Put ½ cup of butter or margarine (that's a stick and a little) into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Measure 1 cup of sugar.
Pour sugar over butter.
With a fork, blend everything in the bowl together until they are blended.
Measure 1 teaspoon of vanilla and pour and sprinkle over the sugar and butter mixture in the bowl.
With a fork, blend everything in the bowl together.
Measure ½ cup of all-purpose flour and pour and sprinkle over the sugar, butter, and vanilla mixture in the bowl.
With a fork, blend everything in the bowl together.
Measure 1 teaspoon of baking powder and sprinkle over the mixture in the bowl.
Mix everything together with your hands.
Put dough in fridge (at least one hour).