Christmas Stars

Description
These cookies are about the only ones i know that taste better cooked and cold than as raw dough. Cinnamon red hots make good eyes for animals or Santas.
 * Difficulty: easy to moderate.
 * Time: 15 minutes preparation, 2 hours chilling, 15 minutes rolling and baking.
 * Precision: measure the ingredients.
 * Yield: 2-4 dozen.

Cookies

 * 1 cup	solid shortening (NOT butter)
 * ⅔ cup	granulated sugar
 * 2 eggs
 * 1 tbsp salt
 * 1 tbsp vanilla
 * 1 tbsp almond flavoring
 * 2¾ cup flour

Frosting

 * 1½ cup powdered sugar
 * 2 tbsp cream or milk
 * 1½ tbsp vanilla extract (not Mexican unless you like tan frosting)
 * food coloring

Directions

 * 1) Cream together the shortening and sugar.
 * 2) Beat in the eggs, salt and flavorings.
 * 3) Stir in the flour until blended.
 * 4) Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or two.
 * 5) Preheat oven to 375 °F.
 * 6) Roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 1/8 to 1⁄4 inch.
 * 7) Cut with the cookie cutters of your choice (this was always a cause for argument in our family).
 * 8) Bake on ungreased cookie sheets until tan around the edges, about 8–10 minutes.
 * 9) Allow to cool.
 * 10) Make the frosting by beating together the Sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth.
 * 11) Divide and color each portion.
 * 12) Frost the cookies.