Fellows Date Filled Xmas Cookies

A unique, filled cookie made from a mixture of dates and citrus.   Cookies my grandma and mom made for Xmas.

Filling :
Grind together : 1 package of pitted dates (16 oz) and 1 orange (rind and everything).
Place ground mixture in a sauce pan and add
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
3/4 cup water
1 tsp lemon juice
Cook on medium low to reduce and thicken it ~20 mins.  Be careful not to burn.  You'll need to sitr it. Cool before putting into cookies.   Can be made a few days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

Dough :
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cups shortening or butter (1/2 Shortening and 1/2 butter is best)
3 eggs
grated rind of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 Cup sour milk (buttermilk is best)  add 1 tsp soda in milk
about 5 cups of flour (enough for a soft consistancy, do not make it too stiff)

To make dough, cream sugar and shortening.  Add eggs, lemon rind, lemon juice, vanilla and milk.  Add flour until dough is soft, not sticky but not too stiff.  Try not to mix dough too much to avoid building up too much flour gluten.

Make cookies by rolling out the dough as if you were making cutout christmas cookies.   Cut out 2 - 3" circles.   Put a tbsp of filling on a disk.  You can either use another disk to cover the filling and form a circular cookie.  Or fold over the disk in half to cover the filling and create a half moon shaped cookie.   Make sure ot press down the edges.

Cooking:  400 degree oven 8 - 10 mins.