Early in the day (or the day before):
Cream shortening and the sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs, vanilla, and milk.
Mix dry ingredients in medium bowl with a wire whisk. Add dry ingredients into the large bowl.
Mix with mixer until well combined. Shape dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
When ready to bake:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.
Roll* half or 1/3 dough at a time, keeping the rest refrigerated.
For crisp cookies, roll dough paper thin. For softer cookies, roll 1/8" to 1/4" thick.
(For the Halloween party, I use butter and roll the dough thick as soon as it is mixed.)
Cut into shapes with floured cookie cutters. Re-roll and re-use trimmings.
Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheets. Decorate.
Bake 8 minutes or until very light brown. Use pancake turner to move baked cookies to cooling racks.
Makes about 6 dozen cookies.