Pecans
Pecans were once a survival food for Native Americans. Today's cuisine includes not only desserts, but also many savory applications for the pecan.

Crunchy & Sweet Pecans

Ingredients
1 cup pecan halves
3 cups water
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Peanut oil
Bring water to boil and add nuts. Return to boil for one minute.
Drain nuts and rinse with warm water. Mix with brown sugar. Heat peanut oil (enough to cover pan bottom). Add nuts to peanut oil and stir until nuts are lightly browned. Pour onto wax paper until cool. Keeps up to two weeks.
Serves: 4 to 6

from Jo Tweed
Queen Anne Bed and Breakfast Inn

Amish Chestnut Stuffing

1 pound fresh chestnuts
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
4 cups bread crumbs
2 well beaten eggs
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 cup chopped celery
Wash chestnuts, make two slits on each shell, and bake for
15 minutes at 475 degrees. Shell, boil in water to cover for
20 minutes. Chop fine. Mix with the melted butter, bread,
crumbs, salt, poultry seasoning, egg and celery. Toss well.
Yields enough to stuff a 18 pound bird.

Nutty Honey Mustard

Serves 2

1/4 raw almonds
2 tsp. mustard
1 Tbs. honey
pinch of cumin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tsp. Good Tasting Yeast
pinch of sea salt

Blend almonds in coffee grinder, a small amount at a time. Pour powder into bowl. Add wet ingredients till desired constancy. Add dry ingredients. The traditional flavors of mustard and honey blended with the nutty oils of almonds with a hint of garlic and the life of lemon juice overwhelms the senses. Smashing ungodly cravings, causing them to flee in terror in the light of this overwhelming and all encompassing orchestration of delight. ____________________________________

Mom's Hazelnut Special

Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 1/4 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon bread flour (optional)
1 1/8 cups warm water (110 degrees
F/45 degrees C)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 cups chopped hazelnuts
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2/3 teaspoon salt
Follow the directions for your bread machine, but do not reserve the nuts for
later, add them at the beginning for better flavor.
Makes 10 servings

WALNUT PILAF

2 cups walnuts 20+, chopped (reserve 4 halves for garnish)
4 cups sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup minced onion
4 ounces brown rice
1 1/2 cups low sodium beef or vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons aromatic bitters
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 Tablespoons minced parsley

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spread walnuts evenly on a cookie sheet, bake 10-12 minutes until fragrant and lightly toasted. Set aside. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and onion, cook, stirring often for about 10 mintues, until mushrooms' liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown. Add rice, broth, vinegar, bitters, rosemary and pepper, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 40 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Add reserved walnuts, toss to combine. Sprinkle with parsley, garnish with walnut halves and serve.

From: mworkman@vm.cc.purdue.edu (Maggie Workman)
Source: The Best of Electric Crockery Cooking


APRICOT NUT BREAD



(makes 4 to 6 servings)
Ingredients:

3/4 cup dried apricots
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp grated orange peel
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Instructions:
Place the apricots on a chopping block. Sprinkle 1 T flour over them. Dip a knife into the flour and chop the apricots finely. Flour the knife often to keep the cut up fruit from sticking together. Sift the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Combine the milk, egg, orange peel, and oil. Stir the flour mixture and the whole wheat flour. Fold in the cut up apricots, any flour left on the cutting block and the walnuts. Pour into a well greased, floured bakin unit. Cover and place on a rack in the slow cooker, but prop the lid open a fraction with a toothpick or a twist of foil to let excess steam escape. Cook on High for 4 to 6 hours. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm or cold. Now before you all ask what a baking unit is (I wondered as I sat and typed this in), I looked it up in the front of the bread section. She says that some manufacturers are making units for slow cookers, but if you don't have one, a 2 pound coffee can works. Pyrex muffin cups also work. Also 1,
1 1/2 and 2 quart molds work. Do not lift the lid while baking this bread.

