Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread

     Two years ago for Father's Day, I bought my husband two raspberry bushes.  He planted them at the back of our yard, next to the strawberries and behind the raised vegetable beds.  I've honestly forgotten about them until this summer, since they're shielded by the tuteurs that hold my tomatoes. Several weeks ago he told me how he needed to build a 6 foot grid frame to support the two plants.  I actually thought that sounded a bit excessive, but I didn't argue (well, maybe a little)... But you know what?  They definitely needed the support of that frame.  They're massive plants.  Now, each morning I go out and pick a pint of raspberries.  I just made a Cherry-Berry Pie (recipe HERE) that is a combination of sweet cherries, blueberries and my garden raspberries.  Tomorrow there's going to be a raspberry cake.  And if they continue to produce berries until the fall, there will be many more raspberry recipes ahead.
     The other day, we were just eating the raspberries as is, with a little pastry sauce drizzled over.  I thought a little shortbread cookie would be perfect with the berries. 

   • recipe from the Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook •

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1.  Grind the flour, pecans, and salt in a food processor fitted with a steel blade to a fine powder.  Set aside.
2.  Using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, cream the butter and sugar.  When the mixture is very smooth and creamy, mix in the pecan mixture.
3.  Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
4.  Preheat oven to 300˚F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
5.  Roll out the dough 1/4-inch thick on a lightly floured surface.  Cut into shapes with a 1-inch cookie cutter.  Gather up the scraps, reroll, and cut into as many cookies as possible.  Place on the prepared cookie sheets and bake until colored, 20 to 25 minutes.

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