Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies (adult speak for pecan sandies)

Loved those pecan shortbread cookies in the green bag with the elves on it, and wanted to re-create something more sophisticated.  I have a wonderful book by Alice Medrich called "Cookies and Brownies."  When she called for melting the butter for shortbreads, I knew I was on the right path.  I use my tried and true shortbread recipe from "The Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook."

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter
5/8 cup sugar
2-1/2 cups sifted flour
Pinch Salt
1 cup whole Pecan halves
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (optional)

• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, and allow it to simmer until it becomes a light brown color.  Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, vanilla and salt.
• In the meantime, toast the pecans in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, until you can start to smell the nuts.  Let cool, then chop into 1/4 inch pieces.
• Add the nuts to the flour and mix.  Then add the butter and sugar to the flour and nuts and mix until just combined. 
• There are two basic methods to make the cookies:  press them into a 9” square brownie pan, or roll the dough into a 2” diameter log in waxed paper.  Either way, chill the dough at least 2 hours, until it is very firm. 
• If you rolled the dough, cut into ½ inch slices and bake on a cookie sheet. 
• Bake 20-25 minutes.  The tops of the cookies do not brown much, nor change shape during baking, so you can space them tightly. 
• If you used the pan, the cookies will need to bake abaout 60 minutes 
• Cool 10 minutes in the pan or on the cookie sheet until firm, then release from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.   Cut into squares.