Shamrock cookies

What's St. Patrick's Day good for without a fun green treat to eat? So far this has been my favorite- YUMMY!

Shamrock Cookies

3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 stickes)
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla or peppermint extract
few drops of green food coloring
2 cups flour
green colored sugar

In a large mixer, beat butter, sugar and salt until fluffy. Add egg, peppermint or vanilla extract and a few dropps of green food coloring. Beat mixture well. Slowly add flour and mix until blended.

Divide the dough into three equal parts. Shape each part into a roll about 1 inch thick and 8-10 inches long. Roll each in green colored sugar. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap then chill for at least 2 hours or up to one week.

Unwrap rolls. Slice crosswise so the slices are 1/4 inch thick. To shape each shamrock, place 3 slices of dough with sides touching in a shamrock shape on a cookie sheet. Cut several stems from a fourth slice and attach one to each shamrock. (make sure to overlap the different pieces slightly in the middle then gently flatten to even thickness- when I made them I didn't do that and the different "leaves" came apart really easily).

Bake in a 350 degree oven about 8 minutes or until they look dry (but not brown). Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then lift them gently onto a cooling rack.

** Store the cookies in a tightly covered container room temperature up to three days, or store in the freezer up to two weeks.


Funny quote of St. Patrick's Day this year:
The first thing Lillian said to her teacher when she arrived at school: "I am wearing green underwear!! They are white with green flowers!!"
I am just glad she didn't try to show them to the class . . .