Showing posts with label Pecans. Show all posts
Sweet Potato Salad
in Bell peppers, Jams, Pecans, Potatoes, Salad dressings/Vinaigrettes, Salads, Side Dish on Thursday, March 8, 2012
I’m drooling over this recipe I have not made yet. I love sweet potatoes but am the only one at this address who does so I’m imagining how delicious it must be.
This is from Heirloom Cooking by Brass Sisters. Here’s what they say about it: “This colorful, tasty salad is perfect for autumn gatherings. We suggest that you start this salad early in the day so that the flavors will come together. Steam the sweet potatoes the night before. The sweet potatoes should still be a bit firm when you make the salad.”
I think this would be a great salad for summer also. It’s a cold salad with a delicious vinaigrette that would be tasty with chicken, seafood or even a burger from the grill. As soon as I have a sweet potato lover over for a meal, I will be trying this.
Sweet Potato Salad
For salad:
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
¼ cup orange marmalade
¼ cup apricot jam
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
For vinaigrette:
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced, or ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
Grated zest of 1 orange
Method:
To make the salad:
Place sweet potatoes in a steamer basket set over simmering water.
Cover and steam about 20 minutes. They should still be a bit firm.
Remove to a large bowl and allow to cool.
When cool enough to handle, cut potatoes into 3/4-inch dice and return to bow.
Add orange marmalade, apricot jam, and red pepper and toss to coat.
To make vinaigrette:
Place oil, vinegar, orange juice and mustard into a container with a cover.
Cover and shake to combine.
Remove cover and add salt, black pepper, garlic, hot pepper flakes and orange zest.
Replace cover and shake to combine.
Pour vinaigrette over salad and stir gently with wooden spoon.
Place in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to allow flavors to marry.
Remove salad from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving.
Serve sprinkled with pecans.
Brass Sisters tips:
- Do not use baked sweet potatoes for this salad.
- Do not mix pecans into salad or they will become soggy.
Fast Food Friday with Linda
in Bread, Butterscotch, Chocolate, Coconut, Desserts, Macadamias, My Kind of Cooking, Pecans, Pineapple on Friday, March 2, 2012
A fun thing is happening this morning! I will be joining Linda (“My Kind of Cooking”) on the radio, via telephone this morning during her cooking segment, “Fast Food Friday.”
You can listen over the internet by clicking this link: Passion Radio. Click on the Listen Live button in the upper left hand corner of the website to connect. We will be on around 8:20 a.m. mountain time, 9:20 central time.
As you may have seen on my June 25th post, I won her cookbook in a drawing. It is a marvelous cookbook that I am thrilled to have! Linda mentioned my winning the cookbook on the radio program as I was listening. And then to my amazement, she emailed asking if I would like to join her on the air. Oh my gosh! No doubt as to what my answer would be, YES!
With that, I made two recipes and shipped the “goodies” to Linda in New Mexico
The first recipe I made for Linda was Chocolate Chunk Butterscotch Blondies. It is a recipe that Mom made and I did some substituting. It originally called for walnuts, shredded coconut and milk chocolate chips. I bake it with pecans, butterscotch chips and semi-sweet chocolate chunks.
These blondies are about the brown sugar though. They are similar to a brownie but have a brown sugar base instead of cocoa like brownies. Blondies are a sweet thing!
Chocolate Chunk Butterscotch Blondies
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter, at room temperature
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons vanilla
½ cup butterscotch morsels
½ cup semi-sweet dark chocolate chunks
½ cup pecans, chopped
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease or spray an 8” baking dish with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Beat butter and cream cheese in a large bowl with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Add the brown sugar and beat 3-4 minutes longer.
Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
Fold in the butterscotch morsels, chocolate chunks and pecans.
Spread the batter in the baking dish and bake for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool about 15-20 minutes in the pan before slicing.
Makes about 16 bars
Yum!!!
