1 c. butter
1 c. Crisco
6 eggs
4 c. sugar
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. baking soda
7 1/2 to 8 c. flour, to make soft dough
1/4 tsp. salt

Melt shortening and butter together. Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, add melted shortening. Dissolve baking soda in the sour cream and then add to the sugar mixture. Reduce mixer speed and add flour and spices, about 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly.

Chill in refrigerator overnight. Roll out on floured pastry cloth with covered rolling pin - roll thin - and cut with fancy cutters. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes, until pale brown. Remove AT ONCE from cookie sheet (or use bakers parchment). Decorate with sugars before baking or frost with following recipe.

FROSTING:

2 egg whites, beaten stiff but not dry
2 c. Superfine sugar
Juice of 1 1/2 lemon, approximately 4 tbsp.
Grated rind of 1 lemon

This may divided into small bowl and colored. Use decorative sugars etc. - be creative.

Beat egg whites; fold in sugar and juice. Add lemon rind. If frosting gets stiff thin with a few drops of water or lemon juice. If it must sit a while, cover with Saran Wrap touching surface of frosting.

This cookie dough freezes well. The finished cookies, cooled and dry, may be stored in a tight tin for several weeks, well worth the effort of a slightly tricky dough to handle.