Part of a nutritious breakfast?

I realized at about 9pm last night that I had signed up to take a "pastry" for a meeting this morning. Given that Dr. Daddy was at the hospital and the kiddos were in bed, it basically boiled down to whatever was in the cupboard. I ended up making these Pecan Squares from the Southern Living "Our Best Recipes" cookbook. They are delicious. I think they taste like a Praline Bar and they go great with coffee. A pastry? Maybe not, but I think they'll be a hit!



Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup butter
3 tablespoons whipping cream
3 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans


Preparation
Sift together 2 cups flour and 2/3 cup powdered sugar. Cut in 3/4 cup softened butter using a pastry blender or fork just until mixture resembles coarse meal. Pat mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool.

Bring brown sugar, honey, 2/3 cup butter, and whipping cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in pecans, and pour hot filling into prepared crust.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Cool completely before cutting into 2-inch squares.

She uses salted butter and brings the filling to a rolling boil before pouring it over the crust.

Judy Russell, Birmingham, Alabama

Yield
Makes about 28 squares

Judy Russell, Birmingham, Alabama , Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2004