Share Your Favorite Sandwich or Snack Recipes

We’re looking for the best sandwich or snack recipes form your collection. All recipes must be original and the ingredients must include pecans. Each entry must be as a separate e-mail (no attachments please). Include a complete list of ingredients, with the exact quantities in the order they are used. Specific directions (in paragraph form) should include cookware size (example: 10-inch pie pan), cooking time and temperature, and number of servings. By submitting your recipe, you grant us the right to edit and publish the recipe.

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Avocado Pate with Pecans

4 avocados; peeled and pitted
Vegetable oil
1 16-ounce package cream cheese
2 tablespoons shallot; minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves; minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup parsley; chopped
2 tablespoons Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
4 butter lettuce or Boston lettuce leaves
½ cup black olives; pitted
10 cherry tomatoes
Tortilla chips

1. Line a 6 cup rectangular glass loaf pan or ceramic dish with 3 layers of waxed paper, extending over long sides only. Brush top sheet of paper generously with oil.
2. Puree avocados and cream cheese in processor. Add shallots, lemon juice, garlic, chili powder and sea salt and blend 30 seconds.
3. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; smooth top. Press plastic wrap onto surface of pate and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
4. Remove plastic and un-mold onto a platter lined with the lettuce leaves. Mix parsley and pecans and sprinkle over the pate.
5. Garnish with olives and tomatoes. Surround with tortilla chips.

Bourbon Pecans

1 pounds Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
3 ounce bourbon; reduced to 3 tablespoons
½ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon Angostura Bitters
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon corn oil
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. Blanch the pecans for one minute in boiling water. Drain.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine the reduced bourbon, sugar, angostura bitters, Worcestershire sauce, and corn oil. Turn the still hot nuts in a bowl and toss with the bourbon mixture. Let stand l0 minutes and then spread on a rimmed sheet tray.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 50 minutes, stirring every l0 minutes.
5. When nuts are crisp and lightly brown and the liquid has evaporated, turn the nuts into a bowl.
6. In another bowl combine the cayenne, sea salt, pepper, and cumin. Sprinkle over the nuts while tossing. Turn out onto a sheet pan to cool in a single layer.
7. Store in an airtight container.

Cajun Spiced Pecans

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
½ cup light brown sugar; firmly packed
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons powdered chili pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
¼ cup cider vinegar
Sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Melt butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the pecans and sauté until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the brown sugar and cook until caramelized. Stir in the paprika, chili powder and cumin. Add the vinegar and cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Season with sea salt.
4. Spread the pecans on a cookie sheet and bake in an oven until crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Candied Pecan Halves

3 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine
½ cup light corn syrup
½ cup granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 250ºF.
2. Place pecans in 13-inch-by-9-inch-by-2-inch baking pan; roast in a preheated oven for 5 minutes.
3. Melt butter in 2-quart saucepan over medium heat; stir in corn syrup and half the sugar. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil; boil without stirring 5 minutes. Pour syrup over nuts, stirring constantly to coat evenly.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring several times.
5. Sprinkle nuts with remaining ¼ cup sugar, tossing to coat evenly; immediately spread out on greased cookie sheets to cool. Quickly separate into individual pecan halves; cool. Store in tightly covered container.

Traditionally candied pecan clusters are sprinkled on desserts for a finishing touch. Here are more options for the nutty blend:

Break off individual pecans and arrange a row around the outside of any frosted cake or cheesecake. Or break into wedges and stand them on slices of cake or on cupcakes.

Stir small clusters of the candied pecans into favorite chips and spreads.

Sprinkle the nuts over salads. The sweet pecans taste great with greens topped with goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.

Chinese Fried Pecans

This dish must be started a full 24 hours before you plan to serve it.

4 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
6 cups water, boiling (or more)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups oil

1. Put pecans in a large pot or heat-proof bowl. Cover with boiling water and let them soak 3 minutes.
2. Drain the pecans and spread them in a single layer on a large platter or non-rusting cookie sheet. Cover with sugar and stir until pecans are completely coated with the sugar. The sugar will dissolve slightly. You might have to add water if the nuts are too dry for the sugar to stick. Transfer the sugared nuts to a dry platter and set them aside to air-dry overnight. They really need to dry for 24 hours.
3. When ready to serve the pecans, bring the oil almost to the smoking point in a wok or large pot. Fry one quarter of them at a time, being careful not to let them burn. The sugar will melt.
4. Carefully remove the cooked nuts from the hot oil with a strainer and put them on a heatproof glass platter.
5. Fry each quarter of the nuts individually so all of them will get hot enough for the sugar to melt. Serve immediately.

Cinnamon Sugared Pecans

2 egg whites
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups granulated sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons nutmeg
½ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon allspice
½ pounds Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat egg whites lightly with sea salt. Sift together sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice and mix well. Add pecans to egg whites and coat completely.
3. Transfer pecans from which excess egg whites have dripped off to cinnamon sugar mixture. Coat pecans completely and place on parchment lined baking sheet, leaving space between nuts.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until sugar coating on nuts is crisp. Cool and serve or store in an airtight container.

