Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F Lightly grease cookie sheets.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter, cream cheese, and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg yolk and vanilla.
• Stir in flour until well blended.
• Drop dough by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet (or use a cookie press). If desired, make an indentation in the center with your thumb or other object; fill with preserves, or press candy into center.
• Bake for 15 minutes in preheated oven.
• Cookies should be pale.

Steps:

• Mix in a sauce pan the dates, sugar and TBSP of flour, water, and lemon juice. Cook this for about 5 minutes on a medium heat, until all are blended well.
• Mix together the shortening, sugar, and eggs.
• Stir in the 2 Tbsps. thick cream and l teaspoons vanilla.
• Sift together the 2 1/2 cups of flour, baking soda and salt. Add to shortening mix to form dough.
• Chill dough for at least 1 to 2 hours.
• Roll out dough in thin layers in small batches and cut with round cookie cutter.
• Put mixture (about a tbsp.) in the center between 2 thin cookies pressed together.
• Bake at 350 degrees on lightly greased sheet pan for 8-10 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.