pecans

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Yuletide Favs: Pumpkin Roll!

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Yuletide Favs: Pumpkin Roll! Announcing a festive cake that looks as though you stopped by the bakery. Anyone can feel like a professional pastry chef with this holiday specialty. In a few simple steps, the rich pumpkin flavor is enhanced by the velvety cream filling. Afterwards all you have to do is sit back and bask in the accolades.

PUMPKIN ROLL

Ingredients for Pumpkin Roll:

3 eggs

2/3 cup pumpkin purée

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 cup flour

1/3 cup chopped pecans

Ingredients for Velvet Filling:

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°. Grease and line a 10″x15″ jelly roll pan with waxed paper. For pumpkin roll combine eggs, pumpkin purée, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and flour. Mix until well blended. Pour into jelly roll pan and spread evenly to edges. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Bake 12-15 minutes. Watch carefully. Remove from oven. Sprinkle powdered sugar on a tea towel, turn cake onto towel, and remove the waxed paper. Starting at one end, roll the cake up, and refrigerate for one hour. Meanwhile, combine Neufchâtel cheese, vanilla, butter, and powdered sugar. Mix together until smooth and velvety. After one hour, unroll cake and spread the filling all the way to the edges. Reroll cake and refrigerate two hours longer. Dust with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Yuletide Favs: Yams Topped With Pecan Streusel!

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Yuletide Favs: Yams Topped with Pecan Streusel! One of the advantages of being married is the blending of traditions, especially when it comes to family recipes. “My mama always put marshmallows on our sweet potatoes,” my husband volunteered as I sat planning my holiday menu. I’d heard of it, but had no idea why people raved about it. ‘Til now. OMG! This yam dish is about as close as you can get to eating dessert throughout the meal. Seconds, please.

YAMS TOPPED WITH PECAN STREUSEL

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 1/2 pound can of yams; drained, cut into 1″ cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup natural honey

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Streusel Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup glazed pecans, chopped*

1 3/4 cups miniature marshmallows

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9″ round casserole dish with one tablespoon unsalted butter. Arrange cut yams evenly. Drizzle the yams with olive oil, natural honey, and pure maple syrup. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon, sea salt, and white pepper. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Mix well. Add melted butter. Stir until the liquid is absorbed and topping resembles small peas. Spread over the top of the yams. Sprinkle pecans over all. Bake 25 minutes. Remove and carefully arrange miniature marshmallows around the perimeter of the casserole dish. Return to the oven and additional 5 minutes until marshmallows appear toasted. Watch carefully. Serve warm.

*Glazed Pecans can be referenced at the following link.

http://Snapshotsincursive.com/2015/11/18

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Yuletide Favs: “Quazy” Carrot Cake!

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Yuletide Favs: Quazy Carrot Cake! “What’s up, Doc?” is something we’ve all heard Bugs Bunny say more than once. You may find yourself asking the same question when you take a bite of this tasty version of Carrot Cake. It’s loaded with fresh carrots, pineapple tidbits, and chopped pecans. The crowning moment comes when you smack your lips together over the wonderful cream cheese icing. I have seen expressions of jubilation over this award-winning dessert. Treat yourself to something special this weekend.

QUAZY CARROT CAKE

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

4 eggs

3 cups carrots, grated

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

1 cup pecans, chopped

Ingredients for Icing:

1/2 cup butter, softened

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, softened

3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9″x13″ pan with nonstick oil. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Mix well. Add oil, eggs, carrots, pineapple, and nuts. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed. Transfer to baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until done. Meanwhile, cream together the butter and Neufchâtel cheese. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth and creamy. When cake is cool, top with cream cheese icing. Garnish with a pecan half.

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Crunch Compulsion!

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Crunch Compulsion! If you’ve always wanted to make toffee, but didn’t have the patience for standing at the stove waiting for the candy thermometer to reach its mark, think about an easy alternative. Crunch Compulsion has the rich buttery taste of toffee layered over a firm graham cracker base. With a finishing touch of pecans and walnuts, you can certainly see where the “crunch” comes in. 
CRUNCH COMPULSION 
Ingredients:

1 package graham crackers

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the graham crackers in a single layer, completely covering the bottom of the baking sheet. Sprinkle pecans and walnuts over crackers. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine butter, brown sugar, white sugar, cream of tartar, and cinnamon. Stir constantly until mixture boils. Do not burn. Reduce heat to medium and let mixture boil for 3 minutes without stirring. Carefully pour mixture over graham crackers, allowing liquid to cover all. Bake 10 minutes. Cool completely. Break into pieces. 

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Bourbon Balls!

