Main Street Cook

Easy go to recipe . If you wish, use half shortening and half unsalted butter.

Ingredients
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon clear imitation vanilla extract

Directions
In a large bowl, combine sugar, shortening, water and vanilla. Beat on low speed to combine, then beat on medium speed for a full five minutes. It won't look like Icing at first, but keep the mixer going for a full five minutes, and then you're done!
Add 2 tablespoons of corn syrup if you want the icing to harden so you can stack cookies.

Ingredients
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, stir into the creamed mixture until dough comes together. Roll dough into walnut sized balls and roll the balls in sugar. Place them on an unprepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. ( if using cookie cutter, chill dough an hour and pat down or roll out.)
Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottom is light brown. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1cup corn
1 cup canned jalapeños.
Preheat oven to 375 and place cast iron skillet in oven. Place butter in cast iron to melt. Once almost all melted place in large mixing bowl. Lump all other ingredients in and stir. Batter should still be slightly lumpy. Pour batter in cast iron. Bake for 30 minutes.