Pecan-Pear Green Salad

This is a lovely dinner salad for any occasion. The toasted pecans, sauted pear slices and salad greens are drizzled with a simple balsamic vinaigrette making for a terrifically different kind of salad. This flavor combination is truly unusual and wonderful. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 large ripe red pear, sliced
2 - 3 tsp. butter, divided (see note)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped or broken pecans
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. salt, divided
2 cups salad greens
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, saute pear in 1 teaspoon butter until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.
2. In another skillet, saute pecans in 1 tsp. butter until lightly browned, about 5 minutes; sprinkle with 1/16 teaspoon salt or more, to taste.
3. Divide salad greens between two salad plates or bowls; arrange pears over greens. Sprinkle with pecans.
4. In a small bowl, whisk olive oil into balsamic vinegar; whisk in salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad.

Yield: 2 servings
Note: I found that 1 teaspoon butter in each skillet was enough to saute the pears and pecans, but you might like more.

This recipe was adapted from a "Taste of Home" cookbook.

Cranberry Orange Dip or Spread

This easy dip recipe makes a great snack with slices of apple, or it doubles wonderfully well as a spread on a toasted bagel for breakfast. The original recipe was far too thick for us and lacked enough flavor to stand up to the flavor of the apple. The addition of honey, toasting the pecans, and doubling the amount of cinnamon originally called for in the recipe gave the dip new life. If the dip/spread isn't loose enough or creamy enough for you, by all means add more honey until it's a consistency that appeals to you and your family. We really enjoyed this flavorful mixture on toasted bagels for a simple breakfast.
Blessings...

Recipe:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) low-fat cream cheese
1/4 cup coarsely chopped, dried cranberries
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, lightly toasted
1/2 tsp. orange zest
3 tbsp. orange juice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. honey or more to taste

1. Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix until well combined.

Serve as a dip with slices of apple or as a spread on toasted bagels. Might also be good on crackers.

Yield: 1-1/2 cups
80 calories per 2 tbsp. serving
.5 gms. fiber

This recipe was adapted from a recipe found in a spice catalog.

Pumpkin Pecan Frozen Yogurt

This wonderful, full-flavored, kid-friendly pumpkin yogurt is great for snacks or dessert, and so easy! Blessings...

Recipe:

4 cups frozen Vanilla Bean yogurt, softened (see note)

1/2 cup canned or cooked pumpkin

1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients; mix well. Transfer to a freezer container and freeze until firm.

Yield: 8 servings, 1/2 cup each
195 calories
4 gms. fiber

Note: I use Blue Bunny Vanilla Bean frozen yogurt. The flavor is very good, there are live yogurt cultures in it, and there is 3 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup serving.

This recipe was adapted from Taste of Home's "Light and Tasty" magazine.

Cranberry-Pecan Pound Cake

Fall is here and with it comes fresh, seasonal, delicious cranberries in the produce department of the market. This lovely, buttery-rich pound cake is studded with toasted pecan pieces and chopped cranberries; perfect for the upcoming holidays or, for my family, anytime.

This recipe comes from the January 1990 edition of "Bon Appetit" magazine, with a few adaptions from me. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 cup chopped pecans (broken into small pieces, not finely chopped, 3-1/2 ounces)
1-1/2 cup cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
5 large eggs
1/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup orange juice or brandy (calorie count is done with orange juice)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1-1/4 cups unbleached flour
1 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Powdered sugar for dusting, if desired

1. Grease and flour a 2-1/2 quart tube cake pan or two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pans.
2. Place pecans on cookie sheet and bake until lightly colored and fragrant in a 350 degree oven, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cool.
3. Coarsely chop cranberries.
4. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl once. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in sour cream, then orange juice or brandy, vanilla and orange peel.
5. Sift unbleached flour, cake flour and salt together. With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients to egg mixture and stop when all flour has been added. Mix by hand until just combined.
6. Fold in pecans and cranberries. Pour batter into prepared cake pan(s). Tap pan on counter to release any air bubbles.
7. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, rotating pan(s) halfway through baking time, about 50 to 55 minutes for loaf pans and about 1 hour for tube pan.
8. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Cake can be frozen up to 1 month. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired, before serving.

