Combine shortening, sugars,vanilla, and beat well.
add eggs and salt.
add milk with the 1/2 tsp soda dissolved in it.
add flour and baking powder.
Make a soft dough.
Roll on a floured board and cut with a glass in rounds Bake 375 degrees for 11 minutes.
Until nicely browned.
Cool on a rack.
Smear jam onto the underside of a cookie and place another cookie over to make a sandwich cookie or add some marshmallow fluff on one side and jam on the other and sandwich together also.
Sometimes we ice with a butter icing one cookie, jam on the other then place them back to back.