Shylock and Jessica's "Holy Moly" Hamantaschen




Ingredients

1 1/2 cups margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
6 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
For Filling: 1 (12 ounce) bag of Italian prunes (Jessica's variation: chocolate Easter eggs, coarsely chopped)

Directions
1.In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Order your daughter to beat the eggs in, one at a time, without making a mess on the floor like she usually does. Then, stir in the orange juice and vanilla. Mix in the baking powder, then gradually stir in the flour until the dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Make daughter stay in kitchen the entire time. Check to make sure that windows are locked.

2. From another room in the house, yell out to daughter that she should preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and grease the cookie sheets.

3. Return to kitchen and check windows for any signs that daughter has tried to open them (i.e., greasy finger marks).

3.On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch circles using a cookie cutter or any other sharp object you happen to have lying around in case anyone wants to mess with you. Place circles on the prepared cookie sheets. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling onto the center of each circle. Reluctantly give your daughter a few to use for her damn chocolate eggs. Pinch the sides of each circle to form a triangle, covering as much of the filling as possible. The cookies may be frozen on the cookie sheets if desired to help retain their shape while cooking.

4.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until light golden brown. These are best undercooked slightly. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Do not be tempted to open the windows to speed up the cooling process. Trust me on this one.