Yield: 20 servings
262 calories per serving
1 gm. fiber
Note: The flavor of the cake is best the day after baking.

Pecan Pie

Pecan pie is often a traditional dessert served for the Thanksgiving meal, but for those of us who love this pie, anytime of the year will do! This recipe calls for dark brown sugar rather than light brown or white sugar, which makes the filling very rich, dark, and delicious. Blessings...

Recipe:

9-inch unbaked pie crust
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup pecan halves

1. Prepare pie crust.
2. In large bowl, combine corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, salt and vanilla; mix well.
3. Pour filling into prepared pie crust; sprinkle with pecan halves.
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until center is set and a table knife comes out clean when inserted into the center of pie. Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Tip: Cover pie with aluminum foil after 30 minutes to prevent over- browning. The filling will set-up as the pie cools.

This wonderful recipe was a favorite of "Dear Abby's".

Pecan Pie Bars

If you like pecan pie you will love these bars that my sister-in-law made for us when we were visiting them a few years ago. The recipe starts with a cake mix for the cookie base which keeps things simple. Broken pecans are added to a rich brown sugar filling that is piled on top of the base and then it's baked until golden brown. Rich, huh? Blessings...

Recipe:

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter
1 pkg. (18.25 oz.) yellow cake mix, preferably Duncan Hines
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
2/3 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 lb. pecan pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 9"x13" baking pan.
2. Melt 1/2 cup butter. At medium speed beat cake mix with flour, melted butter and egg until dough forms. Press dough into bottom and 1" up sides of the pan.
3. Bake 20 minutes or just until base starts to brown; cool on rack 10 minutes.
4. In a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat combine sugar and corn syrup. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar; boil 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in cream and remaining butter.
5. Over low heat cook mixture 3 minutes; do not stir. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla, then pecans. Pour over crust.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes or until filling is set, being careful not to over bake. Cool on rack for 1 hour.
7. Cut into bars and let cool completely.

Yield: 18 or 24 bars
505 calories and 3 gms. fiber per bar for 18
397 calories and 2 gms. fiber per bar for 24
Note: The original recipe had 2 ounces of melted white chocolate drizzled on the bars which was just too rich so I deleted it, but the calorie count includes the drizzle, so the calorie count is a bit off. If you can handle "too rich" go for it and enjoy!

Strawberry-Basil Chicken Salad

The inspiration for the creation of this yummy salad came from a Taste of Home recipe that I found in one of my older cookbooks. The challenge was that the dressing ingredients for this recipe looked nasty, so I decided to try my favorite dressing recipe with the addition of fresh basil. The wonderful flavor of fresh basil and summer-sun-ripened strawberries is perfect for a main dish meal in the heat of summer. This recipe serves two but can easily be adapted for a larger family. Blessings...

Recipe:

4 cups torn salad greens
3/4 cup cubed cooked chicken
3/4 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/4 cup mandarin orange slices, drained on paper toweling
1 green onion sliced, white and green parts
1/4 cup coarsely broken pecans, lightly toasted

Strawberry Vinaigrette:

2 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. water
1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup olive oil or oil of choice
1/2 cup strawberry jam
1-2 tbsp. minced fresh basil or 1-2 tsp. dried, crushed

1. Combine salad ingredients in a large serving bowl.
2. In another bowl whisk together first 6 dressing ingredients.
3. In a slow thin stream, whisk olive oil into dressing ingredients until well combined. Stir in strawberry jam and basil.
4. Add desired amount of dressing to salad, toss and serve.

Yield: 2 servings
Dressing Yield: 1 cup
Note: This salad dressing was created by the cooks at smuckers.com. For variations of the dressing see Yummy Spinach Salad posted on 2/13/2013.

