Christmas Cookies

3/4 cup margarine or butter

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup Light Brown sugar (packed)

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

Mix margarine/butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Blend in flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover. Chill at least 1 hour (overnight is best). Heat oven to 400. Roll dough 1/8" thick. Cut into shapes and decorate. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until light brown.

Alternatives: You can mix red food coloring into part of the dough and roll out two long "strings" of dough, about 1/3" thick - one of red and one of uncolored. place the strings parallel and next to each other. Cut into 6" lengths and roll together, each end in a different direction, to cause them to wrap around each other. Form into cane shapes and cook to create "candy cane" cookies.

You can also skip the decorations and spread frosting on top after they cook and cool.