A special dinner out is how many celebrate Valentine’s Day, but why not start out the special day with a delicious and sweet treat? My sweet almond pastries are flakey, buttery and full of almond and fruit flavors. They are so easy to make and when you pull them from the oven you’ll be tempted to dive in right away, but wait! The drizzle of almond glaze tops these little treats perfectly, so when your sweetheart wakes up, they’ll feel the love at the start of their day!

Belle’s Sweet Almond Pastries

n 1 package crescent roll dough sheet or rolls

n ½ cup any flavor jam

n 3 ounces almond paste (shaved thin)

n ½ cup powdered sugar

n ½ teaspoon almond flavoring

n 2-3 teaspoons milk

n 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Spray a small baking dish or pie plate with cooking spray or line with parchment paper and then set aside. Unroll the crescent dough and seal the seams if using the rolls so you have one complete rectangle. Spread the jam evenly over the dough and then top with paper-thin slices of the almond paste. Starting with the long end of the rectangle, carefully roll the dough like a sweet roll. Seal the edges and then slice into eight equal pieces. Place them in the prepared dish with their sides touching. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until the tops turn golden. Remove from oven and let cool. In a small bowl whisk the powdered sugar, almond flavoring, with just enough milk to thin it. Drizzle the glaze over the rolls and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Brenda Stanley is the mother of five children, including two sets of twins and a grandmother of eight. She is a cookbook author and novelist.Visit her website www.brendastanleybooks.com.