Date Nut Bread

This bread is my husband's absolute favorite of all the different quick breads that I make. He would have me make this recipe once a month, if he could. The bread is full of chopped dates and pecans so it is a bit high in calories, but worth every single one of them. The recipe makes two loafs, one for now and one for the freezer for later. This is another recipe from my old McCall's Cook Book that is tattered and has pages falling out of it from all of the years of use. Don't you just love a cook book that represents years of loving the people in your life? I sure do. Blessings...

Recipe:

4 cups pitted dates
2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts (I use pecans)
2 cups boiling water
2-3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/4 cups light-brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Cut the dates into thirds. Place dates and chopped nuts in a large bowl and pour boiling water over; stir and let cool to room temperature - about 45 minutes.
2. Grease two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pans. Set aside.
3. Combine flour with baking soda and salt; set aside.
4. In a large bowl, with electric mixer at high speed, beat butter with sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Scrape sides of bowl down to combine well.
5. Stir in cooled date mixture with a wooden spoon. Add flour mixture; stir with the spoon until well combined. Turn into prepared pans.
6. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 60 - 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Turn pans front to back half-way through baking time for even baking.
7. Cool breads in pans for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 2 loafs, 14 slices each
225 calories per slice
3.5 gms. fiber per slice

Butterscotch Toffee Brownies and Sundaes

Last week I came across an out-of-date package of brownie mix in the pantry and wondered if the leavening in it might still have enough "umph"  to create brownies. The "best if used by date" was in November, so I knew I was running a risk of creating some very flat brownies. Thankfully, that wasn't the case and they baked just fine. After tasting the brownies with the add-ins, the idea came to mind that these brownies could make the foundation for a tasty sundae. The brownies are yummy on their own, but with the addition of a scoop of vanilla ice cream, some butterscotch topping, whipped cream and toffee bits, these brownies become a very rich sundae. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 box brownie mix, I used Duncan Hines Chewy Fudge Brownies
1/2 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup toffee bits
3/4 cup butterscotch chips

1. Prepare brownies according to package directions using two eggs.
2. Combine the pecans, toffee bits and butterscotch chips in a bowl. Measure out 1 cup and stir into the brownie mix. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Smooth surface and sprinkle on the remaining 1 cup of pecan mixture.
3. Bake the brownies according to the package directions. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 36 brownies
149 calories each

Sundaes: Place two brownies on a plate or cut the brownies into larger serving pieces. Top with vanilla ice cream, butterscotch ice cream topping, some whipped cream and a sprinkle of toffee bits.

Apple Cider Salad

This wonderful gelatin salad begins with  unflavored gelatin rather than the more commonly used fruit flavored gelatin. The fruit flavor comes from apple cider and fresh apple pieces. This recipe is a great addition to sandwich meals and it is very kid-friendly. I served it this week with the Sloppy Joe recipe posted yesterday for a very easy week-night dinner. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
3-3/4 cups apple cider, divided
3 tbsps. fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3-1/2 to 4 cups chopped peeled apples
1 cup chopped pecans

1. In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over 1/4 cup cider; let stand for 2 minutes to soften.
2. Add lemon juice, sugar, salt, ground cloves and remaining cider. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar and gelatin are dissolved. This will only take a few minutes.
3. Refrigerate until slightly thickened, about 2-1/2 hours.
4. Stir apples and chopped pecans into gelatin. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate until set.

Yield: 12 servings
1/2-cup serving equals 135 calories
1 gm. fiber
Note: For two of us, I cut the recipe in-half using 1-3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. apple cider and 2 cups chopped apples.

Pumpkin Toffee Cake

Oh, my goodness, the kitchen smelled so wonderful as this cake was baking and cooling down. I couldn't wait to ice it with rich buttercream frosting and dig in later for dessert.

This recipe is kept simple and fast with a boxed spice cake mix in which canned pumpkin, chopped pecans and English toffee bits are added to make a  special family dessert. The cake is then topped with a buttercream that is so light and fluffy it melts in your mouth. This is a delicious way to end a meal, if you can wait that long! Blessings...