Parmesan Pine Nut Bread
1 1/2 LB LOAF

1 c Plus 2 tb water
1 tb Olive or vegetable oil
3 c Bread flour *
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
2 tb Dry milk
2 tb Sugar
1 1/2 ts Salt
2 ts Yeast
3 tb Pine nuts
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2 LB LOAF

1 1/2 c Water *1 tb Olive or vegetable oil * 4 c Bread flour
1/3 c Dry milk * 2 tb Sugar
1 1/2 ts Salt *
1 1/2 ts Yeast
1/4 c Pine nuts

Place all ingredients in the order listed except pine nuts. Add pine nuts at the raisin/nut signal or 5 to 10 minutes before last kneading cycle ends. Select Basic/White cycle. Use medium or light crust colour. Do not use delay cycle. Yeast amount is correct though proportionately less than called for in the 1 1/2 pound loaf . From New Flavours Bread Machine Recipes

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MEDITERRANEAN ALMOND DIP

1/2 cup whole natural almonds , toasted
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 can (15 1/2 oz.) garbanzo beans
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (Cayenne)
2/3 cup whole natural almonds , toasted (optional)
and chopped crackers or pita bread rounds,
cut into wedges

 

Chop 1 tablespoon almonds for garnish, set aside. Combine 1/2 cup, minus 1 tablespoon, almonds in food processor with oil and garlic. Process until well-chopped. Drain garbanzo beans, reserving 1/2 cup liquid. Add beans, liquid, lemon juice and pepper to almonds mixture. Process until smooth.
Stir in 2/3 cup of toasted chopped almonds, if desired. Spoon into serving bowl. Garnish with chopped almonds and serve with crackers or pita wedges.

Yields: 2 cups or 8 servings

Recipe Courtesy of the Almond Board of California  

 

Austrian Kletzenbrot

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour,
1 cup white flour,
2/3 cup brown sugar,
3 tsp baking powder,
2 tsp baking soda,
1/4 tsp salt,
2 cups buttermilk,
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, or choose your favorite),
1 cup chopped prunes,
1 cup chopped dried figs,
1 cup chopped dried dates,
1/2 cup raisins,
1/2 cup currants.
Directions: Sift the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl. Slowly add the buttermilk and stir the mixture into a smooth dough. Mix in the nuts and dried fruits. Place into a loaf pan and bake in a hot oven (350 degrees) for about an hour.

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Applesauce Nut Bread

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of shortening
3/4 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of Vanilla
1 cups of white flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 cup of applesauce
3/4 cup of chopped walnuts

Grease a loaf pan and preheat oven to 350.
In a large mixing bowl cream the shortening and sugar. Next add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. In another bowl sift together the baking powder, baking soda, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add this to the egg mixture stir until blended well. Next stir in the walnuts and applesauce. Put the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50-55 minutes.

Recipe submitted by Joe Harris Real Southern Recipes, Free Cookbooks And More From The Blue Ridge Mountains Of Western North Carolina

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Cranberry Nut Bread
Ingredients:
1 orange
Boiling water
1 tablespoon of butter
1 egg
1 cup of sugar
1 cup of cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
2 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1-1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

Butter a loaf pan and preheat oven to 325. Grate the orange rind and then squeeze out the juice into a measuring cup and add boiling water to make 3/4 of a cup. Add the orange rind to 2 tablespoons melted butter. In a mixing bowl beat the eggs and add slowly the sugar, beating well. Next add the rest of the ingredients including the orange rind and mix well. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake of 1 hour. Cool on rack

Recipe submitted by Joe Harris Real Southern Recipes, Free Cookbooks And More From The Blue Ridge Mountains Of Western North Carolina

 

Black Walnut Chocolate Kiss Brownies

1 1/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour 1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1 cup Hammons Black Walnuts
1 cup Hershey`s mini kisses, semi-sweet

Preheat oven to 350 degrees;. Grease and flour a
10 ½ x 15 ½ x 1 inch jelly roll pan. In a large
mixing bowl, combine butter, cocoa, sugar, eggs
and vanilla; blend well. Stir together flour, salt and
baking powder. Stir into cocoa mixture until smooth. Add black walnuts and mini kisses.
Spread evenly in the prepared pan and
bake 25 minutes on middle
oven rack. Cool before cutting. Optional: individually
warm cut brownies slightly before serving. Makes
3 to 5 dozen.

