Homemade Milano Cookies

As I mentioned yesterday, I did some baking over the weekend and made these homemade Milano cookies.  I've always loved the Pepperidge Farm version and the wasn't sure if they could be topped.  I was wrong.  These homemade cookies blew the store bought variety out of the water.  They were buttery, slightly sweet but also a bit salty, flaky and crumbly with soft centers and gooey vanilla flavored chocolate oozing out the middle.  They were really something special, if I do say so myself.  Gabe also approved.

Homemade Milano Cookies
Ingredients (for shortbread cookies):
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350
-Cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer.  Add flour, salt, and vanilla and blend until it forms a soft dough.
-Wrap dough in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
-Roll dough into a log and cut 1/4-1/2 inch slices.  Place slices on cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until edges start to turn brown.  Cool completely on a rack.
Chocolate center:
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (can substitute for mint, almond, etc.)
-Melt chocolate in microwave safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds (should take about 60-90 seconds total). Stir in vanilla extract and spread melted chocolate on half the cookies, topping them with the other half to create a sandwich.