Tuesday's Holiday Recipe Greeting

I've decided to post my holiday recipe greetings here on my blog, as well as MySpace. Enjoy!

Hi everyone! How is your week so far? Well, I hope. Here's another recipe for Recipe Greetings for the Holidays Week. These cookies are a must in my family at Christmas. They are somewhat laborious, but fun to make with kids, if you don't mind a mess!
Love ya,
Alyson

Candy Cane Cookies
White Dough
1 c powdered sugar
1/2 c butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c shortening
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
Red Dough
1 c powdered sugar
1/2 c butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c shortening
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red food coloring
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

Begin by preparing the white dough: cream the butter, shortening and sugar. Mix in the egg and vanilla. Gradually stir in the flour and salt. Divide the dough in half and wrap each piece in wax paper, then store in refrigerator. Prepare the red dough as you did the white, but add the food coloring and peppermint extract after adding the flour. Again, divide the dough in two as before and refrigerate. Chill dough at least half an hour.

When you are ready to make cookies, preheat oven to 375F. Take one half of red dough, and one half of white out of the fridge. Leave remaining dough in fridge until ready to use.

For each candy cane, shape 1 tsp red and 1 tsp white dough into 4" ropes. For smooth, even strips, roll back and forth on a lightly floured board. Place 1 red and 1 white rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Complete cookies one at a time. Place cookie on ungreased cookie sheet. Curve top to form handle of cane. Bake until set and very light brown, around 9 minutes. Remove (carefully!) from cookie sheet to wire rack.