Pastel Pretties

3/4 c Sugar

1 3/4 c Flour

1 Egg

1/2 ts Baking powder

1 ts Vanilla

1/2 ts Salt

1/4 ts Anise extract

1/2 c Butter

DESCRIPTION: Buttery, anise-flavored discs of pink, green and yellow. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Beat butter until soft. Cream in sugar. Add egg, vanilla and anise, mixing well. Add in flour and mix until incorporated. Chill dough slightly (half an hour). Divide dough in half. Return half to refrigerator. Divide remaining half into three parts. Color one part pale pink, one part pale green and one part pale yellow. Roll each color into two, 10-inch long ropes. Place the six ropes on a baking sheet and refrigerate. Remove plain dough from refrigerator and divide in half. Return half to refrigerator. Roll remaining half into a 10 x 6 inch rectangle. Place one pink, one green and one yellow rope in rectangle, with two ropes on the bottom and the third centered over the two. Wrap plain dough around ropes to form a "casing." Wrap the roll in plastic and refrigerate at least 45 minutes. Repeat process with remaining ropes and plain dough. Slice chilled logs into 3/16" slices. Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake 15 minutes or until firm, but not brown. (Browning slightly on bottom is fine.) Cool on racks. Store separately from other cookies because anise flavoring "travels." STORAGE: Up to two weeks airtight, three months in freezer. Family recipe of Theresa Grant, HWWK11b. -----