Butter Cream Icing

3 T. butter, room temperature
3 T. shortening
1 1/2 C. confectioners' sugar
2 T. milk
1/2 t. vanilla extract -- or desired flavoring

In a medium bowls beat together all ingredients until thoroughly mixed and smooth.  Color with gel
 food coloring if desired.  Makes 1 cup of icing.

DON'T freeze cookies iced with Butter Cream Icing -- the icing will 
separate and look nasty! If you need to make cookies ahead of time, 
freeze the uniced cookies then ice them a day before or the day they'll be eaten.
Also, disposable pastry bags are the best when using buttercream -- just pitch
them when you're done!

These were pictures taken at our son's 11th  birthday party (Michael is the kid in the white shirt).  The boys decorated Mini-Michael cookies with the Butter Cream icing recipe above.  I think they ate more icing with their fingers than 
they put on their cookies, but they had a GREAT time!