Italian Cheese Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda 
• 0.5 cup butter softened
• 1 cup butter softened
• 4 cups flour all-purpose
• 48 servings food coloring red
• 2 cups powdered sugar 
• 15 oz ricotta cheese 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 2 cups sugar 
• 0.7 cup condensed milk sweetened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Equipment

• baking sheet
• oven
• hand mixer

Directions

1. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to blend sugar, butter, vanilla, salt and ricotta cheese. Gradually stir in flour; mix in baking soda. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 13 minutes. Cool on wire racks. To prepare Sweet Vanilla Icing: mix all icing ingredients with an electric mixer on low speed.
3. Spread Sweet Vanilla Icing over cookies.