Day 15: Pecan Pie Bars

My heart is heavy and my mind isn't in a baking mood as the television continues to report on yesterday's senseless violence. I have shut off the noise for awhile and will return to it later when I can get my hands around it all. Things like this seem to hit me particularly hard anymore. I know what loss feels like and I often think about losing my kids and what it would do to me. Unfathomable, really. So I will pray. And bake.

In light of everything, I changed what I was going to bake today and made something that I wanted. "Comfort food for Tonya". Pecan Pie (Bars). Really, I should just make my pecan pie. It is full of bourbon and oh so good. (I have added bourbon to this recipe for your enjoyment and as my "medicine".) I really hate to make a crust for just one pie... so for now, enjoy the pecan pie bars....

I am going on record that pecan pie is my favorite. If a menu has it listed, I see nothing else on the page. I'm pretty sure that I have never, not ever, met a pecan pie I didn't like. Even those little pecan pie cups that make their way to the cookie tray are a favorite of mine so this recipe should be no surprise or exception. It makes a pretty large batch so you can be generous with your cutting. Make the squares BIG, after all, it's the holidays. Top with a nice healthy scoop of homemade bourbon whipped cream (heavy cream, powdered sugar and bourbon, whipped on high until stiff peaks form). So that unopened bottle of Maker's Mark in my liquor cabinet saw it's pretty red wax seal broken this morning, but it was worth it. One for the recipe, one for the cook! Nothing like a Starbucks and bourbon on a Saturday morning. :)

Until tomorrow - Bake, and pray.

Pecan Pie Bars
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt (absolutely needed)
1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into cubes

2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon bourbon (dealer's choice)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make the crust, combine flour, powdered sugar and butter in a processor or by cutting with a pastry cutter. Mixture should resemble coarse crumbs. Pat crumb mixture into an ungreased 11"x7"x 1/2" pan. Bake 20 minutes or until light brown.
• For the filling: Mix together eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup, pecans, 2 tablespoons melted butter bourbon, vanilla and salt. Spread evenly over baked crust. 
• Return to oven and bake 20 minutes more or until filling is set. Cool on a wire rack in the pan.