Yield: about ½ pound

Debbie’s Spiced Pecans

4 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
¼ cup unsalted butter; melted
½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl mix all ingredients and spread on cookie sheet.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.
4. Drain on brown paper bag.

Ginger Pecan Butter

¾ cup sweet unsalted butter or margarine
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; finely ground
2 tablespoons crystallized ginger; ground
1 tablespoon brown sugar; firmly packed
½ teaspoon allspice

1. In a small mixing bowl mix butter, pecans, crystallized ginger, brown sugar, and allspice
2. Store in refrigerator.

Mrs T’s Candied Pecans

1 egg white
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup granulated sugar
1 pound or more Pecan Valley Pecan Halves

1. Preheat oven to 300ºF.
2. In a small bowl mix egg white and water to froth.
3. In a large bowl combine sugar, sea salt and cinnamon. Pour pecans into egg mixture and mix until coated. Put in cinnamon mixture and mix until coated. Spread on cookie sheet
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Quickly separate into individual pecan halves; cool. Store in tightly covered container.

Pecan Cashew Popcorn Balls

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar; firmly packed
1 cup light corn syrup
⅔ cups water
1 pounds unsalted butter
2 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves; toasted
2 cups cashews; lightly toasted
8 cups popped popcorn

1. Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup and water in a heavy pan fitted with a candy thermometer and place over high heat. Bring mixture to a boil and add the butter, stirring until it has melted. Continue cooking until the mixture reached 350ºF, 20 to 30 minutes.
2. In a large, lightly oiled bowl, toss the nuts and popcorn together. Carefully pour the hot syrup over the popcorn- nut mixture. Carefully, but quickly, toss the mixture with a long-handled wooden spoon to coat the popcorn and nuts completely with syrup.
3. As soon as the mixture is cool enough to handle, quickly shape into 3” balls and place the balls onto a nonstick or lightly oiled baking sheet to cool. Store, tightly wrapped, in a cool place.
4. Wrap popcorn balls individually in squares of amber cellophane, tied up with gold or orange and black ribbon (these are meant for Halloween). Or pile the balls together into a basket with red apples and wrap the basket up in cellophane with orange and black ribbon. Or place the balls in a brown paper bag and tie with a ribbon.

Pecan Cheese Crisps

⅞ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon dry mustard
½ cup cheddar cheese
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
½ teaspoon baking powder

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, mustard and pepper. Set aside.
2. Cream margarine; gradually blend in cheese and nuts. Add flour mixture slowly until blended. Divide dough in half, make rolls 1½” in diameter, wrap in foil, chill.
3. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
4. Slice each roll into very thin slices. Arrange on greased cookie sheets.
5. Bake in a preheated oven for 6 minutes. Cool immediately on wire racks.

Rum Pecans

2 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 teaspoons instant coffee
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 dash sea salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes, until sugar is melted and nuts are well coated.
2. Pour out onto oiled wax paper and separate halves of pecans as they cool.

Sugared Pecans

4 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
1 cup granulated sugar
1 dash sea salt
2 egg whites; stiffly beaten
½ cup margarine

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl fold sugar and sea salt into stiffly beaten egg whites. Fold in pecans.
3. Melt margarine in a 9-inch-by-12-inch pan, and then spread in the nuts.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

Texas Pecan Cheese Balls

½ pounds cheddar cheese; grated
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup of all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon paprika
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Halves

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl mix cheddar cheese, sea salt, melted butter, flour and paprika, kneading with hands if necessary. Form dough into small balls. Press center of each ball with thumb. Insert pecan half into thumb imprint and bring dough up around pecan. Place on cookie sheet.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. Serve hot.

Toasted Pecan Mushroom Pate

1¾-inch piece ginger, sliced
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and sliced
2 slices bread, quartered
8 ounce mushroom caps, sliced
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; toasted
½ cup extra-firm silken tofu
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 red bell pepper, roasted and coarsely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. With food processor running, drop ginger and chilies through feed tube and mince.
3. Add bread and pulse till it is reduced to crumbs.
4. Add mushrooms and pecan and puree.
5. Add tofu, sea salt and lemon juice and blend well.
6. Add cilantro and red pepper and pulse until the pepper is finely chopped.
7. Place in an oiled 4-cup loaf pan
8. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Watercress Dip with Basil and Pecans

3 cups watercress; stems trimmed
¾ cups fresh small basil leaves
¼ cup garlic; minced
½ cup good-quality olive oil
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
¾ cups whipping cream
½ cup finely Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
¼ cup minced green onions
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoons milk or water

1. In a blender combine watercress, basil, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan; blend to form a paste.
2. Add cream and blend only until mixed; do not over blend.
3. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in walnuts and green onion. Season with sea salt and pepper. Mixture will thicken as it stands. If desired, add a tablespoon of milk or water to thin it out before serving. Mixture will keep up to 10 days, refrigerated.

Makes 2 cups