These cookies are sure to be a
holiday hit.

During Hanukkah, it's traditional to partake in homemade treats to commemorate the annual Jewish celebration of freedom. These specially shaped shortbread-style cookies, with decorative icing, help continue the tradition.

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 cup margarine (at least 80 percent vegetable oil)
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts
• 1 recipe Powdered Sugar Icing (recipe follows)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour and sugar. Using a pastry cutter, cut in margarine until mixture resembles fine crumbs and starts to cling. Stir in pistachios. Form mixture into ball. Knead just until smooth. Wrap dough. Chill for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

2. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough into a 10x6-inch rectangle. Cut the dough with decorative 2-inch cookie cutters or slice into thirty 2x1-inch strips. Place cut shapes or strips 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack; cool for 30 minutes. Decorate as desired with Powdered Sugar Icing. Store in a tightly covered container. Makes 30 cookies.

Nutrition facts per cookie: 71 cal., 4 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 36 mg sodium, 9 g carbo., 0 g fiber, and 1 g pro. Daily Values: 3% vit. A, 0% vit. C, 0% calcium, and 2% iron.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. orange juice (plus several more teaspoonsful)
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• Food coloring (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. orange juice, and vanilla.

2. Stir in additional juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the icing reaches piping consistency.

3. If desired, tint a portion of the icing with food coloring. Makes 1/2 cup.