Apple Cinnamon Casserole

Apple Cinnamon Casserole
2 cans pre-made cinnamon roll dough
1 can apple pie filling
1/2 chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350* and grease a 9" square pan.
2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and pour in pan.
3. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. Top with packaged icing.

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce

4 eggs
1- 15 oz can pumpkin puree
1 c heavy whipping cream
1 c half & half
3 T melted butter, cooled
1 1/2 c sugar
2 t vanilla
1 T pumpkin pie spice
1 loaf day-old bread, diced into small pieces
Caramel Sauce:
1 c butter, softened
1 c heavy whipping cream
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c toasted pecans, chopped (opt)

1. Preheat oven to 350* and lightly grease a 9x9 pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, pumpkin, cream, half & half, butter, sugar, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Toss in bread pieces and coat evenly.
3. Pour everything into the pan, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes; remove foil and bake for an additional 45-55 minutes.
4. Make the sauce toward the end of the bread pudding baking time. In a medium pot, stir together butter, cream, and brown sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, stir in pecans, and cook until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Pour over bread pudding just before serving.

Pecan Pralines

Pecan Pralines
2 c sugar
1 c half and half
1/3 stick of butter
1/8 t baking soda
1 1/2 c whole pecans

1. Combine everything except pecans in a medium saucepan over medium heat; stir constantly until it comes to a boil.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to stir until it reaches 240*, or "soft ball stage".
3. Stir in pecans, remove from heat, and stir until creamy, cloudy, and thick.
4. Drop on to parchment paper or a buttered cookie sheet and let cool.

Texas Brownies

Texas Brownies
1 c chopped pecans
1 c butter
1/2 c chocolate chips
2 c sugar
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c cocoa
4 eggs
1 t vanilla
3/4 t salt
1- 10.5 oz bag marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 350*; place pecans on a cookie sheet and bake for 9 minutes. Keep the oven on.
2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter and chocolate chips together stirring every 30 seconds until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
3. Whisk in sugar, flour, cocoa, eggs, vanilla, and salt; pour batter in to a greased 10x15 jelly roll pan.
4. Bake for 20 minutes; top with marshmallows and bake for another 9 minutes, until marshmallows are golden brown. Meanwhile make the frosting recipe that follows.
5. Drizzle frosting over marshmallows and sprinkle with pecans.

Frosting
1/2 c butter
1/3 c cocoa
1/3 c milk
2 c powdered sugar, sifted
1 t vanilla

1. In a medium pan, heat butter, cocoa, and milk over medium heat until butter is melted; stir constantly for another 2 minutes until it starts to thicken up.
2. Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla.

Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake
2 c flour
2 c sugar
2 t baking soda
1 T cinnamon
1/2 t allspice
1/2 t ginger
1 t salt
4 eggs
1 c vegetable oil
1/2 c milk
3 c grated carrots (about 6-8 carrots)
1 1/2 c chopped pecans (opt)
Frosting:
2- 8 oz pkgs [light] cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c butter, room temperature
4 c powdered sugar
2 t vanilla
1/2 c chopped pecans (opt)

1. Preheat oven to 350*; grease and flour 3- 9" round pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and salt; add eggs, oil, and milk.
3. Use a hand mixer to blend everything well; fold in carrots and pecans.
4. Pour into pans and bake for 40 minutes; let cool for 5 minutes, remove from pans, and place on waxed paper to cool completely.

5. For the frosting, add everything except the nuts into a medium bowl and beat with a hand mixer until fluffy; fold in pecans.

6. Layer the cakes with frosting in between each and then cover the outside with frosting as well.

English Toffee

English Toffee
2 c sugar
2 c butter, softened
6 T water
2 c chocolate chips
1 c chopped pecans, toasted (opt)
1. Place sugar, butter, and water in a medium pan; stir frequently, if not constantly, with a wooden spoon, over high heat. Toffee will come to a rolling boil.
2. When toffee becomes golden brown, turn it out on to a 9x13 pan.
3. About 3-5 minutes later, sprinkle with chocolate chips; spread melting chips over the entire surface of the toffee and then sprinkle with pecans.
4. Let chocolate cool completely (a few hours) and then break into pieces before serving.

English Apple Pie

English Apple Pie
4 large [Granny Smith] apple, peeled and sliced
1/2 c sugar
2 t cinnamon, separated
1/2 c butter
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c [wheat] flour
3 T water
1/2 c chopped pecans (opt)

1. Preheat oven to 375*.
2. In a large bowl, toss apples in sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; dump in to pie plate.
3. Using the same bowl (no need to dirty more dishes), beat butter and brown sugar together; mix in flour, water, remaining teaspoon of cinnamon, and pecans.
4. Spoon dumpling mixture over apples, place on the lowest rack in oven, and bake for 45 minutes.

