Valentine love number 1 (and a cookie recipe).

Linzer cookies

The kids and I are preparing to head out of town for a couple of days. We are going to the edge of Kansas to celebrate my Grandma's 87th birthday. Since the blueberry banana cake and cream cheese frosting is ready to load and I am close to being packed... I thought I would take a few moments to begin sharing some of my valentine inspiration for this year.

some printable card ideas....

-June crafts "tweet" cards

-Danielle Thompson's panda and fox cards

-lots more at Creature Comfort

And the cookie recipe that I pulled from my old blog

Linzer cookies

Found in Country Home magazine Feb. 2008

1 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
dash salt
2 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. apricot jam, cherry, seedless jam (I also used some blueberry)

In a large bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on med.-high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and salt and beat until combined. Add egg yolks, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat until combined. Add flour and beat until combined. Cover and chill for 2 hours or until easy to handle.


On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough 1/4 in. thick. Cut with a cookie cutter. With half of the cut-outs, use a smaller sized cookie cutter, or a knife, and cut out the center.
Place 2 in. apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes, remove from the oven before the edges brown. Cool on a cooling rack, powder sugar the top cookie (the ones with the cut-out centers). Add 1 tsp. jam to the center of the bottom cookie. Place together to form sandwich cookies.

You can make the cookie dough ahead and freeze in a freezer for up to 1 month (thaw in refrigerator). Store filled cookies in a storage container at room temperature up to 2 days.