Now, for the second goodie I shipped to Linda ~ Hawaiian Pineapple Bread is a great sweet bread that a friend at our church in Louisville
Here’s the bread recipe:
Hawaiian Pineapple Bread
Ingredients:
2 cups flower
½ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 beaten egg
½ cup milk
1¼ (8¼-ounce can) cups crushed pineapple, undrained
¼ cup butter, melted
¾ cup macadamia nuts, chopped
1-1/3 cups flaked coconut
Method:
Grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan or two 7½ x3½ x2-inch loaf pans; set aside.
In a bowl, stir together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Make a well in center of dry mixture.
In another bowl combine the egg, milk, undrained pineapple and melted butter.
Stir just until moistened, batter should be lumpy.
Fold in nuts and coconut.
Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 55-60 minutes for the 9 inch loaf pan or 45-50 minutes for the 7½ inch loaf pans; until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool bread in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Remove bread from pan and completely cool on the wire rack.
Wrap and store overnight before slicing.
Makes 1 large or 2 small loaves.
I would have never dreamed in a million years that Linda and her friends at KPCL would be eating my homemade treats in New Mexico
Texas Sheet Cake
in Cakes/cupcakes, Chocolate, Cocoa, Desserts, Pecans, Sour cream on Saturday, February 4, 2012
This is an oldie but goodie cake and easy cake! I imagine most of you have heard of it, maybe even baked it. But ~ it is, without a doubt, a great chocolate cake. And who doesn’t like chocolate?
Texas Sheet Cake is a rich, dense, moist chocolate cake that is a cross between a brownie and cake, covered in a fudgy frosting. What may make this recipe a little different from most of them is the addition of cinnamon. It pairs perfectly with chocolate and gives a wonderful flavor to the cake.
Here’s some chocolate fun:
Reasons Why a Chocolate is Better Than a Man
- Chocolate’s not afraid to pull over and ask for directions.
- After telling your chocolate bar all your worries you can simply eat it.
- You can share chocolates with your best friend.
- A bar of chocolate doesn't bore you by constantly talking about football.
- Your mother will never disapprove of your choice of chocolate.
- Chocolate will never tell you that you’re “getting a little chubby.”
- No one's ever been jilted by a chocolate gateau
Reasons Why a Chocolate is Better Than a Woman
- Chocolate never keeps you waiting.
- Chocolate doesn't get jealous when you look at another chocolate bar.
- You never have to buy a box of chocolates for a box of chocolates.
- Chocolate doesn't talk incessantly while you're watching the football.
- It doesn't expect you to remember the anniversary of the first time you met.
- Chocolate never tries to chat up your best friend.
- Chocolate isn't looking for a long term commitment.
And on with the recipe:
Ingredients:
2 sticks butter
1 cup water
4 tablespoons cocoa
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour cream
Method:
Bring butter, water and cocoa to a boil.
Remove from heat.
Add flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon.
Beat in soda, eggs, vanilla and sour cream.
Pour onto large greased cookie sheet with sides of jelly roll pan, 10 ½” X 15 ½.”
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until a wooden pick comes out clean.
Frosting:
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
4 tablespoons cocoa
6 tablespoons milk
1 cup chopped pecans
1 box confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Method:
Bring butter, cocoa and milk to a boil.
Remove from heat and add nuts, sugar and vanilla.
Spread over hot cake immediately.
Cool and serve
Mmmmm, chocolate!!!
Chocolate Kahlúa Cream Pie
Chocolate, Cream, Cinnamon
Cabannes and Ryman
Kahlúa is a well-known Mexican coffee-flavored liqueur. It is sweet and dense with a distinct taste of coffee, from which it is made.
This chocolate pie uses Kahlúa for its deep rich coffee flavor, along with chocolate and cinnamon wrapping up into a decadent, creamy dark chocolate pie filling. It is made even more delicious by being smoothed out over a chocolaty pecan crust, then covering it all with whipped cream that’s loaded with even more Kahlúa. I’m thinking it’s a pretty sinful thing, but I enjoy every forkful of it!
