Summer is a great time for meringue pies (well, any pie for that matter) and angel food cake.  If you like to make yours from scratch, here is a great recipe to use up those egg yolks.  

BASIC SPRITZ COOKIES
½ c. butter or margarine
½ c. vegetable shortening
¾ c. sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 ¼ c. flour
¼ tsp. Baking power
¼ tsp. Salt

Cream together butter and shortening until soft.  Gradually add sugar and continue to cream together about five (5) minutes until light and fluffy.  Add in the egg and vanilla and continue to beat well.  Gradually add in the flour, baking power and salt.  Make sure all the flour is incorporated into the batter.  Batter will be stiff.  Shape dough into two rolls, and wrap in plastic wrap, foil or waxed paper and refrigerate at least one hour.  Using your cookie press, select the disc desired and fill the cookie press according to directions.  Press cookies directly (decorate with colored sugar sprinkles if you wish) on to cookie sheet and bake 7-8 minutes at 375 degrees or until light golden brown.  Makes 6-7 dozen cookies.

Variations:
Using the basic spritz recipe, you can add additional ingredients:

COFFEE-MAPLE COOKIES
Substitute 2 tsp. Maple extract for the vanilla; add Tbl. Instant coffee power.

LEMON COOKIES:
Substitute 2 tsp. Lemon extract for the vanilla; add 1 Tbl. Freshly grated lemon peel. 

EGGNOG COOKIES:
Add ½ tsp. Ground nutmeg and shift with flour.  Use a disc that shapes the cookies into little “logs” and then when cool, frost with a vanilla frosting.  Spread frosting (recipe below) on top and sides of cookies. Mark frosting with tines of fork to resemble bark on a tree. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.

FROSTING: Cream: 3 Tablespoons butter , 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 1 tsp. Rum flavoring. Blend in:  1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar beating well.  Add 2 c. additional powdered sugar, alternating with  2 or 3 Tbl. of Evaporated Milk (made with skim milk, if preferred) or cream. Beat till spreading consistency.

RASPBERRY-NUT COOKIES:
Substitute 1 ½ tsp. Coconut or black walnut extract for the vanilla; add 2 Tbl. Seedless red raspberry jam and sprinkle with nuts before baking.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND COOKIES:
Decrease vanilla extract to 1 tsp.; add 1 tsp. Almond extract and 3 Tbl. Cocoa. 

ORANGE COOKIES:
Substitute 2 tsp. Orange extract for vanilla; add 1 Tbl. freshly grated orange peel.

ALMOND CREME SPRITZ COOKIES
(I have one of those electric spritz guns -- so I made spritz cookies a lot because they are SOOOO easy.)

Beat butter and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl till well combined. Add sugar, almond extract, and vanilla; beat till combined. Beat in flour. Cover and chill dough for 30 minutes or till easily worked but not too stiff.

Pack dough into a cookie press. Force dough through press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake in a 375 F. oven for 8 to 10 minutes or till edges of cookies are firm but not brown. Remove cookies and cool on wire racks.

Make-ahead tip: Cool cookies completely. In an airtight or freezer container, arrange cookies in a single layer; cover with a sheet of waxed paper. Repeat layers, leaving enough air space to close container easily. Freeze up to 1 month.

BROWN SUGAR SPRITZ COOKIES
1 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

Beat butter in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and baking powder and beat well. Add egg, lemon peel, and vanilla. Beat till well combined. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Do not chill dough.

Pack dough into a cookie press. Force dough through press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in a 375 F. oven for 9 to 10 minutes or till edges of cookies are firm but not brown. Remove cookies and cool on wire racks.

LEMON-CHEESE PRESSED COOKIES
1 cup Butter or margarine, softened
1 pkg. (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp Grated lemon peel
1 tlbs. Lemon juice
2 1/2 cup Flour
1 tsp Baking powder

Cream butter, cheese and sugar until fluffy. Blend in remaining ingredients. Cover, chill 1 hour. Heat oven to 375. Fill cookie press with 1/4 of dough at a time; form desired shapes on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown on edges. About 5 dozen 2-inch cookies.

