Holiday Spritz Cookies (are not just for holidays)

Here's a lovely little recipe I've used time and time again out of my grandmother Helen Blood's Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook. She's the one that taught me how to make them, back in the late 1980's, around the same time that she taught me to cut meat against the grain and how to get just enough dry breadcrumbs in a good meatball. The recipe is just as easy today as it was back then:

1 1/2 cups margarine or butter
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional but highly recommended)

-Beat margarine with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
-Add 1 cup of the flour, the sugar, egg, baking powder, vanilla and almond extract.
-Beat till thoroughly combined.
-Beat in remaining flour.
-Force dough through cookie press onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
-Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7-9 minutes...edges should be slightly firm, if they're golden, get 'em out!

Years ago I misplaced the cookie press from my grandmother (hopefully to be found again someday in a box in Wisconsin...), and I was so so happy to find a new tiny one at an antique mall in Carlsbad, CA. Here's a plate of some yums that I made for Christmas. I separated the batter into three bowls and mixed in red, yellow and green food coloring....then sprinkled some cute stuff on top and popped them in the oven. Delicious.