MAIDS OF HONOR
½ cup butter
2 unbeaten eggs
¾ cup sugar
2 cups sifted flour
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons bak. powder
1½ cups raspberry jam
½ cup blanched, chopped almonds
1 cup whipping cream
Cream shortening until soft. Add eggs and beat to blend well. Add sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Sift flour, measure and sift with salt and baking powder. Add to creamed mixture. Form into small balls in palms of hands and place in greased small muffin pans. Press dough up around edges to make hole in center. Mix jam and nuts together and fill hole in dough. Bake in hot oven, 450 degrees, for 10 minutes. Cool, and if desired, serve topped with whipped cream that has been sweetened to taste.
Make pig pen of bread sticks or long peppermint sticks as pictured. Sprinkle small paper shamrocks or small candy shamrocks in and around pen. Place pig banks in pen. For candleholder, cut out large potato and insert candle.
Use a large picture hat or make a hat with stiff paper for this. Arrange a large maline or ribbon bow to trail on the table from the crown of the hat. Place flowers in the center of the crown or arrange flowers around the crown of the hat.