Family Recipe Friday - Ribbon Cookies

My great grandmother, Lulu (Robideau) Elsner used to make these cookies every Christmas.  I don't know what newspaper she got the recipe from, but just like it says on the recipe, they are "lovely to look at - delicious to taste"!

1 cup butter or shortening
1/4 cup each of candied cherries and broken pecan nuts
1 ounce milk chocolate, melted
2 tablespoons poppy seed
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  "First sift flour, measure and sift twice with the baking powder and salt, then cream sugar and shortening until light, add egg and beat until smooth and fluffy, add flour mixture a little at a time and mix thoroughly.  Divide dough into three portions, add chopped cherries to one part, nut and chocolate to the second part and the poppy seed to the third.
  "Line a small bread pan with heavy waxed paper, pack the chocolate and nut mixture in the bottom as evenly as possible, over this pack the cherry dough and top it with the poppy seed mixture, cover with waxed paper and chill in the refrigerator overnight.  When ready to bake, turn out of pan and slice very thin, place on lightly greased cookie sheet and bake in hot oven (400 degrees) about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
  "This dough may be stored in the refrigerator for days and baked as desired.  Makes about 8 dozen thin cookies."

  Tips:  1.  Don't forget to add the vanilla!  The recipe lists it as an ingredient but never tells you to add it.  I add it when I cream the sugar and shortening.  2.  The poppy seeds are optional.  They add a very nice flavor and I love them, but I leave them out because nowadays people are subject to random drug tests and poppy seeds can give a false reading.  3.  I always add a couple drops of red food coloring to the cherry mixture.

Enjoy!