Cookie of the Week

Pecan Shortbread Yummies
{Martha Stewart “Living” January 2009}

3 ½ oz. pecan halves, toasted (1 cup)
2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
½ tsp coarse salt
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, sifted

Preheat oven to 325. Break up pecan halves with knife until they are coarsely chopped. Cream butter with sugar until smooth and color is pale. With the mixer running, add vanilla and salt, and then reduce speed to low. Gradually add the flour beating until distributed. Stir in the pecans and cover the dough, refrigerate for 15 minutes or longer. Drop small 2-Tbsp size scoops of dough onto baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake rotating sheets halfway through, until the edges of cookies are golden brown. Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool (cookies will keep covered for up to two days). Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.