Cookies!

Well, I don't know about you, but I sure enjoyed trying new recipes all Lent long! And since the Catholic Church celebrates Easter for 50 days, I thought I'd enjoy the excuse to find, try, and share a few tasty treats throughout the season! (Not one per week, though -- I can't afford that much junk food and still hope to melt off my leftover pregnancy-pounds!)

Don't these Lemon Poppy seed Cookies sound just irresistible?! I'm envisioning them with icy lemonade on a hot day after walking Amy in the park... Mmmmmm!


Lemon Poppy seed Cookies

2 cups butter
2 1/2 cups sugar

3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1 tbsp. lemon peel
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp lemon extract (or lemon juice)

Beat sugar and butter.
Mix dry ingredients.
Mix all ingredients together.
Chill dough 2 hours before rolling out and cutting.
Roll out and cut with round cookie cutter. Bake at 350 on a greased cookie sheet. Cool and fill with cream cheese filling to make a sandwich. They are better the next day when the filling makes the cookies soft instead of crunchy.

Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. lemon extract (or lemon juice)
1/2 tsp. vanilla
16 oz. cream cheese (two packs)