Another great thing about this chocolate pie is that it may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. What could be easier and more delicious? This pie could make a chocoholic out of about anyone, it’s heavenly!
Chocolate Kahlúa Cream Pie
Ingredients:
1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs
¼ cup pecans, ground fine
½ stick butter, melted and cooled
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 large egg yolks
2 cups milk, scalded
3 tablespoons Kahlúa
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
For the topping:
2/3 cup well-chilled heavy cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon Kahlúa
1-2 tablespoons shaved chocolate for garnish
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, combine well the wafer crumbs, pecans, butter, 2 tablespoons of sugar and the cinnamon.
Pat mixture into 9” glass pie plate and bake for 10-12 minutes until set.
In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 2/3 cup sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks and whisk in the milk, scalded.
In a heavy saucepan, bring the custard to a boil over moderate heat, whisking and simmer it, whisking for 2 minutes.
Whisk in the Kahlúa and chocolate until the mixture is smooth.
Pour into pie shell, smoothing the top.
Chill the pie with its surface covered with plastic wrap for at least 6 hours.
Make the topping:
In a chilled bowl with chilled beaters beat the cream until it holds soft peaks, beat in the sugar and Kahlúa and beat topping until it holds stiff peaks.
Spread the topping over the pie.
Sprinkle with shaved chocolate.
This pie will delight all you chocolate lovers!
Mom’s Penuche
Merry Christmas Everybody!
Say it with me, “Peh-noo-chee.” Or, do you call it brown sugar fudge? Mom always called it penuche but, some people call it brown sugar fudge and that describes it spot on. It is either a New England or a Southern delicacy and the origin of it is unclear.
This is an old recipe that Mom used during the holidays when I was young and it is undoubtedly one of the sweetest confections you will ever put in your mouth! Penuche is a form of fudge, except that it does not include chocolate and is lighter in color than fudge while being extremely sweet. Penuche tastes like a very rich caramel. You make it by heating sugar and milk to the soft ball stage, letting it cool briefly, and then beating it until it is smooth and creamy. Mom usually added chopped nuts walnuts but, that is optional.
Then, you get to the “workout” segment of it when you have to beat it! It has to be beaten vigorously and it will make your arm feel like it is going to disintegrate but, you have to persevere! Better yet, have someone handy to be your back-up and take turns at it. It will definitely build those biceps up!
Penuche has an intense brown sugar buttery taste that is very dangerously addicting! It would make a great home-made Christmas gift if you and your family don’t devour it first! There is nothing else quite like it!
Mom’s Penuche
Ingredients:
3 cups light brown sugar, firmly packed
¼ cup light corn syrup
¾ cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup walnuts or pecans chopped, optional
Mix all of the above together in a deep heavy sauce pan. Using a candy thermometer, cook to 238 degrees.
Cool to 110 degrees.
Add vanilla.
Beat until stiff and mixture begins to gloss, about 10 minutes or more.
Very quickly stir in the nuts.
Pour into buttered 9” pan.
Cut into squares when firm.
Penuche is the perfect remedy for your sweet tooth!
It will make you drool!!!
Have a Wonderful Christmas!!!
Saltine Toffee Crunch
This is one crazy delicious toffee delight and soooo easy to make! I'm so glad I came upon this recipe in our local newspaper, The Northwest Herald!
A saltine cracker has always been one of life’s little pleasures for me whether spread with peanut butter, topped with a cheese slice or along with a bowl of soup but, I never would have imagined the lowly saltine cracker being exalted to a great party confection!
The combination of the salty cracker with the butter and brown sugar that turns into toffee and then topped with semi-sweet chocolate and toasted pecans is addictive for sure. The saltine renders an irresistible salt crunch to play off the buttery sweet toffee. What great cracker candy!
Saltine Toffee Crunch
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
35 saltine crackers
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips, I used Ghirardelli’s
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a 10” x 15” rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, allowing for some overhang.
Melt butter in a large saucepan.
