Orange-Pecan Shortbread

I am still in Moscow, Idaho for one more day and the snow is just cascading out of the sky right now.  I'm half loving it and half worrying about my flight, but it is hard to beat a backdrop of flurries of snowflakes.  Christmas just isn't the same without snow.

This is a new cookie recipe I'm trying out.  It is orange-pecan shortbread dipped in chocolate.  It is really delicious but I wish I was a little more talented with the presentation, because it is an elegant cookie but messy.

The poor naked orange after I've zested it.  How embarrassing for it!

I like to put some aluminum foil or parchment paper under my shortbread because I've had it stick and then just crumble when I was trying to get it out.

Maybe next time I should use a ruler so my squares are approximately the same size but this way people can choose how much shortbread they want.

Orange-Pecan Shortbread

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsps grated orange peel
1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) firm butter, cut into pieces
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 tbsp orange juice
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1. Stir together flour, sugar, salt, and orange peel. Rub in butter with your fingers until mixture is very crumbly and no large particles remain.
2. Mix in the walnuts and orange juice. Place mixture in a greased 7 by 11-inch baking pan and press firmly into an even layer.
3. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until pale golden brown. Cut into 1 1/4 inch squares. Let ocol completely in pan on a rack.
4. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave or a double boiler. Dip each square into the chocolate. Let cool on wax paper. Store in an air-tight container.

From "Sunset Cookies"

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