Pecan Valley Pecans

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF.
2. In a medium bowl combine flour, soda, salt, and oats. Mix well and set aside.
3. In a large bowl blend sugars with an electric mixer at medium speed. Add butter and mix to form a grainy paste. Scrape down sides of bowl, and then add eggs and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture, pecans and chocolate chips and blend at low speed just until combined. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, 1½ inches apart.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 to 22 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies to a cool, flat surface.

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease baking sheets.
2. Combine cake mix, yogurt, egg, butter and chopped pecans in large bowl. Beat at low speed with electric mixer until blended.
3. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Press pecan half onto center of each cookie.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute on baking sheets. Remove to cooling racks. Cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Makes 4½ to 5 dozen cookies

Makes about 3½ dozen cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In food processor combine the flour, sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and salt. Process briefly until well mixed. Add the butter and vanilla and, using rapid off-on pulses cut in until the mixture resembles a fine meal. Add the pecans and process until finely chopped.
3. Transfer the mixture to a large sheet of waxed paper and gather together into a flat disk. Top with a second sheet of waxed paper. Roll out the dough ¼-inch thick. Using a 3-inch or smaller heart shaped cutter, cut out cookies.
4. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheets, spacing them ½-inch apart. Gather up the scraps and repeat. Sprinkle the cookies with vanilla sugar if desired.
5. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes until just beginning to color. Transfer to wire racks and let cool for 5 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Beat the butter or margarine in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the ¾ cups brown sugar and beat till combined. Beat in egg yolk and the 1 teaspoon vanilla till combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon.
3. Spread dough in a lightly greased 12-inch pizza pan, slightly building up the edge. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes or till golden.
4. Meanwhile, stir together sour cream, the ¼ cup brown sugar, and the ½ teaspoon vanilla in a small mixing bowl. Immediately spread over hot crust to within ½-inch of edge. Arrange pecan halves around edge of crust. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans. Cool thoroughly in pan on a wire rack; topping will set as it cools.
5. Cut into wedges; serve when cooled. Refrigerate leftovers.

Makes 12 to 15 servings

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In mixing bowl combine brown sugar, water, honey and egg. Beat about 10 seconds with mixer.
3. In separate bowl combine flour, pecans, cinnamon, allspice and baking soda, baking powder, mixing well. Add to wet ingredients and stir.
4. Drop batter by the teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheet.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 12 minutes.
6. Let cool well before storing.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. Let cream cheese and butter soften at room temp. Blend. Stir in flour. Chill slightly for about an hour.
3. Shape into 24 1-inch balls. Press each into ungreased muffin tins against bottom and sides to form tart crusts. Chill while mixing filling.
4. Beat together egg, sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, vanilla and salt until smooth. Divide half the pecans and place in pastry cups. Add egg mixture. Top with remaining pecans.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes until set. Cool and remove from pans.