String Beans in Pecan Sauce

1 pounds fresh string beans
¼ pounds Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup onion minced
1 cup chicken stock
2 garlic cloves minced
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
3 tablespoons cilantro freshly and finely chopped
1½ teaspoons sea salt
3 quarts water

1. In mill or with a mortar and pestle, pulverize the pecans into a paste.
2. Combine the stock, onions, garlic, paprika, vinegar, salt, pecan paste and cilantro. Mix thoroughly.
3. Trim but do not cut the string beans. Bring the water to boil, add the string beans and boil them for 10 minutes.
4. Drain the beans well.
5. Add the beans to the pecan paste mixture and toss until coated completely with the mixture.
6. Serve at once.

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Apple Dressing with Texas Pecans

2 medium onions; diced
1 large green pepper; diced
4 cooking apples; diced
8 garlic cloves; minced
2 tablespoon thyme leaves
½ pounds margarine (or more)
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 large bag seasoned stuffing mix
2 bunch scallions; diced
6 celery stalks; diced
2 cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
Turkey giblets; boiled, and diced
2 tablespoons dried oregano or 4 tablespoons fresh oregano
3 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
6 cup chicken stock

1. Melt the margarine in a large stock pot. Add the onions, scallions, green pepper, celery, apples, pecans, garlic, turkey g giblets, and all the spices and seasonings, and sauté in the margarine, until the onions are translucent, and the smell is driving you crazy.
2. Add the stuffing mix; turn down the heat, and stir until it is well mixed, taking care not to let the bottom burn.
3. Add the chicken stock, until you have the right texture and consistency. As soon as it is added, turn the fire off, and set the dressing to cool, before stuffing the turkey.

Stuffs a 20 pounds turkey

Butter Pecan Squash

1 butternut squash (1½ pounds)
½ cup boiling water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon light brown sugar; firmly packed
½ teaspoon sea salt
White pepper to taste
¼ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1 tablespoon maple syrup

1. Quarter squash; scoop out seeds and stringy portion; pare and cut into ¾ to 1 inch cubes (about 4 to 5 cups).
2. In a medium saucepan bring squash and water to a boil; cover and cook rapidly until squash in tender (about 10 minutes). Drain and mash with butter, sugar, sea salt and pepper. Turn into an 8-inch pie plate. Sprinkle with pecans and maple syrup.
3. Broil until pecans are lightly browned.

Baked Bulgur with Pecans

1 cup bulgur wheat, uncooked
½ teaspoon dried basil
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups boiling water
¼ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Lightly oil a 1 quart baking dish or spray with a nonstick cooking spray. Place bulgur, basil, sea salt and pepper in prepared baking dish. Add boiling water and mix well.
3. Cover tightly and bake in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
4. Fluff with a fork, add pecans, and mix well. Serve hot.

Yield: 6 servings

Coconut Pecan Sweet Potatoes

2 pounds sweet potatoes; peel, shredded
⅓ cup brown sugar; firmly packed
¼ cup margarine or unsalted butter; melted
¼ cup coconut
¼ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; toasted
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon coconut flavoring
¼ teaspoon vanilla
Toasted coconut

1. In a 3½ quart slow cooker, combine potatoes, sugar, margarine, coconut, pecans and cinnamon. Cover; cook on low for 6 to 8 or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
2. Stir in coconut flavoring and vanilla. Sprinkle with toasted coconut if desired.

Curried Corn Pudding

2 cups whole kernel corn, drained
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon curry powder
¾ cups milk
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan cook the shallots in 1 tablespoon of the butter until shallots are tender. Add curry powder, cook and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in milk, salt, pepper, nutmeg and corn. Remove from the heat. Stir in eggs. Pour mixture into the prepared pie plate.
3. In a small bowl, cut remaining 1 tablespoon butter into the 2 tablespoons brown sugar until crumbly. Stir in pecans. Sprinkle nut mixture evenly over the corn mixture.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until golden around edges and a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Orange Pecan Couscous

1 tablespoon oil
1 cup coarsely Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1 onion; chopped
2 cups orange juice
3 cinnamon sticks
5 cloves, whole
1 pinch turmeric
1 pinch ground red pepper
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 cups couscous
½ cup raisins (more if desired)

1. Heat oil in a large skillet and cook pecans until lightly toasted. Add onions and cook until soft.
2. Add orange juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, turmeric, red pepper and sea salt and bring to a boil. Quickly stir in couscous and raisins, then cover and turn off heat.
3. Let stand 5 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed completely. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Pecan Rice Mélange

¾ cups wild rice
4½ cups chicken broth; divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup long grain rice
¾ cups toasted Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
½ cup chopped parsley

1. Rinse wild rice. Combine wild rice with 2½ cups chicken broth, heat to boiling. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes.
2. Drain excess broth, set aside.
3. Heat remaining 2 cups broth and butter to boiling. Add long grain rice, reduce heat, and simmer covered 15 minutes.
4. In a large mixing bowl combine brown rice with the white rice. Toss with parsley and pecans

Pecan-Cornbread Stuffing

6 cup cornbread dried and cubed
½ cup basmati rice uncooked
¾ cup onion coarse chopped
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1 cup oysters raw and chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sage ground
2 garlic cloves minced
¼ pounds unsalted butter
4 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Mix bread, water, and soy sauce together until all water is absorbed. Melt butter and add to mixture.
3. Blend in pecans, onions, oysters, garlic, pepper, sea salt, sage, and rice. Put into a large casserole.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour 20 minutes. Or use most of this to stuff a large turkey.