Poinsettias

1. Prepare Basic Dough. Divide dough into three equal portions. Tint two portions of the dough with red paste food coloring; tint one portion with green. If necessary, cover and chill dough for 1 to 2 hours or until easy to handle.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Divide red dough into thirty 1-inch balls. Divide green dough into thirty 1/2-inch balls. For each cookie, divide a red ball into five smaller balls. Roll each ball between palms of hands to lengthen and flatten slightly. Pinch one end, then flatten to form petals. Divide a green ball into three smaller balls and form leaves for petals. If desired, use a toothpick to form a leaf design in green dough.

3. On an ungreased baking sheet, arrange five petals and three leaves to form a 3-inch poinsettia. Repeat with remaining dough, placing cookies 2 inches apart.

4. Bake in preheated oven about 12 minutes or until edges are firm and cookies are slightly puffed. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

5. Attach a round tip to the frosting tube. Pipe five or six small yellow dots in the center of each poinsettia. Makes 30 cookies.