Nutella Coconut Pecan Pie

Nutella Coconut Pecan Pie
6 tbsp butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coconut extract
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup Nutella
1 frozen 9" deep dish pie crust, unbaked

1. Preheat oven to 350*; line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
2. Add butter, sugar, corn syrup and salt to a saucepan and stir frequently over medium heat until the butter has melted and the brown sugar has dissolved, about 7-10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and coconut extracts; let cool for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. While the sugar mixture is cooling, spread Nutella evenly in the bottom of the unbaked pie crust and place it on the cookie sheet.
5. Once the sugar mixture has cooled, temper the beaten eggs and then mix in until completely incorporated; stir in coconut and pecans.
6. Pour the pecan-sugar mixture over the Nutella. Place the cookie sheet in the upper third of the oven.
7. Bake for about 50-55 minutes or until golden brown and set up; place on a wire rack to cool.

Aloha Bread

Aloha Bread
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 over-ripe bananas
4 cups [wheat] flour
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1- 20 oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
¾-1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut flakes

1. Preheat oven to 325*; grease 2 loaf pans and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, and sugar; add eggs; stir in bananas.
3. In separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; blend well into banana mixture, but be careful not to over mix.
4. Stir in pineapple, pecans, and coconut; mix on low speed until blended.
5. Pour into pans; bake for 60-80 minutes, until passes toothpick test.

Roasted Nuts (and Toasted Sesame Seeds)

Roasted Nuts
1. Preheat oven to 400*.
2. Spread nuts evenly on a baking sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper first).
3. Bake 5 minutes; shake.
4. Bake 3-5 more minutes, or until golden brown.
5. Let cool on baking sheet before serving or storing.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container.


Toasted Sesame Seeds
1. Preheat oven to 325*.
2. Spread seeds evenly on a baking sheet (I lined mine with parchment paper first).
3. Bake about 20-25 minutes, shaking once or twice, until browned and fragrant.
4. Let cool on baking sheet before serving or storing.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Mississippi Mud Cake

Mississippi Mud Cake
2 c sugar
2/3 c cocoa, separated
3 sticks butter, separated
1.5 c flour
4 eggs
2 t vanilla, separated
1 c chopped pecans or walnuts
1- 7oz jar marshmallow creme
6 T milk
2 c powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Mix together sugar, 1/3 c cocoa, 2 sticks butter, flour, eggs, 1 t vanilla, and nuts. Pour into greased, floured 9x13 pan; bake for 30 minutes.
3. Spread marshmallow cream over cake while hot; let both cool while you make frosting.
4. Combine remaining ingredients (1 stick butter, milk, 1/3 c cocoa, powdered sugar, and 1 t vanilla) and spread over cooled cake.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie

Turtle Pumpkin Pie(s)
*makes 2 pies
2 graham cracker crusts
1 c caramel topping, divided
2c pecan pieces, divided
1 c cold milk
2- 3.5 oz pkgs vanilla instant pudding
1 c canned pumpkin
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1- .5 pt whipping cream
2 c whipped cream, divided

1. Pour ¼ cup caramel topping into each crust; sprinkle with ½ cup pecans.
2. Whisk together milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin, and spices until well blended; stir in whipping cream. Spread over pecans in crust.
3. Refrigerate at least one hour. Top each pie with half of the remaining caramel topping and pecans (and half of the whipped cream) just before serving.

Cilantro Pesto

Cilantro Pesto
1 small-medium bunch of cilantro
3-4 cloves garlic
.25-.5c extra virgin olive oil
.5c Parmesan cheese
.25c chopped nuts (I use pecans, but pine nuts and/or walnuts are good too)

1. Wash and dry the cilantro.
2. Then mix all of the ingredients in the food processor (or a blender might work).

**If you mix it with a block of cream cheese, it makes an excellent spread/dip.**

Check out the post below...make a pesto pizza.
(The only mozzarella we had was string cheese. Go figure...)

Apple Annie's Dip

When Apple Annie's Tea Room in San Antonio closed, I knew I had to preserve this recipe!

Apple Annie's Dip
2 blocks cream cheese, softened
1- 8.5 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 c chopped pecans, ground (opt)
-extra pecans (opt)
-pretzels, crackers, pita chips, cucumbers, carrots, celery, etc for dipping

1. Mix all ingredients and spread in a pie pan or other dish.
*Freezes well*