Sugar Cookies

This is my favorite sugar cookie recipe, the one from Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 40th Anniversary Edition.  We were given the cookbook as a wedding present and it still comes in handy for those classics.

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) margarine or butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
    *granulated sugar, for garnish

Mix powdered sugar, margarine, vanilla, almond extract and egg.  Stir in remaining ingredients except granulated sugar.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375 deg.  Grease cookie sheet lightly.  Divide dough in half.  Roll each half 1/4" thick on lightly floured surface.  Cut into desired shapes with 2 - to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters.  *Sprinkle with granulated sugar.  Place on cookie sheet.  Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown; cool.

Makes about 5 dozen cookie (not in my house); 65 calories per cookie.