Ultimate Sugar cookies!!

Sugar Cookies - Makes about 5 dozen cookies<o:p></o:p>

• 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar <o:p></o:p>
• 1 cup butter or margarine (butter will taste better) at room temperature <o:p></o:p>
• 1 egg <o:p></o:p>
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract <o:p></o:p>
• 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring <o:p></o:p>
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour <o:p></o:p>
• 1 teaspoon soda <o:p></o:p>
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar <o:p></o:p>

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Mix sugar and butter.  Add egg and vanilla/almond flavourings; mix thoroughly.   In a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients, and mix them well.  Then, add dry ingredients to wet mixture, and blend well. Refrigerate 2 - 3 hours. <o:p></o:p>

Once dough has been chilled for the proper amount of time, pre-heat the oven to 375F.  Divide the dough in half (place the other half of dough in fridge to stay cold until ready to use), and roll about 3/16'' thick on lightly floured pastry cloth or clean counter-top.  Cut with cookie cutters.  If you do not plan to decorate with icing, you can then sprinkle with sugar, and place on lightly greased baking sheet.  If you want to decorate with the icing (recipe following), omit the sprinkling of sugar, and simply place on the sheet.  Bake 7 - 8 minutes - do not let them become brown, just lightly golden at most.  Remove immediately and cool on racks or paper.             <o:p></o:p>

Butter Icing - Makes enough icing for about 4 dozen cookies<o:p></o:p>

• 2 1/2 tablespoons softened butter <o:p></o:p>
• 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar <o:p></o:p>
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cream <o:p></o:p>
• 3/4 teaspoon real vanilla extract<o:p></o:p>

Blend butter and sugar together.  Stir in cream and vanilla until smooth. That's it!  You can separate amounts of icing and colour with food colouring, and you can thin it with extra cream if it becomes too stiff. <o:p></o:p>

After icing the cookies, use sprinkles, jimmies, and any other candies to decorate your little delicacies.  <o:p></o:p>

Title: Buried Cherry Cookies
Yield: 2 Servings

Ingredients

     10 oz jar maraschino cherries;
           -(about 48)
  1 1/2 c  flour
    1/2 c  unsweetened cocoa
    1/4 ts baking soda
    1/4 ts baking powder
    1/4 ts salt
    1/2 c  butter or margarine
      1 c  sugar
      1    egg
  1 1/2 ts vanilla
      1 c  semisweet chocolate chips
    1/2 c  sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

Drain cherries and reserve juice. Stir together flour, cocoa, soda, powder,
and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter till softened. Add sugar and beat
till fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Add flour mixture and beat
till well mixed. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart
on ungreased cookie sheet. Press down center of each with your thumb. Place
a cherry in center. For frosting, in a small saucepan, combine chocolate
and sweetened condensed milk. Cook and stir over low heat till chocolate is
melted. Stir in 4 teaspoons reserved cherry juice. Spoon 1 teaspoon
frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover (frosting may be thinned with
additional cherry juice if necessary.) Bake in a 350 degree oven for about
10 minutes or till done. Remove and cool. Makes about 48