Category Archives: Pecans

Candied Pecans

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Caramelized or candied pecans

Candied Pecans

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1 pound pecan halves

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
  2. Mix sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl.
  3. Whisk egg white and water together in a separate bowl until frothy. Toss pecans in the egg white mixture. Mix sugar mixture into pecan mixture until pecans are evenly coated. Spread coated pecans onto a baking sheet.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, until pecans are evenly browned, 1 hour.
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Southern Pecan Brownies

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chocolate nut brownie cake decorated with strawberries

Southern Pecan Brownies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 (4-oz.) semisweet chocolate baking bars, chopped (6 oz.)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Dutch-process cocoa
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 (8-inch-square) baking pans with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides to easily lift brownies out of pans.
  2. Place butter in a microwavable bowl, and heat on HIGH in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until melted (about 1 minute total). Stir in chocolate until melted; stir in vanilla, and set aside.
  3. Stir together flour, cocoa, and salt in a large bowl; set aside.
  4. Place granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and yolk in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and thick, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Stir in melted chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in flour mixture. (Batter will be very thick.) Fold in pecans, if desired. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
  5. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center of each pan comes out with a few moist crumbs and tops are set and shiny, 25 to 28 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool completely in pans on wire racks, 1 hour. Use parchment handles to lift cooled brownies from pans; cut and serve.

Perfect Pecan Pie

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Pecan pie with whipped cream

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, water, and cornstarch. Bring to a full boil, and remove from heat.
  3. In a large bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Gradually beat in cooked syrup mixture. Stir in salt, vanilla, and pecans. Pour into pie shell.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until filling is set.

Candied Bacon

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candied bacon with pecans and brown sugar cooling on baking rack

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. Mix brown sugar, rice vinegar, maple syrup, pecans, and black pepper in a small bowl.
  3. Place bacon slices on cooling rack set over a baking sheet.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, turn slices, and bake another 5 minutes.
  5. Remove bacon and brush both sides with brown sugar mixture. Return bacon to the oven and bake another 5 minutes. Repeat basting every 5 minutes until bacon is browned and crisp, about 35 minutes.

Pecan-Herb Cornbread Dressing

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Ingredients:

Cornbread

  • 2 cups self-rising white cornmeal mix
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (optional)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups whole buttermilk
  • 3 tablespoons salted butter

Dressing

  • 1/2 cup salted butter (4 oz.)
  • 3 cups chopped sweet onion (from 2 large onions)
  • 2 cups chopped celery (from 6 stalks)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups toasted pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for topping
  • 1 (14-oz.) pkg. herb-seasoned stuffing mix (such as Pepperidge Farm)
  • 10 cups chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

  1. Prepare the Cornbread: Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine self-rising cornmeal mix and, if desired, sugar in a large bowl. Stir together eggs and buttermilk in a medium bowl; add to cornmeal mixture, stirring just until moistened.
  2. Heat butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in preheated oven 5 minutes. Stir melted butter into batter. Pour batter into hot skillet.
  3. Bake in preheated oven until cornbread is golden, about 25 minutes; cool in skillet 20 minutes. Remove from skillet to a wire rack, and cool completely, 20 to 30 more minutes. Crumble cornbread. Freeze in large heavy-duty ziplock plastic bag up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw in refrigerator.
  4. Prepare the Dressing: Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high; add onion and celery, and cook, stirring often, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add sage, thyme, and rosemary, and cook, stirring often, 1 minute.
  5. Stir together eggs in a very large bowl; stir in crumbled Cornbread, onion mixture, pecans, flat-leaf parsley, stuffing mix, chicken broth, black pepper, and kosher salt until blended.
  6. Spoon mixture into 2 lightly greased 13- x 9-inch (3-quart) baking dishes. Cover and freeze up to 3 months, if desired; thaw in refrigerator 24 hours. (Uncover and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.)
  7. Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven until lightly browned and cooked through, 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Garnish with additional chopped fresh parsley.

Maple Bacon Pecan Brittle

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Maple Bacon Pecan Brittle

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of cooked bacon, crumbled/chopped
  • 1 8-ounce package of pecans, chopped
  • 1 cup of maple syrup
  • 3/4 cup of sugar
  • 1/4 cup of corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 teaspoon of salt

How to make:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large sauce pan, combine maple syrup, sugar, corn syrup, water and salt, and cook over medium heat until all of the sugar is dissolved. Using a candy thermometer continue cooking, stirring frequently, until it reaches 255 degrees.

Increase the heat to medium high, add bacon, and stir until well blended.

When the candy thermometer reaches 265 degrees, add the pecans and stir until well blended.

Continue stirring until mixture reaches 285 degrees.

Turn off the stove, remove the pot, and pour mixture onto baking sheet. Spread evenly with a spatula. Allow brittle to cool. Break into pieces and serve.

 

Southern Chicken Salad

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Southern Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of chicken, chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 1 cup of grapes, sliced in quarters
  • 1/2 cup of pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large croissants

How to make:

In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, celery, grapes, pecans, mayonnaise, pepper, and salt.

Slice the croissants in half, or use bread of choice.

Serves 4.

Pecan Pie

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Pecan pie with whipped cream

Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

  • 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
  • 4 tablespoons of butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup of light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons of vanilla
  • 1/4 cup of dark cane or corn syrup
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • pinch of salt

How to make:

Preheat over to 325 degrees.

Press uncooked pie crust into a pie dish.

In a mixing bowl, whip butter, and brown sugar together until smooth. In a separate bowl, beat eggs with a fork or wire whisk and then blend into sugar butter mixture. Sift cornstarch and salt into the mixture, and stir in vanilla. Blend in syrup and pecan pieces.

When all ingredients are thoroughly mixed, pour into the pie crust.

Bake for 30 minutes. Then lower the heat to 300 degrees and bake for 30 more minutes, or until the center is firm.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping.

Pralines

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Pralines

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup of salted butter (1 stick)
  • 1 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cup toasted pecans
  • parchment paper

How to make:

In a large ungreased skillet, heat pecans until toasted (they’ll let off a delicious smell). Remove from heat.

In a large pot, stir and heat butter, sugar, half and half, and vanilla until a candy thermometer reads 240 degrees.

Remove from heat and let the liquid sit for five minutes. Add pecans, stir to make sure all pecans are coated.

Spoon out the pecan mixture onto parchment paper.

Let cool and serve.

Southern Baklava

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Southern Baklava

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 8 ounces of finely chopped pecans
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 1 16-ounce package of thawed phyllo dough

How to make:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the pecans, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Melt the butter in a small sauce over a low heat or in the microwave. Unroll the phyllo dough for a 9×11 glass dish. Cover with waxed paper topped with a damp towel until needed.

Layer 4 to 8 sheets of the phyllo dough, brush with butter, sprinkle some of the pecan mixture across the top. Layer 4 to 8 more sheets on top and repeat the process until all the layers of phyllo have been used and the pecan mixture is gone. Don’t forget to brush with butter. Cut diagonally into 1-inch diamond shapes, cutting through all the layers. Bake for 35 minutes or until brown. Remove from the oven.

Combine the honey, sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cloves in a medium saucepan. Cook over a medium heat and stir until ingredients are mixed well and dissolved. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Pour the honey mixture over the warm baklava. Let stand 45 minutes to 1 hour before serving.