Heart’s delight

Looking for a sweet way to your mate’s heart? The Sugar Association has you covered with its Stained Glass Heart Cookies. To make them, cream together 1/2 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, sift together 2 1/3 cups flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Gradually stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until dough is very stiff. Cover and chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness, trying not to incorporate too much flour into the dough. Using a large heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out heart pattern. Transfer cookies to foil-lined baking sheet.

Using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out and remove heart design from center of each cookie. Fill the cut out sections with crushed red hard candies. Bake cookies 7-9 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned and candy has melted. Do not overcook. When done, slide foil off baking sheet. Carefully loosen cookies from foil when cooled. If desired, pipe decorative borders along edges with frosting.

Animal instinct

To celebrate the 100th birthday of Barnum’s Animal Crackers, Nabisco is looking for a new member to join the crew in the little red box. Visitors to www.NabiscoWorld.com can choose from a koala, walrus, penguin or cobra and enter to win a $10,000 savings bond at the same time. The winner will join the current members of the animal cracker family: sitting bear, standing bear, bison, camel, cougar, elephant, giraffe, gorilla, hippopotamus, jaguar, kangaroo, lion, monkey, rhinoceros, seal, sheep, tiger, wolf and zebra.

Pretty pancakes

Williams-Sonoma’s heart-shaped pancake molds are perfect for breakfast in bed, or just as a way to show your family you love them. Simply place the molds on a hot griddle, pour in batter, cook and flip. The molds cost $16 for a set of three and are available online at www.williams-sonoma.com or by calling (877) 812-6235.

Tidbits is hungry for news about local food products and events. Send your Tidbits to: Bangor Daily News, attn: Kristen Andresen, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor ME 04402-1329, or kandresen@bangordailynews.net.