Pecan Heaven

Hi friends!! Sorry, I promise I didn't fall off the face of the Earth. As I'm sure most of you did, I was caught up in the whirlwind we commonly call Christmas! It was a fun-filled week of craziness followed by movies, games, naps and eating! I hope you all enjoyed your holiday and time with friends and family.

On to the blog....I made the most delicious dessert for Christmas Eve. Ina Garten's Pecan Squares. I've made these several times and I always get great reviews from all my taste-testers ;0) Ok, so you may be thinking, "Geez woman! Another Ina recipe?!" Yes, it is. Why stray from recipes that always work? I heart Ina <3

Anyway, these Pecan Squares are the perfect twist on a traditional pecan pie. I, myself, love pecans. This recipe is a healthy layer of pecan goodness baked on top of a shortbread-type crust. This recipe makes an enormous amount, so it can definitely go a long way.

You'll Need:

Crust:

nocoupons

• 1 1/4 pounds unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:

nocoupons

• 1 pound unsalted butter
• 1 cup good honey
• 3 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 pounds pecans, coarsely chopped

I got this recipe out of her cookbook, but it's also online. Click on Pecan Squares above for the full recipe. FYI, you need to use butter, not margarine. Otherwise the recipe will not work.

**notice the mess underneath the baking sheet-make sure you line the rack with foil because it will bubble over-then you have an easy clean up

**these squares can be served alone, dipped in chocolate,

or like I did here with heavy cream, whipped until light and fluffy