Melomakarouna (Honey Cookies Stuffed with Dates and Nuts)

Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 pounds flour
2 sticks (1 cup) sweet, unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups Wesson oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Flour (about 1 pound more)

Filling:
2 cups chopped nuts
1 pound chopped dates
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons honey

Syrup:
3 cups granulated sugar
4 cups water
1 slice lemon (1/2 lemon)
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups honey

Add pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon baking powder to 2 pounds of flour.

Beat 2 sticks sweet (unsalted) butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar well. Add 2 cups of Wesson oil slowly, beating well. Add 1 egg and beat. Add 1 teaspoon baking soda to 1 1/2 cups orange juice and add quickly to mixture. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add flour to mixture until dough is soft but not sticky. You will use about another pound of flour, (about 3 pounds of flour in all).

Prepare filling. Combine 2 cups chopped nuts, 1 pound chopped dates, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons honey. Take 1 tablespoon dough and put about 1/2 teaspoon filling in center and then fold dough over to seal in filling. Bake at 350 degrees F until brown.

Prepare syrup. Boil 3 cups sugar and 4 cups of water with one slice lemon (1/2 lemon), 1 cinnamon stick until syrupy, about 15 minutes. Add 2 cups honey. Dip cold cookies in warm syrup or dip warm cookies in cold syrup. Dip each cookie into honey and then into ground nuts mixed with cinnamon.

Yields about 100 cookies.