- Sweet & Spicy Pecans

Sweet & Spicy Pecans

1 lb or 5 cups pecan
1/2 c granulated sugar
2 T vegetable oil
1 T ground cumin
1 tsp each chili power and ground coriander
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp each cinnamon, cloves and cayenne pepper

Blanch pecan halves in boiling water for 1 minute; drain well. Transfer immediately to large bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and drizzle with oil; toss to coat well. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle in single layer on greased foil-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake in 325° oven, turning every 5 minutes, for 25 minutes or until nuts are crisp and slightly darkened.

Meanwhile, in metal cake pan or other heatproof pan, combine cumin, chili powder, coriander, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cayenne; toast in oven alongside nuts for 5 minutes.

Dump nuts into large bowl; sprinkle with spices and toss to coat well. Spread in single layer on baking sheet to cool.

Store in airtight containers for up to 2 weeks (or more).

Notes:

1. These are absolutely addicting but fair warning – these spices stink (there is no better way to describe them). Absolutely everyone who has made them says that their house smelled awful and they thought they would have to throw them out (and pecans aren’t cheap) but I had warned them in advance and they were patient. These taste absolutely nothing like they smell. Your only problem will be putting the jar away after you have started. Another great gift idea.

- Nuts + Bolts

NUTS + BOLTS

1½ lbs. (750 g) mixed nuts
½ lb. (250 g) cashews
1 - 15 oz. (420 g) box Cheerios
1 - 24 oz. (750 g) Shreddies
9 oz. (280 g) pkg. pretzels
6 tsp. (30 mL) garlic salt
5 tsp. (25 mL) celery salt
2 tsp. (10 mL) onion salt
3 tbsp. (45 mL) Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. (10 mL) A-1 or H.P. steak sauce
2½ c. (625 mL) butter

Use 2 very large roasters or 2 very large lasagne pans.

Mix the first 5 ingredients together.

Melt the butter in a saucepan with all of the seasonings. Pour over the dry ingredients and separate into two pans..

Bake at 200° for 2½ - 3 hours stirring frequently (every 20 - 30 minutes).

Notes:

1. These store very well and after cooling I put them in plastic bags for several weeks. They make great Xmas gifts.

- Cinnamon Shortbread

CINNAMON SHORTBREAD


1/2 lb. butter
1/2 lb. Crisco shortening
1/2 c. berry sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
4 c. flour
4 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt

Roll out dough and cut cookies with cutters. Bake on ungreased baking sheet at 300° for 20 minutes.

Mix additional 1/2 c. berry sugar with 1 tsp. of cinnamon.

After taking cookies out of oven, and while they are still warm, toss in sugar/cinnamon mixture.

Notes:

1) These cookies are melt in your mouth fabulous. They would make a wonderful Christmas gift and are part of my Christmas baking tradition.

- Chocolate Bark

CHOCOLATE BARK


8 oz semi-sweet chocolate melting wafers (or milk chocolate if you prefer)
2 oz white chocolate melting wafers
½ cup cashew pieces
½ cup coconut
½ cup chopped dried mangoes


Melt semi-sweet chocolate in double boiler, add cashews, coconut and mangoes. Mix together and spread on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Pam. Once cooled drizzle (or spread) with layer of melted white chocolate. Cool & crack into smaller pieces.

Notes:

This is fabulous and makes for an impressive (but way easy) Christmas gift.

- New York Cheesecake

New York Cheesecake

1¼ cups finely ground graham crackers
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup butter (room temperature)

5 8-oz packages of cream cheese (room temperature)
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
1¾ cup sugar
3 tbsp all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
¼ cup whipping cream

Mix graham cracker crumbs, ¼ cup sugar and butter using pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press firmly into bottom and ½ inch up sides of 9 inch spring form pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 500°F. Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer until very smooth. Blend in lemon juice and vanilla. Sift sugar, flour and salt. Gradually beat into cream cheese, then continue beating until moisture is creamy, smooth and light – about 5 minutes.

Beat in eggs and yolks one at a time, beating lightly after each addition.

Blend in cream. Pour into crust. Bake 12 minutes. Reduce temperature to 200°F. Continue baking until tester inserted into center comes out clean (about 45 minutes).

Gently run sharp knife around edge of pan. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.

Refrigerate at least 8 hours.

Notes: I should have posted this a long time ago and thought I had - it is the best ever!!