Melt-away butter cookies

---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
  
       Title: Melt-Away Butter Cookies
  Categories: Cookies
       Yield: 42 servings
  
   1 1/4 c  Butter; softened
     3/4 c  Powdered sugar; sifted
   2 1/2 c  All-purpose flour
     1/2 ts Vanilla extract
     1/2 ts Almond extract
            Few drops liquid food
            -coloring
            Chocolate-tipped butter
            -cookies:
      12 oz Semisweet chocolate morsels
       1 tb Shortening
     1/2 c  Pecans; finely chopped
  
   Recipe by: Southern Living
   Preparation Time: 0:30
   Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed
   of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add flour, and
   mix well.  Stir in flavorings and food coloring, if
   desired. Use a cookie gun to shape dough as desired,
   following the manufacturer's instructions.  Place cookies
   on ungreased cookie sheets.  Bake at 325 degrees for 15
   minutes.  Cool on wire racks.  Store in airtight
   containers, placing wax paper between each layer.  Yield:
   about 7 dozen ( 2-inch) cookies.
   
   CHOCOLATE-TIPPED BUTTER COOKIES: Melt together semisweet
   chocolate morsels and shortening. Dip half of each prepared
   butter cookie in chocolate mixture.  Roll chocolate-dipped
   portion in finely chopped pecans.  Place cookies on wire
   racks until chocolate is firm.
   NOTE:  Melt-Away Butter Cookies call for a cookie gun to
   shape the dough.  With a cookie gun, you can stamp out a
   wide variety of perfectly shaped cookies in a minimum of
   time, making this piece of equipment a practical investment
   for someone who does a lot of baking and entertaining.
   You'll find both electric and hand-pump models of cookie
   guns available in most kitchen shops or department stores.
   Most are constructed so that you can make mints, cheese
   straws, and canapes as well as cookies.  Since the models
   differ in construction, follow the specific manufacturer's
   directions for assembling and loading the gun.
  
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