1 cup butter or margarine, softened at room temperature

4 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus about 2/3 cup for dusting cookies

1 teaspoon lemon extract

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

2 cups slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set out a large ungreased cookie sheet. In a large bowl, cream butter. Add the 4 tablespoons powdered sugar and continue beating until light. Blend in the lemon extract. Turn flour into the mixture and stir until well blended, then fold in almonds. Shape dough into small balls; place them about 1 1/2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Bake until puffed, lightly browned and firm to the touch, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove
from oven and while still hot roll in the 2/3 cup powdered sugar. Lay out on brown paper to cool. When thoroughly cooled, store in an airtight tin or a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

(Hopping notes that this is exactly how her Aunt Clary made the cookies, but she has since learned that one doesn't have to be too concerned about forming the balls of dough. "Reach in with your hand and drop some about the
size of a walnut into your palm and scrunch it up a bit before putting it on the cookie sheet," she says. "A double batch is a whiz that way. Also, don't put too much lemon extract in because you want to get the almond flavor. They're very fancy looking and go very well with fresh strawberry or peach sherbet.")