Had 16 lbs of shelled pecan halves....

[KarenN]

delivered to my door yeaterday - they were DH's bonus - along with his paycheck for the pecan season. I still have 4lbs left from last year.... anyone got any really good pecan recipes?? I'm making MA's sugared pecans again, pecan pie and pecan shortbread. Anything else??

[Mary Ann]

Gosh, I keep my nuts in the freezer and use them straight from there. I just took some out to make a bread called Fruit of the Earth, which has finely chopped nuts, raisins (I used rum soaked currants), mashed sweet potato, and sweet spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, but it's not a really sweet bread. It'll make smokin' good French toast and bread pudding, though.

Let's see, don't forget turtles, fudge, bread pudding, scones, and chop it fine and 'bread' your tilapia or salmon in it. Mmmm!

You might slice some apples for the kids, have some caramel dip, and some chopped toasted and lightly salted pecans to dip the bites in. Well, and if *you* want some too, I guess it'd be okay.

What about butter pecan cookies? Mmmmm.

[Mary Ann]

Oh, and how could I forget butter pecan ice cream? There's nothing out there on the market that's quite as good. Do you have an ice cream maker?

[KarenN]

I keep mine frozen, too. In fact I STILL have some of last year's in there! I don't have an ice cream maker, but might be worth the investment! I found a wonderful recipe for a turtle shortbread! Going to make that this weekend. I'll find plenty of uses! Want to share that bread recipe? Sound Yummeh!

[Mary Ann]

Sure, I'll swap you the bread recipe for the turtle shortbread recipe! That sounds really good with a cup of coffee.

[KarenN]

Here's the Turtle Shortbread....

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
24 caramels
1 bag (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)
2 teaspoons shortening
1 cup chopped pecans
6 dozen pecan halves


1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, mix butter, sugar and almond extract. Stir in flour and salt. (If dough is crumbly, mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons additional softened butter )

2. Divide dough into 12 equal parts. Roll each part into 1/4-inch thick circle. (If dough is sticky, chill about 15 minutes.) Cut each circle into 6 wedges. Place wedges 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat caramels over medium heat about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until melted. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and shortening uncovered on High 1 to 3 minutes, stirring halfway through heating time, until melted and thin enough to drizzle.

4. Dip 2 straight edges of each cookie into melted caramel, then into chopped pecans. (If caramel thickens, add up to 1 teaspoon water and heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until caramel softens.)

5. Place a dot of melted chocolate on top of each cookie; place pecan half on chocolate. Drizzle remaining chocolate on tops of cookies.

[Mary Ann]

Mmmmm, thanks for the shortbread recipe! Here's the bread recipe, too!


Fruits of the Earth Loaf

yield: 1 loaf

1/3c milk, heated to lukewarm
1/2c lukewarm water
3T honey
4T unsalted butter, cut into six pieces
1/2c mashed cooked yam or sweet potato
1 1/2c traditional whole wheat flour
1/2c old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2c unbleached bread flour
1 1/2t salt
1/2t cinnamon
1/4t nutmeg
1/4t ginger
2t instant yeast
1/2c raisins
1/2c finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Combine all of the ingredients except the raisins and the nuts, and mix and knead them by hand, mixer, or bread machine-- until you have a soft, smooth dough. Cover and allow the dough to rise until it's puffy and nearly doubled in bulk, 1-2 hours.

Lightly grease an 8 1/2x4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Gently deflate the dough, and knead the raisins and nuts into it. Plop the dough on the counter, flatten it and put the raisins and nuts in, and begin folding and kneading until it picks up and distributes all the bits.

Shape into an 8-inch log, and place it in the prepared pan. Cover it gently with lightly greased plastic wrap or a proof cover, and allow it to rise until it's crowned about 1 1/2 inches over the top rim of the pan, 1 1/4-2 1/2 hours. Near the end of the bread's rise, preheat the oven to 350.

Uncover and bake the bread for about 45 minutes, tenting it with foil after 15 minutes. The bread is done when it's golden brown and has an internal temp of 190. Remove it from the oven, and after a minute or two turn it out on to a rack. Brush with melted butter if desired; this will help keep the top crust soft. Cool the bread for 30 minutes before slicing.

[wildfire]

Kentucky Derby Museum Winners Pie
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup flour
pinch of salt
2 T. Kentucky Bourbon or 1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 9 inch pie shell, partially baked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar.
Add beaten eggs, flour, salt and Kentucky Bourbon (or vanilla)
Add chocolate chips, and nuts.
Stir well. Pour into partially baked pie shell and bake for 30 minutes, or until center is set. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

[Mary Ann]

Oooh Wildfire, we call that one Derby Pie, and it's incredible! If you do it Karen, serve it just slightly warm from the oven. Tastes like a giant warm chocolate chip cookie hit your pie!