Brush parchment with a little butter.
Line up crackers on buttered parchment, touching but not overlapping.
Whisk brown sugar into remaining butter. Set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; boil thick, 2 minutes.
Pour evenly over crackers.
Place in 400-degree oven and bake until brown and bubbly, 10 minutes.
Carefully remove from oven.
Scatter molten surface with chocolate chips.
Let melt 5 minutes.
Use an offset spatula to spread chocolate.
Cast on nuts, gently press into chocolate.
Freeze until firm, 30 minutes.
Lift parchment by its overhang and set toffee (paper and all) on a cutting surface.
Slice into 18 squares, then into 36 triangles or break into chunks.
I’d call it “sin on a cracker!”
Be sure to enter my CSN Giveaway for a $35 gift certificate that I posted on December 17th!
Also, check out my friend, Linda’s blog, at My Kind of Cooking for her great recipes and cookbook giveaway!
Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet potato vine in flower
Here is Kathy’s (Matt’s girlfriend) delicious recipe for sweet potatoes that is a great departure from the traditional pineapple and marshmallow sweet potatoes. It is made of fresh sweet potatoes, not canned for a great fresh flavor and is filled with aromatic spices and a bit of pecans. As there is just a little brown sugar in the recipe, it is not too sweet.
This scrumptious dish makes a great addition to your holiday menu but, there is no need to wait for a holiday to enjoy it; it’s great any time! It is easy to make and delicious.
This dish is a keeper and will make anyone a sweet potato lover!
Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients:
2 ½ pounds sweet potatoes
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (melt extra for baking dish)
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
Splash of vanilla extract
Several pinches of nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper (very little to taste)
¼ cup coarsely chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet (she sprays the sheet with some cooking spray) and pierce each one 2 or 3 times with a fork. Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool.
You can either buy chopped pecans or chop whole unsalted pecans on a cutting board.
Turn the oven down to 350 degrees. When sweet potatoes are cool to touch, scoop the potato out of their skins and into a large mixing bow. Discard the skins. Mash the potatoes or use hand mixer until they are smooth. Add the eggs, butter, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper and vanilla. Whisk the mixture until smooth (no lumps). If necessary, use hand mixer to get to the appropriate smoothness.
Butter an 8x8 inch casserole dish. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the pan and sprinkle the top with the pecans. Bake until puffed, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Thanks, Kathy for another great recipe!
Flavor galore!!!
Peach-Pecan Muffins
Baking doesn’t get much easier than homemade muffins. They’re easy to whip up and fill the house with a great fragrant aroma while they are baking.
I don’t recall ever having a muffin filled with peaches so I had to try this recipe when I saw it in a recent Southern Living magazine. The recipe makes a thick batter and the muffins rise well as they bake. The spicy cinnamon complements the flavor of the peaches while the crunchy streusel topping is not overly sweet.
These muffins are perfect with leisurely sips of coffee or tea!
Peach-Pecan Muffins
Pecan Streusel:
½ cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup flour
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Muffins:
1½ cups flour
½ cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, melted
¼ cup milk
1 large egg
1 cup frozen sliced peaches, thawed and diced
Method:
Prepare streusel:
Stir together pecans and next 4 ingredients until crumbly.
Prepare muffins:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Combine flour and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.
Stir together butter, milk and egg; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
Gently stir in peaches.
Place paper baking cups in (12-cup) muffin pan.
Spoon batter into cups, filling two-thirds full.
Sprinkle with Pecan Streusel.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes; or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes, remove from pan.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Delicious!
Visit my friend Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips, recipes and cookbook giveaway!
Bake My Rhubarb Crunch Cake!
in Cakes/cupcakes, Desserts, Pecans, Rhubarb, Strawberries on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
I love this pic, the colors!
Rhubarb for sale at a grocery store ~ Wikipedia
Yes, I know rhubarb is not a middle of the road food ~ you either love it or hate it!
