Raspberry-Nut Valentines

1 cup (1/2 pound) butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups pecans, ground
2 cups all-purpose flour
confectioners sugar
About 1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

In large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until creamy; beat in vanilla extract. Gradually add pecans and flour, blending thoroughly. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until easy to handle (1 to 2 hours) or for up to 3 days.

On a floured board, roll out dough to a thickness of 1/8-inch. Cut out with a 2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter and transfer to ungreased baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart. Cut out a hole in center of half of the cookies, using a tiny round cutter about 1/2 inch in diameter (you can use the cap from a vanilla extract or other extract bottle). Bake in a 375 degrees F oven for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to racks and let cool completely.

Sift confectioners sugar over tops of cookies with holes; then spread bottom sides of remaining cookies with jam. Place a sugar-topped cookie on each jam-topped cookie to form a sandwich. Store airtight.

Makes about 3 dozen.