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Special Edition: Bourbon Balls! Remember the scene from “The Grinch Stole Christmas” where the adults in Whoville are throwing a key party? Well, I’m convinced they may have been nibbling on holiday Bourbon Balls based on the way they were flirting and having a crazy-fun time. Be forewarned. This recipe does contain chocolate and alcohol. You may want to mention it. 
BOURBON BALLS
Ingredients:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels

3 tablespoons corn syrup

1/2 cup bourbon

2 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup pecans, finely chopped 

Granulated sugar
Instructions:

Pulse vanilla wafers in a food processor to make crumbs. Set aside. Over hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate morsels; remove from heat. Blend in corn syrup and bourbon. In a large bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs, powdered sugar, and nuts. Add chocolate mixture. Blend well. Chill 30 minutes. Using a melon ball utensil, scoop dough into 1″ balls. Roll in granulated sugar. Store in covered container for several days to season flavor. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter Y

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: Yams Topped with Pecan Streusel! One of the advantages of being married is the blending of traditions, especially when it comes to family recipes. “My mama always put marshmallows on our sweet potatoes,” my husband volunteered as I sat planning my holiday menu. I’d heard of it, but had no idea why people raved about it. ‘Til now. OMG! This yam dish is about as close as you can get to eating dessert throughout the meal. Seconds, please. 
YAMS TOPPED WITH PECAN STREUSEL 
Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 1/2 pound can of yams; drained, cut into 1″ cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup natural honey

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper 
Streusel Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup glazed pecans, chopped*

1 3/4 cups miniature marshmallows 
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9″ round casserole dish with one tablespoon unsalted butter. Arrange cut yams evenly. Drizzle the yams with olive oil, natural honey, and pure maple syrup. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon, sea salt, and white pepper. In a small bowl combine brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Mix well. Add melted butter. Stir until the liquid is absorbed and topping resembles small peas. Spread over the top of the yams. Sprinkle pecans over all. Bake 25 minutes. Remove and carefully arrange miniature marshmallows around the perimeter of the casserole dish. Return to the oven and additional 5 minutes until marshmallows appear toasted. Watch carefully. Serve warm. 
*Glazed Pecans can be referenced at the following link. 

http://Snapshotsincursive.com/2015/11/18

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter G

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food for Sharing: German Chocolate Brownies! Take a journey to the Land of Chocolate. It’s a place where milkshakes are thick and creamy and go down easy. You can nibble on chocolate chip cookies for breakfast, candy bars for lunch, and dark chocolate cake as a bedtime snack. No calories exist because chocolate is good for you! Wouldn’t that be lovely? It would be Paradise, in my opinion. Today’s recipe requires a little more self-control than that. You can do this!
GERMAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES 
Ingredients for Crust:

1 box devil’s food chocolate cake mix

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 egg
Ingredients for Filling:

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9″x13″ pan with foil. Lightly spray with nonstick oil. Mix together chocolate cake mix, melted butter, and egg. Press into the bottom of the pan. Bake 7 minutes. Remove from oven. For the filling, combine sweetened condensed milk, almond extract, egg, pecans, and coconut. Mix well. Pour over chocolate crust, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Bake 25 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven; cool. Cut into brownie squares. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter M

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Timeless Classics: Mint Leaf Peach Salad! Sliced peaches with creamy goat cheese medallions, OMG! This delightful salad is ideal for a light lunch, an afternoon brunch, or an early dinner. Indulging in the sweet tangy taste of a ripe, plump peach mixed with the nutty crunch of sugared pecans wrapped around medallions of earthy herbed goat cheese is like taking a bath in a tub of dairy rich cream. At first bite, you won’t mind being pampered. The fresh mint leaf garnish is like icing on a cake. 
MINT LEAF PEACH SALAD
Ingredients:

1 ripe peach, sliced with pit removed

4-6 cherry tomatoes; halved

2 ounces creamy goat cheese

1/4 cup sugared pecans, crushed

Fresh mint leaves
Instructions:

Cut ripe peach into 7-8 slices. Arrange in a pinwheel design on a salad plate. Cut cherry tomatoes and place seed side up around the peach slices. Crush sugared pecans on a sheet of waxed paper. Take a goat cheese slice and roll in nut mixture to coat; repeat. Arrange medallions on salad plate around the peaches. Garnish with fresh mint leaves. 

Eating My Way Through the Alphabet; Letter P

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Be Our Guest: Peaches Hot Off the Grill! Need a salad tonight? Take the easy way out and throw a couple peaches on the grill. You can even leave the skin on, like I did. In a few minutes, you’ll be savoring their remarkable flavor on a bed of mixed greens. As the family claps their hands in delight, simply take a bow and chirp, “You’re welcome!”
PEACHES HOT OFF THE GRILL
Ingredients:

2 large fresh peaches, halved and pitted

1-2 tablespoons lemon olive oil

1/3 cup Bleu cheese, crumbled 

2 tablespoons pecan bits

Mixed Greens

Lemon Olive Oil to taste

Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar to taste
Instructions:

Preheat gas grill on medium-high heat. Brush cut side of each peach half with lemon olive oil. Place cut side down on grill. Cook for 5 minutes. Flesh will be slightly charred. Turn peaches over and cook 2 minutes longer. Meanwhile divide salad greens between individual plates. Transfer one peach half to each bed of greens. Sprinkle with crumbled Bleu cheese and pecan bits. Drizzle with additional lemon olive oil and pomegranate balsamic vinegar to taste.