It seems like everyone I know has a crop of thriving rhubarb or at least a neighbor or friend who unloads shares their harvest with anyone they can. Therefore; I’m hoping that you are searching for yet another rhubarb recipe to show off your fine baking skills and gardening skills also, if the rhubarb happens to come out of your rhubarb patch. And have I got a cake recipe just for you! I’ve had it for years and have no idea where I got it.
What I like about this cake is the crunchy topping with lots of cinnamon and nuts. Yum! The rest of the cake is pretty delicious also because it is very moist and fruity tasting. The topping surely spruces it up flavorfully with crunch!By the way, from a botanical point of view, rhubarb is a vegetable. After all, it is leafy green with an edible stalk. The way we enjoy rhubarb now is how its identity was declared back in 1947 when the US Customs Court Buffalo , New York
So, do you have a love or hate relationship with your rhubarb?
Rhubarb Crunch Cake
Ingredients:
Cake batter:
3 cups rhubarb, cut into ½” pieces
3 ounces strawberry jello
1 cup butter
1¼ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Filling and topping mixture:
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Method:
Mix rhubarb with jello. Set aside to absorb coloring.
In medium bowl, prepare cake batter:
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, mix well.
Stir in sour cream, blending well.
Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Spread half of this batter into a greased 13” x 9” baking dish.
Spread rhubarb jello mixture lightly over the batter.
Combine brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon and pecans.
Sprinkle half of this over the rhubarb.
Spread remaining batter over all.
Sprinkle with the rest of the nut mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes until top is golden brown.
Ummm, this is just so good!
Blackberry Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
in Blackberry Brandy, Christmas cookies, Cookies, Holidays, Jams, Pecans on Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Of all the Christmas cookies I’ve baked in the last week, this is the one that got Bill’s attention. I have baked them every year since his mother introduced me to them many years ago. He adores them and so do I!
Thumbprint cookies are an old standard that are filled with great ingredients that people like. Make them with your favorite jam or jelly, with just frosting and no jam, with nuts or without, or drizzled with chocolate! However you like them! They’re all great!
I added a little blackberry brandy to the blackberry jam and lemon zest to the dough for extra flavoring. It’s a great mix of flavors that turns out a delicious cookie with the well being filled with jam and frosting. Blackberry thumbprint cookies are really a huge hit in our house and love at first bite!
Blackberry Lemon Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients:
½ cup blackberry jam
1 tablespoon Blackberry Brandy
2¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter, at room temperature
2/3 cups sugar
2 eggs, separating yolks from whites
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pecans, chopped fine
1 can your favorite frosting
Few drops of red food coloring
Few drops of green food coloring
Method:
Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Lightly butter baking sheets or line with Silpat mats or parchment paper.
In small bowl, combine jam and brandy well. Set aside.
In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt, whisking to blend.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in egg yolks, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla.
Add the flour in 2 additions and beat until the dough forms a clump.
Gather dough into a ball.
Pinch off the dough and make a 1-inch ball.
In a small bowl, with a fork, gently beat egg whites until foamy.
Dip a dough ball into the egg whites, shaking off the excess.
Place pecans in a small bowl and gently roll cookie in the nuts, coating it completely.
Do the same with the remaining dough.
Place on baking sheet one inch apart.
Using your thumb, make a well in the center of each ball.
Fill each well with approximately ½ teaspoon of the jam mixture.
Bake until golden and firm to the touch, about 15-18 minutes.
Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.
Mix half of the frosting with 2-3 drops of red food coloring in a small bowl and the remaining frosting with 2-3 drops of green food coloring in another small bowl.
When cookies are completely cool, apply a dab of frosting to each.
Let frosting dry some before storing (I do over-night).
Store between layers of waxed or parchment paper.
Makes 4 dozen
Do these have you drooling yet?
They would be a great colorful addition to your Christmas cookie tray!
Be sure to enter my CSN Giveaway for a $35 gift certificate that I posted on December 17th!
Also, check out my friend, Linda’s blog, at My Kind of Cooking for her great recipes and cookbook giveaway!
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