Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

¼ cup butter

3 Tablespoons cocoa

1/3 cup peanut butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt butter and cocoa in microwave. Be careful not to burn. Stir together melted butter and cocoa, then add 1/3 cup peanut butter to butter and cocoa mixture. In a separate bowl, measure out 3 cups powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add the butter, cocoa and peanut butter into the powdered sugar and vanilla mixture. Mix with beaters. Add milk to desired spreading on cake. You can add more powdered sugar if you accidentally put too much milk.

Sugar Cookies (and frosting)

2 cups sugar 

1 cup shortening 

1 cup sour cream 

3 eggs 

1/2 teaspoon almond extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla 

5 cups flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream sugar and shortning. Add sour cream, eggs, and almond/vanilla. Mix well.In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt.Add to creamed mixture until well blended. Remember, the more you mix, the tougher your dough will be.Chill for a few hours (at least 3-4). The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.Roll out (I use a floured pastry cloth), and cut with a cookie cutter. Flour cutter between each cookie to prevent sticking.Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cookies shouldn't be brown, just done to the touch.

 FROSTING- See ingredients below.
2 lbs. powdered sugar

1 cup shortening

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
Just mix ingredients until smooth.

*My mother-in-law found this really awesome recipe for sugar cookies and frosting. I had a hard time not eating them! Also, we've found if you double the cookie recipe, you do not have to double the frosting recipe. It makes just enough.