Turkey Sautéed with Pears and Pecans

1 pounds turkey breast slices
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves; finely chopped
1 teaspoon cracked pink or freshly ground peppercorns
½ teaspoon sea salt
⅓ cup apple juice
2 tablespoons whipping cream
2 pears; sliced ¼-inch thick
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Halves; toasted

1. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until oil sizzles, about 1 minute. Place turkey breast slices and garlic in skillet.
2. Cook about 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until turkey breasts are lightly browned.
3. Sprinkle with peppercorns and sea salt. Pour in apple juice and cream over slices. Add pears.
4. Cover; cook 1 to 2 minutes longer or until pears are heated. Sprinkle with toasted pecans. If desired, serve on a bed of hot fluffy rice.

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Twice Baked Pecan Squares

½ cup unsalted butter or margarine; softened
½ cup dark brown sugar; firmly packed
1 cup plain flour
2 eggs
1 cup light brown sugar; firmly packed
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
½ cup flaked coconut
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pinch sea salt
Powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Combine butter and dark brown sugar, creaming until light and fluffy. Add 1 cup flour; mix well. Press evenly into a greased 13-inch-by-9-inch-by-2-inch baking pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.
4. Beat eggs until frothy; gradually add light brown sugar, beating until smooth and thickened. Combine pecans, coconut and 2 tablespoons flour; stir. Combine egg mixture, nut mixture, vanilla and salt; mix well and spread evenly over crust.
5. Continue baking for 20 minutes or until golden brown; let cool. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar (optional) and cut into squares.

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Vanilla Crumb Crust

1⅓ cups vanilla wafer crumbs
¼ cup sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Combine the crumbs with the sugar and melted butter and mix thoroughly.
3. Press the mixture firmly against the sides and bottom of a 9-inch pie plate, using the back of a spoon.
4. Bake 5 minutes and cool.

Yield: 1 9-inch pie crust

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Vanilla Pecan Liquor

  1. Pour brandy, pecans, cinnamon, and vanilla beans (extract may be alternated) in jar and cover. Let stand for 2 to 3 weeks.
  2. Add sugar syrup to taste. Let stand 1 week. Strain and steep 2 more weeks. Ready to serve. Excellent for baking.

Yield: 1½ quarts container: ½ gallon jar

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Vinson’s Pecan Pie

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
1 16-ounce bottle Karo Dark Corn Syrup
1 to 2 cups water (for heating syrup)
6 eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Halves
2 tablespoons margarine

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. Remove cap from bottle of syrup and heat in a small saucepan of water.
3. In a mixing bowl, place eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and hot syrup. Stir thoroughly. Pour filling equally into unbaked pie shells. Put ¾ cups pecans into each pie. Dot 1 tablespoon of margarine on top of each. Place pie pans on jelly roll pans and place in oven.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour. Let cool. Serve hot or at room temperature. Store in refrigerator.

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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

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West Texas Chocolate Pecan Pie

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1½ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces
1½ teaspoons vanilla
¾ cups all-purpose flour
1½ sticks of unsalted butter
1½ cups chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl mix sugar and flour well with fork. Add eggs and melted butter and blend together.
3. Add coarsely chopped nuts, chocolate chips, vanilla and mix. Pour in pie shell.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

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West Texas Pecan Cake

¾ cups unsalted butter; melted
1½ cups granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons vanilla
3 egg yolks
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon Hershey’s Cocoa
½ cup unsifted all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons water
¾ cups Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces; finely chopped
3 egg whites; room temperature
⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
1 recipe Royal Glaze
Pecan Valley Pecan Halves for garnish1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Line bottom of 9-inch spring form pan with aluminum foil; butter foil and side of pan. Set aside.
3. Combine cup melted butter, the sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl; beat well. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Blend in cocoa, flour, oil and water; beat well. Stir in chopped pecans.
5. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in small mixer bowl until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold into chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared pan.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes or until top begins to crack slightly (Cake will not test done in center)
7. Cool 1 hour. Cover; chill until firm. Remove side of pan.
8. Prepare Royal Glaze. Pour over cake, allowing glaze to run down side. With narrow metal spatula, spread glaze evenly on top and side. Allow to harden.
9. Garnish with pecan halves.

Serves 10 to 12.Royal Glaze
8 ounce (8 squares) semi-sweet baking chocolate; broken into pieces; *
½ cup heavy cream; or whipping cream

Note: You may substitute 1⅓ Cups Hershey’s Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips for the baking chocolate.

1. Combine chocolate and cream in small saucepan. Cook over very low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; do NOT boil. Remove from heat.
2. Cool, stirring occasionally, until mixture begins to thicken, about 10 to 15 minutes.

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West Texas Pecan Pie

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup Karo Dark Corn Syrup
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
3 eggs, well beaten
1 cup Pecan Valley Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, corn syrup, and melted butter. Add beaten eggs and pecans to sugar mixture. Mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into pie shell.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes cool on rack.

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West Texas Pumpkin Pecan Pie

1 9-inch pie shell; unbaked
1½ cups pumpkin pie filling
½ cup Pecan Valley Pecan Halves; toasted
4 eggs
¾ cups granulated sugar
¼ cup rum
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1½ cups whipping cream

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2. Combine pumpkin and pecans in bowl of a food processor; process until smooth and well blended. Scrape pumpkin mixture into bowl. Beat in eggs. Add sugar, rum, cinnamon, ginger and cloves; blend well. Add cream; stir until completely mixed. Pour pumpkin mixture into pie shell.
3. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to 300ºF bake about 40 minutes longer until a knife inserted slightly off center comes out clean.
5. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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