Pecan Bars

Preheat oven to 375.     Take your biggest ROASTING PAN (yes, you read that right) and line with parchment paper.    

For crust:

cream:
1.25 pounds butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar

add:
3 eggs
1 T good vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
dash of salt

when that is well combined, add 4.5 cups of flour.    

Press into the roasting pan (put some flours on your fingers, but it'll be a mess anyway) - bake for 17 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a pan combine:

1 pound butter
3 cups dark brown sugar
teaspoon of orange zest
dash of salt

in a single cup measuring cup:  bit of molasses, bit of orange juice, remainder corn syrup   (which I was subbing for honey)

melt over medium heat, then boil for three minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in:

1/4 cup heavy cream
1 T vanilla
1 1/2 pounds chopped pecans
1/2 pound pecan halves

Pour over crust, return to oven for 30 minutes.   

Raspberry Pecan Rugelach - or my new favorite Jewish Christmas Cookie!

So in visiting Zabar's in NYC, in addition to becoming completely addicted to their spectacular $8/pound coffee, I discovered a wonderful little pastry called Rugelach.     Getting it shipped from New York to Philly is a bit pricey though, so I decided to try my hand at making it.   

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks cold butter, cubed
1 (8oz) package cold cream cheese, cubed
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup raspberry preserves
powdered sugar
finely chopped nuts (I used pecans)


1.  Mix salt and flour together in food processor big bowl.

2.  Add butter and cream cheese, and pulse about 12 times, until it looks a bit sandy / crumbly.

3.  whisk together yolk and vanilla.    Add to processor and turn on until a soft dough forms.

4.  Split dough into four equal balls, wrap each in parchment or wax paper, flatten into a disc about an inch thick and chill at least 20 minutes, or a couple of days.

** preheat oven to 375 **

5.  Sprinkle a work surface with powdered sugar.   Use more powdered sugar on rolling pin.  (don't skimp - the dough itself has no sugar)  Take just one piece out and roll into a messy thin circle-like shape.    

6.  Microwave jam enough to soften, and mix in some powdered sugar.    Spread thinly on dough and sprinkle with nuts.  

7.   Slice dough (using a pizza cutter if you have one) into 16 wedges.    Starting from thick end, roll each up and place on parchment lined baking pan.    Chill this pan for about twenty minutes (I just put it on my porch in December).  

8.  Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned.   

So far I've only tried raspberry/pecan filling, but it's common to see walnut/brown sugar/cinnamon or chocolate or apricot (with apricot jam and chopped dried apricots)  

Maple candied pecans

2 cups pecans
2 T butter, melted
2 T maple syrup
2 t brown sugar
2 dashes chipotle, cayenne or paprika powder
2 drops hot sauce

Mix, spread on pan, sprinkle with kosher or sea salt.   Bake at 375 for 15-20 min.

Now what should you do with your cooled nuts?   Store them in an airtight container.  
Wrap them in a pretty jar for a gift.   Sprinkle on a salad with blue cheese and figs.   Sprinkle on vanilla ice cream.   Or my favorite - just eat them :)

Butter pecan icebox cookies

I've been playing around trying to develop a non chocolate go-to cookie, and I think these are a winner.  

1 stick butter, softened
1 C brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla
1.75 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c chopped pecans

Cream butter and sugar, mix in egg and vanilla.   Mix in dry ingredients, then pecans.  Roll into one thick (about 4 inch) roll in wax or parchment paper and refrigerate a few hours or a few days.

Slice in 1 inch slices, then cut the round in quarters.  Bake on ungreased cookie pan at 375 for about 15 minutes.  

Sweet Potato Casserole

First, wash and bake your sweet potatoes. (I threw them in the oven, just as I was pulling something else out. After a while I turned the oven off, but left the door shut to use up the residual heat)

Let them cool. Peel them with your fingers (almost as easy as peeling a banana when they are baked and cooled - but if you prefer to use a vegetable peeler on raw ones, by all means)

Place the now lukewarm peeled sweet potatoes in your mixer (or a big bowl). Mash them. Add some cinnamon, nutmeg, milk and molasses. Once it is nice and creamy, scoop into a casserole dish.

To make the topping, melt 1/2 stick of butter, and mix with brown sugar (about 1/2 cup), a dash of salt and a cup of pecans. Pour this mixture on top, evenly distributing the pecans with your spatula or spoon.

Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes - until hot and bubbly in the center.

Chicken Salad

I'm moving this week, so I don't have much access to kitchen or computer, so the leftovers are long ago consumed for each recipe this week, but hopefully still useful!

5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 1/2 cup Greek or whole milk yogurt (plain! no sugar!)

3-4 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons mustard

salt

black pepper

celery salt (or chopped celery - I didn't have any on hand)

herbs (I used tarragon, thyme, rosemary and chives - perhaps a scant teaspoon of each?)

garlic powder

onion powder

1 C pecan pieces (or walnuts)

1 C dried cranberries (or raisins or grape halves)

Fill a large pot 1/2 way with water, and add a tablespoon or so of salt. Bring to a boil. Cut the chicken into bite size pieces, and poach until the chicken is cooked (just open a piece with a knife to check). Pour the water and chicken into a colander to drain. (or pull the pieces out one spoonful at a time if you have an hour to spare). Allow the chicken to cool for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the spices, herbs, lemon juice and yogurt together. (You can use mayo if you want, bu then you probably won't need any more salt)

Mix in the chicken, and then the pecans and cranberries (and celery, if you haven't run out like I did). In all honesty I never measure anything for this recipe - I just throw it together and then taste it and adjust as necessary).

You can serve on bread or a croissant, or on a salad, or just with a fork. Serve with crackers if you desire, or a fruit salad.

This will be lunch for a few days for each of us!