Shamrock Cookies

Yield: 2 dozen large shamrock cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups all-purpose flour

Cream shortening and sugar together. Beat in eggs. Stir in milk, vanilla extract and salt. Mix in flour. Work the dough with your hands for a minute before rolling out.

Roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Use flour as needed to roll out the cookies.

For each shamrock, you will need 3 heart-shaped cookies. Place one heart on an ungreased cookie sheet, then put one heart on each side at a 90 degree angle so the tips at the bottom are overlapping. Gently press the cookies together where they overlap. Take a lump of dough the size of a small walnut. Roll into a rope. Press one inch of the rope onto the bottom of the shamrock. Shape the remaining rope into a stem and flatten gently. (Four or five shamrocks will fit on each cookie sheet.)

Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Immediately remove the cookies from the cookie sheet and allow to cool.

When the cookies are cooled thoroughly, frost with shamrock icing. For added decoration, use cookie sprinkles, if desired.

Shamrock Icing

Makes enough to frost 2 dozen shamrock cookies.

3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup soft butter or margarine
5 or 6 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 drops green food coloring

Measure the confectioners' sugar into a mixing bowl. Work the butter or margarine into the dry confectioners' sugar with a mixing spoon. Add salt and vanilla extract. Add the milk ,1 tablespoon at a time, and mix thoroughly after each addition. When the icing is finished, add the food coloring and mix thoroughly.