PEANUT BUTTER JACK O'LANTERN COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk and vanilla. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer until well blended. Add egg. Beat until just blended.
• In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to shortening mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Divide dough into thirds. Roll out evenly to 1/4 -inch thickness. Using a floured pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter, cut dough into pumpkin shapes and place 2-inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
• To make without pumpkin cutter, pinch off walnut size pieces of dough, Shape into balls. Place 3-inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Flatten each ball with bottom of glass to approximately 3/8-inch thickness. Form into pumpkin shape. Pinch off very small piece of dough and roll to form stem - attach to the top of the cookie. With a small knife, score cookie with vertical lines to resemble a pumpkin.
• Bake in batches in a preheated 375F oven for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are set and just beginning to brown. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes. Remove cookies to cooling rack to cool completely.
• Remove about 1/4 cup of vanilla frosting and set aside. Add several drops of red and yellow food coloring ro remaining frosting. Blend thoroughly to a bright orange color. Add 1 drop green food color to the reserved 1/4 cup frosting and blend well.
• Frost all but the upper stems with the orange frosting. Frost the upper stems with green frosting.
• Place chocolate chips and shortening in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium for 1 minute. Stir if necessary. Microwave for another 30 seconds at a time until mixture is smooth when stirred. Transfer to a resealable bag. Cut small tip off corner of bag. Pipe lines around edge and make the faces to resemble Jack O'Lanterns.
• TIPS: Cookies can be baked and cooled, packaged and frozen for up to 3 weeks. Defrost thoroughly before decorating.