O.K. so I made the no fail cookies...and they came out great! I made Alices icing, but I seem to be having problems with it. I have tried it twice, and both times..this is what happened...it gets like little dots in it, as if the powdered suger did not mix well, but I mixed it for quite a while. and you can see the "dots" even when I leave it white, or when I color it! What could I be doing wrong??? I have been searching for Antonia74s icing recipe...and I can't find it...could someone please share it with me? I have just started the cookie thing...and I really think its a lot of fun!!!! I just need help with the icing! Thanks in advance!
(I am saving for a KA, we just bought our first house!) So, anyway, I don't have a paddle attachment..can I still make this recipe? If so, how? Just with my hand mixer?
Hold on Shel! 
Here is Antonia's below. I have only used Alice's once but it could be humidity effecting your icing....maybe sift the confectioner's sugar? I only have hand mixers and have made both with them and had no problems. 
Good luck!
Royal Icing for Decorated Cookies
Serves/Yields: about 6 cups of thick icing?
Prep. Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time:
Category: Frostings, Cookies!
Difficulty: Easy
This icing is mixed to a stiff consistency for outlining cookies, then can be thinned with warm water to fill in the cookie shape. I like to dry my cookies for at least 24 hours...and up to 48 hours before packaging them. This icing can be kept at room temperature in an air-sealed container for literally weeks, with a good re-mixing before you use it again. I haven't had great results with keeping it in the fridge...but un-tinted icing (i.e. white) seems to be okay from the freezer.
6 oz (3/4 cup) of warm water
5 Tablespoons meringue powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 kilogram (2.25 lbs.) powdered icing sugar
In mixer bowl, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk by hand until it is frothy and thickened...about 30 seconds.
Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds more.
Pour in all the icing sugar at once and place the bowl on the mixer.
Using the paddle attachment on the LOWEST speed, mix slowly for a full 10 minutes. Icing will get thick and creamy.
Cover the bowl with a dampened tea-towel to prevent crusting and drying.
Tint with food colourings or thin the icing with small amounts of warm water to reach the desired consistency
Why am I getting white spots in my icing?
Syndy - from Bloomington, IN
There are many possible reasons for white spots in icing. First, some ingredients may not be incorporated well, try sifting any meringue powder. Also, if the spots can be removed, they may be small pieces of shortening that have not been fully incorporated into your icing or pieces of hardened sugar. You may try creaming the shortening and butter separately before combining them with the sugar. The last and most common cause may be hard water. The high mineral content of hard water does not handle icing colors as well, resulting in spots. To combat this, you can use distilled or bottled water when making your icing.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%