Valentine de-coder cookies

I first saw these 'stained glass' cookies at my neighbors house a few years ago.  I've been wanting to make them ever since, and finally got around to it.  I was browsing the web and found them as 'decoder' cookies. How fun is that?!  So, the recipe for the cookies is a Sour Cream Sugar Cookie which I got from my friend Becky.  Then I used my heart shaped cookie cutters and filled the middle with Jolly Ranchers.  If you have a 4 inch and 2 inch heart cookie cutters, you can probably just drop the whole jolly rancher in the center of the cookie and be fine.  My cookie cutters are a bit smaller, so I ended up crushing them and using about 1/2 tsp in each cookie.  If you're not sure, just try one to start.  To see how to make your own coded message, go to Family Fun, you can also find some to just print at Gourmet Mom on the go  (she's amazing).

Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies

1/2 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. soda
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sour cream

Beat & cream together shortening, sugar, egg & vanilla.
Mix & sift together salt, soda & flour; add to creamed mixture alternately w/ sour cream. Chill if desired.
Roll out & cut w/ floured cutters. Bake @ 400 for 8 min.  (line your pan with foil and cooking spray for decoder cookies)

Once you remove the cookies from the oven, let leave them on the tray to cool so the centers harden up.