Recipe: Rainbow Slices

Rainbow Slices
From: Nancy Dooley
Here is a three-flavor cookie recipe that I've used for years. It is very good.
Makes: 72

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
1 cup butter or margarine -- room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 drops red food coloring
1/4 cup candied cherries -- chopped
4 drops green food coloring
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup pistachio nuts -- finely chopped
1/4 cup coconut -- flaked or shredded

Line bottom and sides of an 8x4" loaf pan with waxed paper. Mix flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Divide dough into thirds. Refrigerate about 15 min.

For pink dough remove one portion of dough from refrigerator. Add 1 drop red food color at a time, mixing well after each addition until dough is deep pink. Stir in cherries. Press dough firmly and evenly in bottom of prepared pan. Return to refrigerator.

For green dough, add 1 drop green food coloring at a time as directed above. Add almond extract and pistachios; mix well. Press evenly on top of pink dough in pan; refrigerate.

For white dough, stir coconut into last batch of dough until well blended. Press firmly and evenly over green dough. Cover with plastic wrap. Chill several hours or overnight.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Have cookie sheets ready. Run a metal spatula between waxed paper and pan sides to loosen. Invert onto cutting board; peel off waxed paper. Cut into 1/4-inch slices, then cut each slice vertically into 3 equal pieces. Place 1-inch apart on cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 min. until edges are golden. Remove to rack to cool.