Pecans, Pecans, Pecans!

I went to the grocery store and needed pecans for the Texas Sheet Cake I was going to take to my brother's for dinner. After seeing that a little bag was $9.00, I decided against that.

When I was at Sam's later, a saw a huge bag for $11.00, so now I must find all kinds of pecan recipes to use them up.

There are no pictures of the Sheet Cake because I didn't take any before I left and it was so yummy there was none to bring home.

These pecan bars were pretty good for a little snack.

Source: Everyday Food (From Martha Stewart Living) May 2006

Makes 18
Prep Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup AP flour (plus more for preparation)
• 3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, but into pieces
• 1/4 tsp salt (I didn't have unsalted butter, so I left out the salt)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Line an 8x8 square baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on all sides.
2. In a food processor, pulse pecans until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl; set aside. In processor, blend flour, sugar, butter, and salt until moist clumps form. Add reserved pecans; pulse 2 or 3 times, just to incorporate.
3. Press dough evenly into bottom of prepared pan (with floured fingers). With a floured flork, prick dough every 1/2 inch. Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes.
4. Cool 5 minutes in pan. Use foil overhang to lift shortbread onto cutting board. Cut warm shortbread, and coil completely on rack before serving.