Be My Valentine

I love Valentine's Day and not because I have a husband and two boys who have spoiled me throughout my life - au contraire.  I just think it's a fun time to send some pretty cards and give little fun presents and make a special meal and EAT SOME DARK CHOCOLATE and put a cool heart wreath on the door!

My mother was big on Valentine's Day.  We always had little gifts waiting for us and I mean LITTLE.  One of my memories was a pink and red heart pillowcase - 1 for my sister and 1 for me........I don't remember what the boys got that year.  When we went away to college, you could always count on a card in the school mail box from mom with a 5 dollar bill in it.  The year I started dating Harry in college - even HE got a 5 dollar bill!  This was mystifying to him but he loved it because he could buy a pitcher that night!  The point is - it's just the thought.....just the thought.

Here is a cookie recipe I found in the December issue of bon appetit.  In December I rolled them in green sugar and just flattened them before baking but in February I rolled them in hot pink sugar, flattened them and cut them out with a heart cookie cutter.  These are a little different than your basic butter cookie because of the lemon.  I really like them!  Too Much!!!


Lemon Sugar Cookies


Makes about 24


3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 large egg
2 T finely grated lemon peel
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 t salt
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
colored sugar crystals


Using electric mixer, beat first 6 ingredients in large bowl really well.   Beat in flour.  Cover; chill dough until firm but not hard, about 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350'.  Coat 2 large cookie sheets with nonstick spray.  Pour sugars into separate bowls.  Working with moistened hands and 1 level tablespoon at a time, shape dough into balls.  Roll balls into colored sugars to coat; arrange on sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.  Using bottom of glass, flatten each cookie (and this is where I cut out heart with the cookie cutter or forget making hearts and just have pink round shapes - all good!)

Bake cookies until golden on bottom, about 14 minutes.  Cool on rack.

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!