Posted by kdipaolo 6/24/01 9:14:20 pm

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped pistachios or toasted almonds
6 drops green food coloring
1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons finely chopped maraschino cherries, drained

Mix butter, sugar, vanilla extract and egg. Stir in flour and salt. Divide dough into thirds. Mix pistachios and food coloring into 1 portion of dough. Mix chocolate into the second and cherries into the third.

Line bottom and ends of a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with aluminum foil, allowing the ends of the foil to extend 5 inches over each end of the pan. Press the pistachio dough evenly onto the bottom of the pan. Press chocolate dough onto the nut dough, then top with the cherry dough. Cover the dough's surface with the extended ends of the foil. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F . Remove foil and dough from pan, then remove the foil. Cut dough crosswise into 1/4 inch slices, then cut each slice crosswise in half. Place each cookie about 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake until cookies are set, about 10 minutes. Immediately remove from sheets to cool on wire racks.

Makes about 6 1/2 dozen.