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.  

Easiest pancakes

1 c self rising flour
1 c kefir (or whole milk yogurt with a little milk or buttermilk or 1/2 ricotta, 1/2 milk ...)
1 egg
Seasoning (vanilla or almond extract and / or cinnamon or nutmeg it pumpkin pie seasoning)
Optional:  Choc chips or chopped nuts or blueberries

That's it!  Measurements don't have to be precise.  You know how to make pancakes, right?  .. hot buttered griddle,  flip when bubbles get dry around edges ...

I layer mine with Greek yogurt and top with fruit and real maple syrup.