Pecans

After the Christmas holidays, a friend gave me a large bag of pecans as a gift.  What a surprise when I opened that bag....shelled pecans.....not pecans cracked needing to be removed from the shells but shelled pecans....lots of shelled pecans!

 I also had recently received a couple of new recipes from a different friend that used pecans. Perfect timing. Both of the recipes were winners in this household.

The first recipe is a quick, easy, requires a few ingredients and makes a great snack. They would also be great to toss into a salad.

Maple Glazed Pecans (adapted from Pillsbury recipe)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 cups pecan halves

1. In a small skillet melt butter. Add brown sugar and maple syrup and cook until bubbly.

2. Add pecans and cook 2 or 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Spread onto a greased sheet and bake 6 to 8 minutes at 350. Pecans should be golden brown.

4. Cool and store in air tight container.

The name of this next recipe is a misnomer. Georgia Cornbread - does NOT contain cornmeal, and is NOT a bread. It is a moist snacking cake that can be quickly made for potlucks, tailgating or a last minute dessert.

Georgia Cornbread

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup oil

1 ½ cups self rising flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups pecans, chopped very fine

1. Stir together sugar, brown sugar, eggs and oil. Stir together until blended.

2. Add flour and vanilla and stir until well blended.

3. Add pecans and stir.

4. Pour into a greased 9X13 greased pan and bake at 400° for 30 to 35 minutes or until the middle does not shake when you move the pan.

5. Cool before slicing.

Enjoy...

Cinnamon Waffles

What can I say.....If it involves cinnamon, chances are I'm going to try it and chances are I'm going to love it.

While perusing Pinterest, I came across this recipe for Brown Sugar Cinnamon Waffles. It had me at "Cinnamon." 

After reading the recipe I thought it might be just a little too sweet for me, so I made a few adjustments. The results were.....delicious! 

Thanks,  Miss in the Kitchen for the inspiration.

Cinnamon Waffles (adapted from Miss in the Kitchen)

1 cup flour

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

Mix and bake on a waffle iron.

Enjoy...

A Glimpse of Christmas

 

Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without cookies.

 

Sand Dabs

1 cup butter, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¼ cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup pecans, chopped

1.Cream butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.
2.Whisk together flour and salt and add gradually to butter mixture.
3.Stir in pecans.
4.Chill if dough is too soft.
5.Form into small balls and place on ungreased baking sheets.
6.Bake at 400º for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly brown.
7.Cool slightly and roll in powdered sugar.

 Snickerdoodles (adapted from Taste of Home)

½ cup butter, softened

1 cup plus 2 tablespoon sugar, divided

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1.Beat butter and 1 cup of sugar until fluffy.  Beat in egg and vanilla.
2.Combine flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Gradually add to butter mixture.
3.In small bowl combine cinnamon and remaining sugar.
4.Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in cinnamon sugar.
5.Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes.

Orange Cookies (adapted from Your HomeBased Mom)

2 cups flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 ½ sticks butter

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

1 egg

1 teaspoon orange extract

Icing:

2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice.

1 ½ cup powdered sugar

1.Beat butter, sugar and 1 tablespoon orange zest until fluffy.
2.Add egg and extract. Mix until combined.
3.Add flour and baking soda until combined.
4.Spoon onto a ungreased cookie sheet.
5.Bake 350° about 15 minutes or lightly golden brown.
6.Once cooled, mix powdered sugar, juice and remaining orange zest together. Spread on cookies.

Enjoy...

Are You Going to Scarborough Fair?

Are you goin' to Scarborough Fair? 

Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there, 

she once was a true love of mine.

Great song but I'm talking about a new chicken recipe that uses...yes, you guessed it - parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

Scarborough Fair Chicken (adapted from Taste of the South's magazine)

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon each fresh flat-leaf parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, chopped

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ lbs red potatoes, cut in half

2 or 3 carrots, cut into 2 inch pieces 

½ onion, quartered

4 chicken legs

4 chicken thighs

½ teaspoon black pepper

1.In small bowl combine olive oil, herbs and ½ teaspoon salt. Toss half of the herb mixture with carrots and potatoes. Place in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Layer onions on top.

2.Place chicken on top of vegetables and brush with remaining herb mixture. Season with remaining salt and pepper.

3.Cover and bake at 400° until vegetables are tender and chicken is done, approximately 1 hour.

4.Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy...

Super Easy Dessert

For Thanksgiving this year, I tried a new and different kind of dessert. Instead of the usual sweet potato pie or coconut pie, I decided to try a new recipe from Trisha Yearwood's new show on the Food Network - Trisha's Southern Kitchen. It was so simple and an absolute hit.

 Skillet Almond Shortbread took about 15 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes later, it was baked and ready to be eaten. So simple, so easy and so delish!

Almond Shortbread (adapted from Trisha's Southern Kitchen)

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup butter, melted

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup sliced almonds with skins

1. Line a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with cooking spray.

2. In a bowl, stir 1 1/2 cups of the sugar into the melted butter.

3. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

4. Add flour and salt and stir well.

5. Add almond extract and stir well.

6. Pour the batter into the skillet. Top with sliced almonds and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.

7. Bake until slightly brown on top, about 35 minutes.

8. Cool the shortbread in the skillet. When cool, use the foil to lift the shortbread from the skillet; remove the foil before serving. 

Enjoy...