Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups butter or margarine
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

Thoroughly cream butter and sugar.  Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Sift together flour and baking powder and add gradually to creamed mixture; mixing to smooth dough.  DO NOT CHILL! Force dough through cookie press onto ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake in hot oven (400 degrees) 8 minutes; cool. Makes 6 dozen

NOTE: Add green food color to the dough if you want Christmas trees.  Decorate with colored sugar or candy sprinkles.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1-3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• (1) 1-ounce square unsweetened chocolate, melted. *NOTE:  3 level tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon shortening or oil equals a 1 ounce square of unsweetened chocolate.

Directions:

Cream butter, sugar and  vanilla till light and fluffy; beat in egg.  Sift together dry ingredients; mix into creamed mixture.  Divide dough in half; mix chocolate into one part. Make pinwheels or other shapes. Wrap in waxed paper. Chill thoroughly. Slice thin; bake on ungreased cookie sheet in moderate oven(375 degrees) 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 4-6 dozen

Pinwheels:

On waxed paper, roll each half of dough into 12×10 inch rectangle. (piece dough together if necessary, to make rectangle. Brush one layer with milk; place other layer on top; peel off waxed paper. Roll as for jelly roll. Slice and bake as directed above.

Half-and-half:

Make two rolls, 2 inches thick- one plain and one chocolate. Wrap in waxed paper; chill. Cut each roll in half lengthwise. Brush cut surfaces with milk. Press plain and chocolate halves together to make rolls. Wrap in waxed paper; chill again. Slice thin. Bake as directed.

Checkerboards:

Slice chilled half-and-half rolls of dough lengthwise through both plain and chocolate.  Brush cut surfaces with milk. Turn one half end for end; seal the two halves together. Slice and bake as directed above.

Ribbons:

On waxed paper, roll plain and chocolate dough each into 8×7 inch rectangle. Cut each in half lengthwise.  Peel off waxed paper. Stack plain and chocolate strips in alternate layers, brushing between layers with milk. Press together; wrap in waxed paper; chill 2 1/2 hours or overnight. Slice crosswise and bake.