CHEESE STRAWS
1 lb. extra sharp cheese
2 scant c. self-rising flour
2 sticks of oleo or butter
dash cayenne pepper

Grate cheese and mix in other ingredients. Put through star of cookie press. Bake on cookie sheet at 350ø until golden brown. The self-rising flour is the "secret ingredient". Should be stored in an airtight container.

ORANGE SPRITZ
1 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs orange juice
1 egg
1 tsp orange zest
2-1/2 cups sifted flour
dash of salt
1/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and gradually add sugars and beat until light. Add orange juice and mix well. Add egg and orange zest. Sift flour, salt and baking soda together and add to the creamed mixture gradually. Fill the cookie press and form the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10-15 minutes..

CARAMEL SPRITZ
1 cup shortening
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3-1/2 cups sifted flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream shortening and gradually add both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla.  Sift flour, salt and baking soda and mix gradually with the creamed mixture. Fill the cookie press and form cookies on ungreased cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes.

CHOCOLATE SPRITZ
1 cup shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
5 Tbls cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
2 cups sifted flour

Preheat over to 400 degree.  Cream shortening, gradually add sugar. Add unbeaten egg and vanilla. Sift cocoa, baking powder, salt and flour together. Mix gradually with the creamed mixture. Fill the cookie press and form cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes..

PEANUT BUTTER SPRITZ
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup peanut butter
1-1/4 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 Tbs hot water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cream shortening, gradually add sugars and beat until light. Add egg, then peanut butter and hot water. Sift flour and soda together and gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Fill the cookie press and form cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes.

Do not grease the cookie sheet. (or your baking stones).  ***A neat trick to see if your dough is going to spread too much is to...make a walnut size ball and put it in the microwave on high for a few seconds. If it spreads rapidly...more flour. If it still holds some of the original shape (but still spreads some) your good to go.***

Don't want to go to all the work to make cut-out cookies?  You sure can use a sugared bottom glass. Lenore  recommend putting a little butter on the glass to keep the sugar on better.

 One easy trick you can do for M&M cookies is to roll the sugar cookie dough into balls and then just dip the top in a bowl of regular or mini M&M's and put on the cookie sheet (top up) and press down slightly. This way you get that "on the top clean look" that bakeries have for there M&M cookies. I have in the past also just criss-crossed them with a fork like you do peanut butter cookies and then put sprinkles on them.

PEANUT BUTTER TEMPTATIONS
(I received this in a cookie exchange at work in 2003.  These are really tasty!) 

64 Reese's Peanut Butter Miniature Cups
2/3 c. butter or margarine softened
2/3 c. Packed light brown sugar
2/3 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 2/3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 t. salt

Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Remove wrappers from peanut butter cups.  Line small muffin cups (1 3/4 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups.

Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, peanut butter, eggs and vanilla until fluffy in a large bowl.  Stire together flour, baking soda and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until well blended.  Shape dough into 1-inch balls; place one in each prepared muffin cup.  Do not flatten.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until puffed and lightly browned; remove from oven.  Immediately press peanut butter cup into each cookie.  Cool completely in muffin pan.  Makes 64 cookies. 

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints
(These were one of the cookies for the cookie exchange in 2003.  I cannot tell you how wonderful these cookies are, you really need to taste them!  Cookie recipe from Kathy in Development. )

In Mixing Bowl, cream butter, and Sugar, Beat in yolk, milk and vanilla.  Combine the flour, Cocoa and Salt.  Add to creamed mixture.  Refrigerate 1 hour or until easy to handle.  Roll into 1-inch balls. Beat Egg White, just still mixed. Dip balls into egg white, and coat with nuts. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make 3/8 to 1/2 inch indentation in the center of each ball. Bake 350' for 10-12 minutes or until set. (if indentation is not enough--press with handle of spatula to enlarge after removing from oven.) Remove to a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, melt caramels with cream over "LOW" heat stirring till smooth. Using about 1/2 teaspoon caramel mixture, fill each cookie. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening. Drizzle over cookies.( I used a spoon and made a mess, make sure you have aluminum foil under cookies, and about 3 -4 inches on either side, and wave spoon back and forth.)