Recipe:

1 box spice cake mix with pudding in the mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Heath English Toffee Bits, divided
3/4 cup chopped pecans

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs and water beating on low speed; scrape down sides of bowl. Beat on medium speed for two minutes. Mix in pumpkin until blended.
2. Stir in pecans and toffee bits.
3. Pour into a greased tube pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Remove to a wire rack to cool in the pan for 5 minutes.
5. Run a table knife around the outside edge of the pan and remove the cake from the pan keeping the cake on the base. Cool completely.
6. Run a table knife under the cake to separate the cake from the pan. Place the cake on a serving plate. Frost the cake and sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon toffee bits on top.

Rich Buttercream Frosting

4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 tbsp. milk or more, as needed  (I use 1%)

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, butter, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the milk. If the mixture is real stiff add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time until spreading consistency. Beat the frosting on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes until very light and fluffy.

Yield: 12 servings
517 calories per serving
1.4 gms. fiber

Cinnamon Honey Cream Cheese Spread for Bagels

In my family, I have a husband and a niece that love honey, so after creating the Orange Marmalade spread for bagels posted on 2/10/2014, I thought maybe a honey and cinnamon concoction might work well as a spread. When this idea was mentioned to my niece she responded positively, so I bought some Cinnamon Raisin bagels with this thought in mind. The extra cinnamon and the sweet raisins are a wonderful complement to the cinnamon and honey in the spread. We really enjoyed the bagels alongside applesauce for breakfast this morning. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened
4 tsp. mild honey
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. finely chopped pecans
3 to 4 cinnamon raisin bagels

1. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy with an electric mixer.
2. Beat in honey and cinnamon. Taste to see if the balance in flavor is right for you and your family.
3. Stir the pecans in with a spoon. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

Yield: Enough spread for 3 to 4 bagels depending on how thick you like your cream cheese. Yummy!

Orange Marmalade Cream Cheese Spread for Bagels

Bagels are wonderful for an easy breakfast. Served with fruit and tea, or coffee, they are a quick and nourishing breakfast, especially the whole wheat and whole grain bagels. I don't spend the money on prepared cream cheese spreads, but prefer to make my own. I think home preparations of just about anything are usually better, if for no other reason than the enjoyment of the process of creating something that might be a new favorite for friends and family. Making a spread by adding a bit of jam, spice and some chopped nuts to cream cheese is a wonderful way to help save some money at the market. Blessings...

Recipe:  

5 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sweet orange marmalade
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1. Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in orange marmalade and nutmeg until well combined.
3. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to stir in pecans. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.

Makes enough spread for 4 or 5 bagels.
Note: Change the flavor of the spread with different flavors of jam and spices.

Eggnog Spice Bundt Cake

This tasty Bundt cake has eggnog in it, but the eggnog is not a strong taste, for those of you who don't care for the drink. The cake has a warm spicy taste and is very moist. The original recipe was written to be low in calories, but I changed that by adding a Cream Cheese Frosting. I know that the holiday season is over, but if you happen to have some eggnog left in your fridge, as I did, you might give this cake a try. The recipe starts with a box cake mix, so it goes together very quickly. Blessings...

Recipe: 

1 (18-1/4 oz.) box spice cake mix (without pudding in the mix)
1 (4-serving) box instant vanilla or cheesecake pudding and pie filling mix (I used French Vanilla)
1 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt (I used Greek)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup light eggnog (I used Vanilla Spice eggnog, full fat!)
1 egg
3 egg whites
1-1/2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped (you should have about 1-1/3 cups chopped pecans.)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, turning the nuts after 5 minutes. Cool and chop.
2. Coat a nonstick Bundt pan with cooking spray or grease a 10" tube pan.
3. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, yogurt, oil, eggnog, egg and egg whites in a large bowl. Mix until creamy, about 1 minute on medium speed.
4. Stir in pecans. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Remove cake from pan and dust with powdered sugar.

