Tea on Tuesday: Valentine Cookies



recipe.com

MY favorite holiday is quickly approaching! How about some valentine cookies for a special treat for a special someone? ENJOY your day!

Ingredients:
* 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* Dash salt
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/3 cup shortening
* 1 egg
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 3 drops oil of cinnamon (optional)
* 1/4 cup hard cinnamon candies, finely crushed

Directions:
1. In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl beat sugar and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and oil of cinnamon, if desired; beat well. Add flour mixture; beat well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator about 2 hours or until firm.

2. Cut a 10x8-inch heart pattern from paper. Halve dough. Line 2 cookie sheets with foil. Place half of the dough on each cookie sheet; roll into 10x8-inch rectangles. With pattern, cut dough into heart shapes. Reserve scraps. (If dough seems too soft, freeze 30 minutes or until firm.) Use alphabet- and heart-shaped cutters to cut out a message from each cookie or carefully use a paring knife to cut out a message. Remove dough from cutters.

3. Spoon candy into cutouts to fill holes to level of the dough. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until candy is melted and cookies are done. Cool on cookie sheets. Peel foil from cookies. Reroll dough scraps; cut with 3-inch cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in the 375 degree F oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until done. Cool on pan.

Makes 2 large and 6 small cookies.

~~yummy recipe and photo from: recipe.com~~