1 Cup Chilled Vegetable Shortening, cut into pieces
1 1/4 Cups Sugar Plus Additional for sprinkling the cookies
1 tsp. Baking Soda
2 Lg. Eggs, beaten lightly
1/3 Cup Milk
1 1/4 tsp. Vanilla
Into a large bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, and the salt and blend in the shortening until the mixture resembles meal. In a bowl stir together 1 1/4 cups of the sugar and the baking soda, add the eggs, the milk, and the vanilla, and stir the mixture well. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir the mixture until it forms a dough. Chill the dough, covered, for at least 2 hours or overnight. Roll out the dough gently 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and cut out cookies with a cookie cutter. Transfer the cookies to ungreased baking sheets and sprinkle them with the additional sugar. Gather the scraps, reroll the dough, and cut out more cookies in the same manner. Bake the cookies in batches in the middle of a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they are set but still pale. Transfer them with a spatula to racks, and let them cool. The cookies will improve in flavor if stored in a cookie jar for at least 3 days. Makes about 40 cookies.
