Pecan Pie

I have an allergy to nuts. So, I don't make pecan pies often. But, I do make them for the caterers where I work. Full size or, more often recently, into mini pecan 'tarts' (pictured).

Ingredients
1 (single layer) pie crust
1 C sugar
3 T brown sugar
½ tsp salt
1 C corn syrup
1/3 C butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 C chopped pecans
Optional: additional whole pecans (halves) for topping

Directions
Preheat oven to 350˚. Press pie crust evenly into pie dish. Spread chopped pecans into bottom of pie crust.

In a large bowl, mix together everything except pecans. Pour mixture over chopped pecans. If desired, arrange whole pecan halves on top. Bake pie for approx 50 minutes*, until center is barely jiggly in the center.

* Ovens vary, cooking time may vary as well. Pie can be covered with foil for the first 30 minutes to prevent crust or tops of pecans from burning.

Divinity

This is my first attempt at divinity. I think I should have beat it longer...it's supposed to lose its gloss, and mine are fairly "shiny" and a little too sticky, but it was starting to cool and thicken enough that I was anxious to get it spooned and swirled into bite-sized clouds. (Or mouthful-sized clouds, as these turned out.) Still, they're delicious! If practice does, indeed, make perfect I'll improve on these because I do intend to make them again. :)

Ingredients:
2 C sugar
½ C light corn syrup 
½ C water
2 egg whites
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla
(optional: chopped nuts or 1 C peanut butter*)

Directions:
Bring sugar, corn syrup and water to a boil in a large saucepan. Continue to boil, undisturbed, until the mixture reaches 265°.  While it is coming up to temperature...

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form.

When sugar syrup reaches 265°, slowly drizzle boiled sugar mixture in a thin, steady stream down the side of the mixer bowl into the stiff egg whites, continuing to beat on high speed. Continue beating until the candy begins to lose its shine. This can take 5-10 minutes depending on your mixer.

Working quickly, fold in vanilla - and chopped nuts or peanut butter if desired. Drop spoonfuls, twisting into cloud-like shapes, onto waxed paper. Cool completely before serving; candies will firm as they cool.

Store in an air-tight container.

* I have memories of baby-sitting for my kindergarten teacher (when I was years older) around Christmas time and enjoying some Christmas cookies she left out for me...including a divinity swirled with peanut-butter that I thought was quite heavenly! I've never seen a recipe for divinity with peanut butter, though some recipes do include other chopped nuts. I tried swirling the last half of the batch with about a ½ cup of peanut butter, and I thought it was delicious! But maybe it's just me. (???) :)

Chopped Apple Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

Vinaigrette:       ¼ C pomegranate molasses*

                        2 Tbls red wine vinegar

                        1 heaping Tbls Dijon mustard

                        1 Tbls honey, more to taste

                        ¾ C extra virgin olive oil

                        salt & pepper to taste

Salad:            6 apples (Granny Smith, Gala, Fuji
                           or any combination of them)

                        2 C baby spinach, remove stems if desired

                        2 heads endive, thinly sliced

                        1 C toasted walnut halves

                        ½ lb blue cheese, crumbled

                        salt& pepper to taste

                        optional: pomegranate arils as garnish

Directions:

Prepare vinaigrette: Whisk together pomegranate molasses, vinegar, mustard, honey in small bowl. Salt & pepper to taste. Whisk in oil, a little at a time, until emulsified.

Prepare salad: Core apples and cut into ½” dice, leaving skin on. Combine apples, spinach, sliced endive, walnuts (coarsely chop, if desired) and blue cheese. Just before serving, toss with vinaigrette to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Optional: garnish with pomegranate arils.

* Pomegranate molasses can be purchased at well stocked grocers or middle eastern markets.

Holley & McKenna

Spinach Salad with Apple (& Walnuts)

Since I'm allergic to nuts, I'll generally substitute peanuts or sunflower seeds...or just leave them out, but they do add a nice textural element to the salad as well as a subtle saltiness.

Ingredients 

2 Tblsolive oil

1 Tbls cider vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

salt& pepper

5 oz spinach leaves (about 5 C, lightly packed)

½ Granny Smith apple 

¹/₃ C walnut pieces 

Directions 

Toast walnut pieces in a dry skillet over medium high heat until fragrant (about 2 minutes).

Whisk together oil, vinegar and mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss spinach with dressing to coat evenly.

Core apples, slice into matchsticks (“julienne” - photo doesn't accurately reflect this). Sprinkle apple pieces over salad, followed by walnut pieces.* Serve immediately.

* Nuts, a common allergen, can also be served “on the side”.

Apple-Zucchini Bread with Cranberries

Ingredients
1 C grated zucchini
1 C peeled, cored, grated green apple
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup oil
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 C flour
¼ tsp salt
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 C dried cranberries (or use nuts)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Line 2 loaf pans with parchment paper and coat lightly with nonstick spray.*

Combine zucchini, apple, brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Add 3 cups flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. Gently stir in dried cranberries and vanilla.

Divide batter between loaf pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each loaf comes out clean (50 minutes to 1 hour). Remove bread from pans; cool on wire rack.

* Or use cupcake liners in muffin tins; reduce baking time to about 30-40 min.

Delicious as is, but for a special treat, frost it lightly with cream cheese frosting or drizzle with a vanilla bean glaze.

Sweet Spiced Nuts

1 egg white
2 Tbls cold water
1½ C nuts (peanuts, walnuts, almonds,
pecans...or a mixture)
½ C sguar
1½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg

Beat egg white and water until very frothy. Stir nuts into egg mixture to coat, then drain briefly in a colander. Mix sugar and spices in a plastic bag. Add nuts and shake to coat.

Spread coatead nuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place nuts under broiler on high for 2-3 minutes until mixture is bubbly. Remove from oven briefly; stir. Return to oven, under broiler, for another 2 minutes. Remove from oven; stir to separate. Cool. Store in air tight containers.

OR...

Spread coated nuts in a single layer on a microwave safe plate; microwave on HIGH 1½ minutes or until mixture is bubbly. Stir. Microwave another 1½ minutes. Stir to separate; cool.

I have nut allergies, so I use all peanuts. This is an easy recipe to play around with different spice combinations. :)

Banana Bread (w/ chocolate chips)

1 C shortening
1 C sugar
3 eggs
3 bananas, mashed
2 1/2 C flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 C nuts (optional)

Cream sugar, shortening and eggs. Add mashed bananas. Add--all at once--flour, soda and salt; mix thoroughly. Stir in vanilla (& nuts, if desired).

Pour batter into greased loaf pans, or muffin tins. Bake at 350°, 45 minutes (loaf pans) or 25 minutes (muffins). Makes 2 loaves or about 18 muffins.

Forget the nuts (I'm allergic anyway), throw in 1 C of chocolate chips and turn this into a dessert. :)