Pecan Shortbread Bars

(My career as a food stylist photographer won't go anywhere when I leave to get my camera and three bars are already snitched!)

Yummy, yum, yum! And easy to prepare and clean up, too! You make the dough in a food processor and bake in a foil-lined pan.

PECAN SHORTBREAD BARS

1 cup pecan halves...1 cup flour...3/4 cup confectioner's sugar...1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces...1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8" square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides.

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 2-3 times just to incorporate.

Press dough evenly into the bottom of perpared pan. With a floured fork, prick dough every 1/2". Bake until lightly golden, 30-35 minutes.

Cool 5 minutes in pan. Use foil overhang to lift shortbread from pan onto cutting board. With a serrated knife, carefully cut warm shortbread into 18 bars (6 rows x 3 rows). Remove from foil; cool bars competely on a rack (hah!) before serving.

From Everyday Food, #32, May 2006, page 114