Yield: 16 servings
Calories using original ingredients, dusted with powdered sugar = 280 per serving and 2 gms. fiber. I didn't figure out the calories for my variation with frosting.
Note: I use Duncan Hines cake mix because it does not have pudding in the mix. If you use a mix that has pudding in the mix and add more pudding your cake will be extremely heavy. I did that once and the recipe was a failure. I'll post my Cream Cheese Frosting recipe tomorrow.
Original recipe by Holly Clegg and found in Relish Magazine

White Chocolate Cranberry Bread

Last year when my mom came for Thanksgiving, she brought a loaf of this delicious tea bread with her. We gobbled the bread for breakfast one morning with our eggs and fruit. The combination of whole cranberries, white chocolate and toasted pecans in each slice makes for a lovely and festive presentation for any holiday table. Blessings...

Recipe: 

6 oz. good quality white chocolate, finely chopped, or chips
2-1/4 cups unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup sugar
8 tbsps. (1 stick) salted butter, at room temp.
3 large eggs, at room temp.
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen whole cranberries, not thawed or chopped
1 cup toasted, coarsely broken pecans (mom used macadamia nuts)
1 cup white chocolate chips

1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan and tap out excess flour.
2. Melt and cool the chopped white chocolate.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt and baking soda.
4. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer set on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. One at a time, beat in the eggs, beating well after each addition, and scraping down sides of the bowl as needed.
5. Beat in the buttermilk, followed by the tepid white chocolate, orange zest and juice, and vanilla. The mixture will look curdled. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture, and beat just until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Stir in the cranberries, nuts and white chocolate chips. Spread batter in prepared pan.
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean, about 1-1/2 hours. After 45 minutes, turn loaf pan in the oven and cover the loaf with foil if it's browning too fast. I need to do this in my oven for such a lengthy baking time.
8. When bread is done, remove to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing the bread from the pan. Cool completely before cutting.

Yield: 12 slices
1.7 gms. fiber per slice

Note: Toast pecans in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes. They should smell fragrant and be lightly browned.
Note: This loaf freezes beautifully

Recipe adapted from "Tate's Bake Shop Baking for Friends," by Kathleen King

Cinnamon-Apple Cranberry Sauce

Thanksgiving is coming and most dinner tables will have some form of cranberry sauce, gelatin salad or a taste-tempting dessert made with these tart little gems. Our family loves them, so we have had many varieties of salads and sauces over the years. Last week I did a variation of a recipe I found and tried last year in Relish Magazine that my husband wasn't crazy about. I thought I could possibly change his mind with a few changes to the recipe. Success was achieved with this recipe. Hope you might try it for your holiday meal. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 12-oz. pkg. cranberries, washed and picked over (3-1/2 to 3-3/4 cups)
1 cup honey
1 cup apple juice
1 medium apple, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch dice (1-1/3 to 1-1/2 cups)
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/16 tsp. ground cloves

1. Combine cranberries, honey and apple juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes or until cranberries burst and sauce is thick and chunky.
2. Remove pan from heat and stir in apple, pecans, cinnamon and cloves. Chill sauce until cold. This is best if served the second day and will hold in the refrigerator for several days. Cranberry sauce freezes beautifully.

Yield: 3 1/2 cups
14 - 1/4 cup servings
114 calories
1.6 gms. fiber

Note: A sweet apple like Gala, Jonathan or Golden Delicious is wonderful in this sauce.

Coffee Pecan Muffins

Today I'm sharing another wonderful recipe from "Seasonal Celebrations Across America". This muffin recipe comes from a bed and breakfast located in the historic Guadalupe district of Old Santa Fe, New Mexico called Dos Casas Viejas, and again, I don't know if this bed and breakfast is still in business or not.

The combination of dark brown sugar, pecans and a bit of coffee makes for a deliciously different muffin from anything I had ever made before. They are an excellent addition to brunch, breakfast, or alone as a snack with a cup of coffee or tea. Once again, I have made a few changes to the original recipe over the years, but by and large, the recipe is as it was created. Blessings...

