A Last Minute Valentine

My low carb readers are going to leave me, but I thought someone might need an easy peasy idea for a last minute Valentine treat!  This is it!

♥ Valentine Shortbread Cookies ♥

Cream together 2 sticks (yikes...yes that's 2 sticks!) of butter with 1/2 cup sugar.  

(So now I've lost the low fat readers too.)

Beat until light and fluffy.

Stir in 2 1/4 cups flour and mix until dough holds together.

Add 4-5 drops of red food coloring to tint the cookies a Valentine-y pink.

Mix thoroughly.

Roll out about 1/2 inch thick.

Cut out cookies with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.

Bake at 300°F (lower temp than most cookies) for 15 minutes.

(These cookies do not brown.  When you take them out, they will look much the same as when you put them in.  Do not be tempted to leave them in longer or you will get a hard cookie, not melt-in-your-mouth shortbread goodness.)

Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes; transfer to cooling racks to continue cooling.

When completely cooled, drizzle with melted chocolate chips.

(I melted some chips in the microwave, placed the melted chocolate in a baggie, and cut a tiny hole in the corner.  Then I squeezed the bag as I made a simple back and forth motion.)

Allow chocolate some time to harden.

You can fill a cellophane bag with cookies and give them to your Valentines.

Or serve them at a party.

But be sure to keep one or two, so that you can enjoy it (them) with a cup of afternoon tea or coffee.