Shortnin' Bread

Do you remember the rhyme - Mama's Lil Baby Loves Shortnin' Bread? Well I sure do and I absolutely loved it as a child. Here is a recipe for Shortnin' Bread.

Shortnin' Bread

Ingredients:
16 Tbsp. softened butter (2 sticks or 1 cup)
Note: I would imagine that back in the day, this recipe
obtained it's name because it was made with shortening or lard. 
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Beat butter until smooth and creamy, add sugar and beat well.
Stir and toss together flour and salt and add to the butter mixture.
Beat just until completely mixed. 

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll to a thickness of 1/2 inch.
Cut rounds with a 2 inch cookie cutter.
Prick each cookie three times with a fork.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until they are barely colored around the edges.
Be careful not to over bake.
Remove from sheets and cool on a rack. 

Makes 24 cookies

Mama's Lil Baby
Mama's lil baby loves shortnin', shortnin'
Mama's lil baby loves shortnin' bread
Repeat

Put on the skillet
Put on the lead
Mama's gonna make a little shortnin' bread
That ain't all she's a gonna do,
Mama's gonna make a little coffee too
Hey

Mama's lil baby loves shortnin', shortnin'
Mama's lil baby loves shortnin' bread
Repeat

Three lil children lyin' in bed
Two was sick and the other most dead
Sent for the doctor, the doctor said
"Give them children some shortnin' bread."

Mama's lil baby loves shortnin', shortnin'
Mama's lil baby loves shortnin' bread
Repeat

When them children sick in bed
Heard that talk bout shortnin' bread
Popped up well and dance and sing
Skippin' round cut the pigeon wing

Mama's lil baby loves shortnin' shortnin'
Mama's lil baby loves shortnin' bread
Repeat