Recipe:

3/4 cup chopped pecans

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3 tsps. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 tbsps. strong coffee

1 tsp. vanilla

1. Grease 12 muffin cups.

2. In a large bowl, combine flours, brown sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well.

3. In another bowl, lightly beat egg. Add milk, butter, coffee and vanilla; blend well.

4. Add liquid mixture to flour mixture; mix just until combined. Fold in chopped pecans. Spoon batter into greased muffin cups.

5. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm with butter. Yummy!

Yield: 12
221 calories 

Streusel-Layered Coffeecake

This delicious coffeecake is a favorite that our family has enjoyed for many relaxed weekend breakfasts over the years. We love the buttery-rich brown sugar-and-pecan streusel that is layered in the middle and on top of the cake. Oh, my goodness, it is good no matter what you want to serve it with. But, because it is rich, I usually serve it alongside something as simple and uncomplicated as scrambled eggs and fruit. The coffeecake is the star of the meal. This wonderful recipe comes from The New McCall's Cookbook; new back in 1973! Blessings...

Recipe: 

Streusel Mixture:
1/2 cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed
2 tbsps. soft butter
2 tbsps. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, or nuts of your choice

Batter:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2-1/2 tsps. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan or a 9 x 1-1/2-inch layer-cake pan.
2. Make Streusel Mixture: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour and cinnamon; cut in butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. Stir in pecans; set aside.
3. Make batter: In another small bowl, combine flours, baking powder and salt.
Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, with a rotary beater, beat egg until frothy. Beat in sugar and butter until well combined. Add milk and vanilla. With a wooden spoon stir in flour mixture until well combined.
5. Turn half of the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle evenly with half of streusel mixture. Repeat with remaining batter and streusel mixture.
6. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly in pan on wire rack. Serve warm.

Yield: 8 servings
315 calories per serving
2 grams fiber per serving

Mississippi Mud Dessert

Mississippi Mud bars, cake or dessert was a very popular dessert back in the 1980's. This rich, decadent chocolate dessert came in many forms, but I found this one to be the best and my family seemed to agree because it never lasted long. This recipe came from a cookie shop in Lake Arrowhead, California called The Bear's Brown Bag of Cookies via Bon Appetit Magazine in 1985. The brownie layer is chock full chopped nuts and coconut, the second layer is marshmallow cream that melts on top of the hot brownie and gets all gooey, and the frosting is one of the richest butter creams ever. Perfect for dessert  anytime you're craving something delicious and want to put a twinkle in the eyes of your loved ones. This dessert is very kid-friendly. Blessings...

Recipe:  

Brownie

1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1-1/2 cups unbleached flour
3 tbsps. unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups pecans or walnuts, chopped fine
1-1/2 cups flaked coconut

1 7-ounce jar marshmallow cream

Frosting

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup evaporated milk

For brownie:

1. Grease 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter with sugar in large bowl of electric mixer until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs 1 at a time until well incorporated. Blend in vanilla.
4. Combine flour and cocoa powder. Beat dry ingredients into butter mixture.
5. Fold in coconut and pecans. Spoon batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
6. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, 30 to 40 minutes.
7. Immediately spoon marshmallow cream over brownie. As cream begins to melt, spread gently. Cool brownie completely on a wire rack.

For frosting:

1. Cream butter and vanilla in large bowl of electric mixer.
2. Combine sugar and cocoa powder. Gradually beat into butter mixture, alternating with milk.
3. Continue beating until frosting is light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Spread frosting over brownie. Cut into squares to serve.

Yield: 12 servings

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Chunky Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

This recipe is for those who love pecan pie and chocolate, but don't have a lot of time, or the desire, to make a pie. The recipe goes together quickly and tastes so rich, you will hardly miss the pie-shape on your plate. Blessings...

Recipe:

Crust:
1-1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

Filling:
3 eggs
3/4 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsps. butter, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pkg. (11-12 oz.) dark chocolate chunks (or semisweet, if you prefer)
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

1. To prepare crust, beat flour, butter and brown sugar in a mixing bowl until crumbly. Press into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.
2. In mixing bowl, beat eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla until combined.
3. Stir in chocolate and nuts. Pour evenly over baked crust. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until set.
4. Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars.

Yield: 36 bars