag ready to go, so our condo is festive. With the trip we voted no gifts except Christmas stockings.
Rumor, our corgi, is all tucked in at my niece’s house in Kansas City. It feels weird that she is not traveling with us, because she truly is a part of the family. I got a new ‘rig’ this fall so I’m looking forward to getting 30mpg on the journey.
I am cooking a bit on this trip, but the main goal is seafood, seafood, seafood. I’ve already got the Christmas Eve shrimp& flounder ordered, and I think some may be traveling home for winter dining.
Our Christmas Eve menu is shrimp with all the sides, Christmas Day is Blackened Flounder and simple sides. I do enjoy eating out, but I just cannot make someone work on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
That’s the best part of being in a condo, you have that ability. The night before we left I made meatloaf, so it was cold meatloaf sammies on the road. I try to steer clear of fast food just as much as possible. For those who dislike ‘meatloaf’, you may be grossed out!
I even have cookie dough traveling along so we can enjoy homemade cookies on Christmas Day.
Oh yes, I spoil the family at every opportunity. It’s all about building memories isn’t it?
Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been wanting to make as many of my mom and grandma Lucy’s holiday dishes as I can. I haven’t because my family doesn’t eat many sweets. Next year I’ll have to do an open house so I can feature some of these treasured dishes.
Research is on the forefront when I travel. Did you know the official cake of Alabama is Lane Cake?
Reading has shown many Alabamans have never even experienced this delicious cake. Can you believe I have, & it’s one of my favorite family memories at Christmas. My mom, Betty would make one and we used to have it on Christmas Eve supper with oyster stew, chili or potato soup.
There would be a relish tray filled with homemade pickles and specialty cheeses etc. Man, what great memories. This too is on the list for next Christmas, along with homemade fruitcake from mother’s recipe. People always talk about this ‘horrible’ holiday tradition, but I grew up on ‘Manor’ fruitcakes and they were divine. I think mom’s recipe has only 1-2 tablespoons of flour in it, and it has to be made at least a month before the holiday. My other favorite treat was date pinwheel cookies, which I am featuring this week. My nephew’s wife, Rachel Beth, loves this cookie as much as I do. The best part is you can freeze them in a log, thaw a bit, then slice and bake. You can also find other versions of pinwheel cookies, like strawberry and chocolate.
Pinwheel history? They say the first ones came from France, which doesn’t surprise me much. They came to America in the 1930’s and many say the cookie is a ‘by-product’ from the great depression. Since my grandparents came from this era it makes perfect sense. I do lots of digging on the history of foods and recipes, I intend to turn over a few discoveries as we travel south. One thing I am going to do is visit a local grocery store. Sorghum is on my list presently, we will see what I uncover.
A recipe is in order, don’t you think? Remember to find downtime as we journey through the next few days. Find joy in a beautiful tree, a sunset or sunrise, friends, the birth of Jesus, and each other. It passes too dog gone fast, that is for sure! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! The Covered Dish.

Date Pinwheel Cookies
1 cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
4 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
Date Filling
1 pound dates, finely chopped
1⁄2 cup white sugar
3⁄4 cup water
1 cup finely chopped nutmeats, Walnuts or Pecans
Cook the filling ingredients except the nuts over low heat until the mixture becomes pasty, adding chopped nuts at the end; cool.
Cream together the butter with the white sugar and the brown sugar. Add the beaten eggs to the mixture, blending until smooth. In a separate bowl combine all the dry ingredients: flour, soda, cinnamon & salt.
Add to the creamed mixture, blending well.
Divide the dough in half and roll each portion about 1⁄4 inch thick, as if you’re rolling cinnamon rolls. If dough is too soft, place in the refrigerator 1-2 hours. Another consideration is to roll the dough between parchment paper or waxed paper for easier handling. Split the date filling in half for each log. Spread the date fill over the dough within one-half inch of the outer edge.
Roll up the dough and slice 1⁄4 in thick. (I like to refrigerate mine before slicing.) Bake on parchment- lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for approximately ten minutes.