Tag: Pecans

Cakes · Chocolate · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

German Chocolate Sheet Cake

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

We are having friends over for dinner tonight and I know they are chocoholics so was wanting to make them something that I haven’t made them before. Looking through my old recipes, I came across this and since I had everything needed, it became the cake for dessert tonight. Whipped up some whipping cream to spoon over the top because, well, it has been several days since I have had whipped cream and a girl can only go so long without it. Taken from a Southern Living Magazine several years ago…

1 box of Duncan Hines German Chocolate Cake mix
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
1 3/4 cup water (I used milk)

Beat all above ingredients for 3 minutes and pour into a greased 15×10 jelly roll pan. Bake get 350 for about 15 min or until cake is done in center.

While cake is baking, combine the following:
1 (14 oz) can of Sweetened Condensed milk (eagle brand)
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup coconut
2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (the recipe didn’t call for these but I added them and am so glad I did)

Stir eagle brand, coconut, pecans and chocolate chips and spread over cake when it comes out of oven and still hot. Spread evenly and broil on lowest rack in oven for about 2 minutes or until bubbly. You can add a frosting if desired but I just sprinkled over a homemade hot fudge topping over the top after cooling the cake for about 15 minutes.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream or both.

Chocolate · Cookies · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brittle

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Something else to get addicted to, as if I didn’t have enough already. Thank you Patti for sharing with us and for introducing me to something else that I will now have to keep locked up, after making it. This will be so great to have on hand for all the company that will be coming during the Fall. (as if there will be any left when they get here)

Taken from Pinterest (Fivehearthome.com) after finding out that this is a recipe I can’t live without and Patti told me where to find it.

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teas baking powder
1/4 teas baking soda
1/4 teas salt
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teas pure vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a large jellyroll or cookie sheet with butter.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, mix melted butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until incorporated. Slowly stir in flour mixture until blended. Stir in chocolate chips, pecans and coconut. The dough will be crumbly.
Press dough onto prepared pan in an even layer, forming a rough rectangle approximately 10″ wide and 15″ long. Bake for 19 minutes or until the cookie is golden brown and seems crisp. Set pan on a wire rack and allow to cool completely before breaking slab into irregular pieces. Stop in an airtight container. Would show you a picture of it but I already ate all of what she brought over. You can see Pictures on Pinterest.

appetizers · Daily Thoughts · Vegetables

Caesar Mushroom Caps

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Isn’t it great to receive those cooking magazines that all us to have wonderful evenings when we get to just sit and look through them for new ideas?
Because Fall is (hopefully for those of us who live in the Sun Belt, known as Arizona) right around the corner, it seems like those kind of evenings just come around a little more often than they did in the summer. Maybe it is because our hearts turn to cooking and baking, because after all, isn’t that what Fall is for? As I got out some old magazines last night, while watching Diners, Diners and Dives, this page called to me. Loving mushrooms and loving what great appetizers they always make, it got my attention.

12 large whole mushrooms
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 teas onion flakes
1 tables olive oil
1/4 teas ground cayenne pepper
3 tables Brianna’s Asiago Caesar salad dressing

Preheat oven to 350.
Spray a baking dish with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Careful break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough ends.

Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Salute until any moisture has disappeared and stems are tender. Set aside to cool.

Combine cream cheese, Caesar dressing, onion flakes, cayenne pepper, cooled mushroom stems and chopped pecans together mixing well. Mixture should be very thick.
Using a small spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange mushroom caps in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over each mushroom.
Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven or until the mushrooms are piping hot and the parmesan cheese is a golden brown.

Desserts · Holiday Fare

Pecan Pie Mini Cupcakes

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Found these on FaceBook the other day and decided they looked so good I had to try them, and try I have….about 10 times. These little gems are like eating a piece of pecan pie. Took them when we had dinner last night with some friends and the ladies have all requested the recipe…I can already see them on the Thanksgiving buffet, sitting beside, ever so quietly beside a bowl of whipped cream. You can pop about 10 per hour…..the recipe made 30 mini muffin cups.

1 cup chopped pecans (finely chopped)

1/2 cup flour

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2/3 cup butter, melted

2 eggs, room temperature

1 teas vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 (325 for dark coated pans)

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.

Spray miniature muffin tin with Pam or lightly grease with butter.

Fill each cup 3/4 full. ( I didn’t use paper liners, but if you do, do not grease)

Bake in preheated oven for 13-15 minutes. (Mine took 13 minutes).

How easy is this? Great pecan flavor without the 7000 calories of a piece of pecan pie. This probably only has 3000 calories.

 

Starches · Vegetables

Pecan-Parsley Rice

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If I think about what I would love to have on Mothers Day, Rice is right up there along with ham, fried chicken or roast, of which this recipe would compliment.

The recipes I have posted this week were recipes that I thought would be great to have this Sunday when we celebrate memories and Mom’s.

Hoping each of you a most blessed and wonderful Mothers Day……

1 tables butter

1/4 cup minced onion

2 (6 oz) packages long grain and wild rice blend*seasoning packets discarded or save for another time.

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup water

3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teas salt

1/2 teas black pepper

1/2 teas lemon zest

2 tables fresh lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and add onion, cooking until onion is transparent and soft.

Add rice, stirring constantly for about 1 min. Stir in broth and 1/2 cup water.  Bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 25 min or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Remove from heat and add pecans and next 5 ingredients, fluffing with fork.

*Using Uncle Ben’s Long Grain and Wild Rice Blend if possible

Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Holiday Fare

Texas Pecan Pie Bars

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This recipe needed reposting after taking them to a social last Wed evening. I watched as ladies would take a bite and hear their, “oh my gosh, who brought these?” They were the hit of the night. So different from regular pecan pie bars. A great dessert for any Christmas party, or for those nights when you are sitting by the Christmas tree, wrapping presents and want something delish!

This recipe is from a cookbook called The Pastry Queen, given to me by a dear friend that brought this cookbook back to me from the Hill country around Austin, Texas.
These have become a favorite anytime I take them anywhere. Very much like pecan pie, except the coconut and brown sugar adds such a chewy texture.
Crust
1 1/2 (12 tables) unsalted butter at room temp
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 cups flour
1 teas salt
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with butter or Pam.
Using a mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl on medium speed about 1 min. Add the sugar and beat about 1 min, until fluffy. Add the flour and salt; mix on low speed until evenly incorporated but still crumbly. Press the mixture evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 15 min, or until golden…do not over bake.
Leave oven on 350.
Filling:
4 large eggs
3 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 tables unsalted butter, melted
1 tables vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teas salt
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until blended. Stir in the butter and vanilla, flour andy salt; then the coconut and pecans. Pour the filling over the crust, spreading evenly. Bake until set, 25-30 min depending upon your oven. Cool thoroughly at least one hour before cutting.
*I store these in the fridge in a sealed tupperware container, taking them out just about an hour before serving them. They do “ooze” a little bit of the filling, but that’s what makes them like pecan pie. So grab your fork and a little whipping cream and sit down with a cup of coffee and enjoy!