Strawberry Cookies

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• red and green food coloring

Instructions:

Cream the sugar and shortening until fluffy, on medium speed if using an electronic mixer. Beat in egg, milk, zest, and extract. Sift flour and powder together in a bowl and gradually add to the other mix. Wrap dough in plastic and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350º F. Half dough and put the other half back in the fridge. Form dough into flattened balls and roll to 1/8 inch on a floured surface. Using strawberry-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies, and cut out little indentations like strawberry seeds if desired.

Put 1 tablespoon of water into each of two dishes and add a few drops of each color of food coloring. Paint the cookies with a paintbrush using the colors, making the body of the strawberry red and the stem and leaves green. Bake them on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes, then cool on racks. Repeat the process with the other half of the dough.