1 3/4 c All-purpose flour

3/4 c Butter or margarine,softened

1 ts Almond extract

1/8 ts Salt

1/2 c Sugar, divided

1 Egg white, slightly beaten

1/8 ts Ground cinnamon

1/3 c Almonds*

* toasted diced & buttered This is an elegant cookie with a sweet almond flavor. In a large bowl, measure flour, butter or margarine, almond extract, salt and 1/4 cup sugar. With mixer at medium speed, beat ingredients until well mixed, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. (Mixture will be crumbly.) With hands, shape into ball. If dough is too soft to roll out, cover and refrigerate until firm. Preheat oven to 325?. On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough into 12 x 8-inch rectangle. Using pastry wheel or knife, cut into strips 3 x 1-inch.

Place strips on greased cookie sheets and brush with slightly beaten egg whites. In a small bowl, mix remaining 1/4 cup sugar with cinnamon and almonds; sprinkle on cookies. Bake 15 minutes at 325? or until golden. With pancake turner, remove cookies to wire racks and allow to cool. Yield: 3 dozen. Larry Rosenberg, author of Muffins & Cupcakes (published by The American Cooking Guild), Fairview, NJ. Randy Shearer