1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixing bowl, cream together butter, sugar and eggs. Add vanilla; stir in dry ingredients, alternating with buttermilk. Roll out dough on a floured surface, and cut into rounds for flatter tea cakes or drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets for thicker cookies. Bake on a cookie sheet coated with non-stick spray for about 10 minutes or until desired brownness. Makes about 3 dozen medium tea cakes.