Christmas Angel Cookies


 * Hint: you may have to mix candied fruit and nuts in with your hands; a little shortening on your fingers will keep the mixture from sticking.
 * Yield: 3 dozen.

Ingredients

 * 1/2 	cup 	shortening
 * 1/2 	cup 	cream cheese, softened
 * 1 	cup 	light brown sugar (firmly packed the cream cheese gives these cookies a smooth texture, while the fruits sparkle and sweeten the flavor)
 * 1/2 	cup 	granulated sugar
 * 2 		eggs
 * 3 	cup 	flour
 * 1/2 	tsp 	baking soda
 * 1/2 	tsp 	salt
 * 1 	tbsp 	vanilla
 * 2 	cup 	candied fruit, mixed
 * 2 	cup 	Broken pecans or almonds

Directions

 * 1) Nice for using the candied fruits that didn"t make it into the fruit cake.
 * 2) Preheat oven to 350F.
 * 3) In a large bowl, cream shortening and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.
 * 4) Add sugars and eggs, mixing well.
 * 5) In a seperate bowl, sift flour, baking soda and salt together.
 * 6) Add flour mixture to egg and Sugar mixture; add vanilla.
 * 7) Mix well.
 * 8) Add candied fruit and nuts.
 * 9) Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake at 350¦ for about 10–12 minutes.
 * 10) The cookies will be just browned at the edges.