Fruit-Filled Pecan Meringue Bars

Ingredients:

•	3/4 cup Crisco® All-Vegetable Shortening
OR	3/4 cup Crisco® Baking Sticks All-Vegetable Shortening
•	1/2 teaspoon almond extract
•	1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
•	2/3 cup sugar
•	1 large egg
•	1 3/4 cups Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
•	1 teaspoon salt
•	1 cup Smucker's® Apricot Preserves, or Red Raspberry Preserves
•
PECAN TOPPING
•	3 egg whites
•	1/4 teaspoon salt
•	1/2 cup sugar
•	2/3 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions:

1	HEAT oven to 350ºF.
2	BLEND shortening and extracts in medium bowl. Add sugar gradually while beating. Beat in egg. Blend in flour and salt. Spread dough evenly in an ungreased 11 x 7-inch pan. Bake 20 minutes.
3	REMOVE from oven. Spread preserves over baked layer. Bake 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a rack while preparing topping.
4	BEAT egg whites and salt until stiff, not dry, peaks form. Add sugar gradually while beating. Fold in pecans. Spread topping carefully and evenly over preserves.
5	BAKE 15 to 20 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Cool before cutting into bars or squares.