Shortbread Cookies, Marinated Feta with Olives, and Pecan Walnut Bars

After taking a hiatus over the past two weeks from cooking, I am back to work for Christmas.  This post is for shortbread cookies made for neighbors, marinated feta with olives taken to a neighborhood Christmas cocktail party, and last but not least pecan walnut bars made just for me!

While these are all small items, it did knock out three more recipes so I have a few pictures and comments on each.

Shortbread cookies:

These finished cookies were a cross between a teacake and a sugar cookie.  I started the recipe by making the cookie dough which consists of butter, sugar, vanilla, and flour.  After letting the dough sit in the fridge,  I rolled the dough and cut into cookies and then baked in the oven and done.  This is the finished cookie after decorating with green sparkles for Christmas of course!

Marinated Feta with Olives:

This was a quick and easy appetizer that made a nice presentation on a cheese tray.  All you do is cut the feta into cubes, marinate it with herbs and olive oil and then stir in red peppers and olives.  I am not a huge olive fan so I didn't sample this one but according to Matt..."It was really good but hard to eat."  I think the olives kept falling off the cracker. 

 Pecan Walnut Bars

This one scared me a little.  It was a similar crust recipe as the lemon meringue bars in my first post which was baked and then later frozen with the filling.   The crust on the lemon bars separated from the filling when I tried to cut into bars and I had quite the mess. 

I started by making a crust of powdered sugar, flour, butter, vanilla, and egg.   I rolled out and baked in the pan in the oven while making the filling.The filling consisted of pecans, walnuts, eggs, molasses, vanilla, brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter (your traditional pecan pie filling with walnuts added). 

After pouring the filling in the finished crust, it went back to the oven until set.  This is what the baked bars looked like...

The bars looked ready to cut after putting in the oven but the recipe had me freeze the bars for a few hours before slicing.  What a mistake.  After pulling them out, the crust was separating and I was having lemon bar deja vu.  I got frustrated and threw the whole pan in the fridge.  Two days later when the pecan walnut bars and I were ready to talk again, I pulled them out and tried to cut again.  This time it worked much better.  While I had a few casualties, I managed to get most of the pan cut into bars.  The bars were good but I kept thinking a pecan pie tastes very similar and it is much easier; although I may try the addition of walnuts next time I make one. 

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