Candy Cane Cookies

My husband loves these cookies!  If there is one cookie that he wants me to make at Christmas, it's these.  He had his mother give me the recipe so that I could make them when we first started dating.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening (half butter or margarine)
• 1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring

Topping ingredients:

• 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Mix shortening, sugar, egg and flavorings thoroughly.
• Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting.  Mix flour and salt.  Stir into shortening mixture.  Divide dough in half.  Blend food coloring into one half.
• Roll a 4" strip (using 1 teaspoon of dough) from each color.  For smooth, even strips, roll them back and forth on lightly floured board.  Place strips side by side, press lightly together and twist like rope.  For best results, complete cookies one at a time - if all the dough for one color is shaped first, strips become too dry to twist.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.  Curve top down to form handle of the candy cane.
• Bake about 9 minutes, until lightly browned.  While still warm, remove from baking sheet with a spatula and sprinkle with topping mixture of candy and sugar.
• Makes about 4 dozen cookies.