Long ago and in another millennium, when I was still in grade school, nearing Christmas time each year I had the enviable job of delivering the plates of Christmas cookies that my Mom made for people in the neighborhood . Why was this job enviable, because there was always a waxed paper lunch bag of cookies for the person delivering the cookie plates. Winter's were much colder and snowier then, extra fuel was needed, and all the better if that fuel was cookies. That is my reasoning and I stand by it until this day., but I digress.
So this is to celebrate my favorite, a plain sugar cookie, topped with a little sugar, made by our neighbor,Helen.
Helen's sugar cookies
2/3 cup shortening{butter}
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour sifted
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Thoroughly cream butter, sugar and vanilla, beat in egg and milk, beat until light and fluffy.Stir dry ingredients together well and blend into creamed mixture. Divide in half, cover and put into the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Roll our dough on lightly floured counter to about 1/8 inch, cut out and place on cold cookie sheet, put a pinch of white sugar on top. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 8-10 min, at 375. make sure that the cookie sheet is cool or better cold when you put the cookie on it before baking, if needed put it in the refridgerator, also do that if there is no room in the oven. Don't let it sit out at room temperature. Always keep extra dough chilled, too.
Let the cookies cool slightly them remove them to a floured tea towel. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
ENJOY!
