Nutmeg Logs

It's Autumn and despite the beautiful weather in Hong Kong, Lucy and I feel like nesting. We're a little lonely without Rikki, so I'll bake Christmas cookies. And this is my all time favorite Christmas cookie. Tastes like egg nog with rum. Yum.

1 cup soft butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons rum flavoring
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
Ground nutmeg (2 to 3 teaspoons)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Rum-Flavored Frosting

Cream butter with flavorings; gradually beat in sugar until light.Blend in egg. Sift flour, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, and salt; add tobutter mixture and mix well. Shape pieces of dough on a sugaredboard into long coils 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut into 3-inch lengthsand put on greased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated moderate oven (350F.) for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool. Spread Rum-Flavored Frosting on top and sides of cookies; mark with tines of fork to resemble bark. Sprinkle lightly with remaining nutmeg.
Makes 6 dozen.

Rum-Flavored Frosting
Cream 1/3 cup butter with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 teaspoonsrum flavoring. Blend in 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar and 2tablespoons light cream; beat until smooth and creamy.