Topping 1/4 cup Hershey`s mini kisses,
semi-sweet 2 Tbs. milk
Black Walnut ice cream, optional
Melt mini kisses over low heat,
stirring continually. Stir in milk. Drizzle over
warm brownies just before serving. If desired,
top with black walnut ice cream.
HAMMONS PRODUCTS COMPANY
105 Hammons Drive P.O. Box 140
Stockton, MO 65785
Phone: 1-(888)-4bwnuts Fax: (417) 276-5187

 
PUMPKIN WALNUT RISOTTO

6 ounces pumpkin flesh, chopped or 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
4 ounces walnuts 20+
1/3 cup packed fresh parsley, chopped 2 cloves of garlic
7 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
10 ounces peeled canned plum tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
4 ounces freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Process walnuts, parsley and garlic to a paste. Add 4 tablespoons olive oil a tablespoon at a time, mixing well. Add a pinch of salt, reserve. Heat the remaining olive oil in a large, heavy pan and fry the onion until lightly colored. Add the pumpkin and continue to sauté for about 4 minutes. Mix in the walnut paste. Add the tomatoes, mix well, and simmer until thickened. Season. Add the rice, and stir-fry for a few minutes. Add the hot broth in stages, stirring to use up all the broth. Allow the rice almost to dry out before each addition. The risotto is ready when it is no longer watery, and the rice is tender while retaining a very slight firmness in the center of each grain. It takes about 20-30 minutes. Mix in half of the Parmesan and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
Yields: 4 servings Source: John B. Sanfilippo & Son, Inc.

From the world-famous advice columnist, Abigail Van Buren

Abby's Famous Pecan Pie

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust
* 1 cup light corn syrup
* 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
* 3 eggs, slightly beaten
* 1/3 cup butter, melted
* 1/2 t. salt
* 1 t. vanilla
* 1 heaping cup pecan halves

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, salt and vanilla; mix well. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust; sprinkle with pecan halves. Bake for 45 to 50 mins or until center is set. (Toothpick inserted in center will come out clean when pie is done.) If crust or pie appears to be getting brown, cover with foil for the remaining baking time.
Remove from oven and cool. You can top it with a bit of whipped cream, but even plain, nothing tops this!

 
Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of sugar 1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup of water
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of allspice
1/2 cup of chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl sift the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda. In another bowl stir together the pumpkin, oil, eggs, water, and the spices and add to the flour mixture. Add the nuts. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack

 

Recipe submitted by Joe Harris
Real Southern Recipes, Free Cookbooks And More From The Blue Ridge Mountains Of Western North Carolina

 Steamed Chocolate
Chestnut Pudding

(Budino di castagne e cioccolata) serves 6
1 lb. chestnuts,pureed
1/4 cup cocoa
2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon rum,curacao or sherry
1/2 teaspoon,vanilla

Combine cocoa, milk, sugar, and butter and cook slowly over hot water 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Add pureed chestnuts and egg, and stir well. Butter a one quart mold and pour mixture into it. Place in a pan of hot water, and bake in a moderate oven 350 degrees, until pudding is firm, about 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

 German Filbert Cookies

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients
1 lb Butter
4 c Flour
1 lb Ground filberts
1/4 c Cold water
2 c Sugar Icing sugar

together. Form into small crescents. Bake for approx 10 min at 300 degrees. Should not brown. Dough may be frozen. To finish, cookies may be dipped in icing sugar, or chocolate or as desired.