Pecans COOK!

(If anyone wondered about the domain name for this site here it is!)

 

        Invariably, when people think about pecan meats and ways to use them, Peacan Pies come up first. Many customers find us just looking for "A few pecans to make a Thanksgiving pie", and that is where the educating starts!                                                                                                 

 

  • Pecans are high in antioxidants- Pecans are noted, in the June edition of the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, as having more antioxidant capacity than any other nut! Pecans are also featured in the list of foods with high antioxidant capacity such as beans, blueberries and apples!http://www.ilovepecans.org/nutrition.html#antioxidants

     

    Pecans are huge for nutrition- Pecans are jam packed with nutrition, with Vitamins A, and E, Several B Vitamins, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc! A single serving of pecans, or about an ounce can provide around 10 percent of the recomended daily value for zinc and fiber. Pecans are a Particularly good source for unsaturated fats, including the monounsaturated fat known as oleic acid. Oleic acid is also found in olive oil, a staple of heart-healthy flavorful cooking.http://www.ilovepecans.org/nutrition.html#nutrient

     

    Pecans are not peanuts-   Pecans are a tree nut, Not a legume. Peanuts are more closely related to the clover or alfalfa family, and like most tree nuts there is very little DNA in common between Pecans and Peanuts. It is very unusual for people allergic to peanuts to also be allergic to tree nuts. So Pecans are a great sustitute! Up until last year, it was not uncommon to see bulk inshell pecans being shipped in the same bags that had previously carried peanuts. As of last year members of the National Pecan Shellers Association NPSA, no longer accept pecans in bags unless they are marked "For Pecans Only" to avoid even the slightest risk of cross contamination.http://www.nuthealth.org/nutrition.php3?action=reference#5

     
    Pecans Cook!- My wife and I have found pecans to be an excellent nut to cook with, or just to snack on! We have adopted and customized recipes for fish, poultry, pork, and salads as well. Pecans can be roasted, sauted, smoked, baked, spiced, ground, chopped, turned into such treats as syrups and cordials, and in a pinch you can eat them right out of the shell! 

     

    Finally the RECEIPES!

  • Pecan Pork Chops

    6 Chops, pork rib, loin, or shoulder

    2 Tbs. Dijon mustard

    2 Tbs. mayonnaise

    1 Tbs. olive oil

    1/2 cup shelled Waterfall Creek Pecans

    1/2 Tsp. salt

    1/2 cup of bread crumbs, or vanilla wafers

    1. Cut the outer edge of fat on pork diagonally at 1inch intervals to prevent curling
    2. Mix mustard, mayonnaise and oil. Place remaining ingredients (Pecans, salt and crumbs) in a blender or food processor. Blend on high speed, using quick on and off motions, untill Pecans are finely chopped.
    3. Set oven on broil.
    4. Spread mustard mixture over pork. Coat evenly with pecan mixture.
    5. Place pork on rack in broiler pan. Broil pork with tops about 6 inches from the heat, for about 10 minutes or untill brown. Turn, broil for 10 to 15 minutes longer or untill pork is slightly pink in the center. 

    Chicken Breast with Pecan Stuffing 

    6 Chicken breasts

    2 Tbs. butter              1 clove garlic                 1/4 Tsp. salt

    2 Tbs. white wine or water            1/4 cup chopped green onion

    1 cup Panko bread crumbs             1/4 cup chopped celery

    1/2 cup chopped Waterfall Creek Pecans

    1. Preheat oven to 325 Degrees.
    2. Make a deep slit in the back of each chicken breast.
    3. In a large sauce pan melt butter, add Pecans, green onion, celery and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add salt, bread crumbs, wine and mix well.
    4. Remove mixture from heat, and stuff into chicken pockets.
    5. Place in oven and cook for 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the chicken breast registers 180 Degrees. Remove to serving plates and let stand 5 minutes.

    Toasted Pecan Salad Dressing

    1/3 cup coarsely chopped toasted Waterfall Creek Pecans

    1/3 cup olive oil            1/8 Tsp.salt

    2 Tbs. lemonjuice          1 clove garlic

    1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend on high speed about 1 minute or until smooth.
    2. Toss into salad until evenly distributed to taste. 

    Pecan Glazed Fried Chicken 

    Chicken

    Garlic Powder

    2 Eggs

    Self rising Flour

    Panko

    Peanut oil

    (I'll get the directions for this one up soon I promise!) 

    Salad with Bleu Cheese and Spiced Pecans

    3/4 lb. mixed salad greens

    4 oz. bleu cheese

    2 pears peeled and sliced

    1 cup Waterfall Creek Spiced Pecans

    Balsamic vinagrette

    • Toss greens, bleu cheese and vinagrette, add pears and Pecans and lightly toss.

    (Balsamic vinagrette)

    1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar

    3 Tbs. dijon mustard

    2 cloves garlic, minced

    2 small shallots, minced

    3 Tbs. honey

    1/4 Tsp. salt and pepper

    1 cup olive oil

    • Whisk together first seven ingredients until blended, gradually whisk in olive oil.

    Spiced Pecans 

    1/4 cup sugar

    1 cup warm water

    1 cup Waterfall Creek Pecan Halves

    1 Tbs. paprika

    1/8 Tsp. cayenne pepper, ground

    2 Tbs. sugar

    1. Stir together 1/4 cup sugar and wateruntill sugar is fully dissolved
    2. Add pecan halves and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and discard sugar water.
    3. Combine 2 Tbs. sugar with paprika and cayenne pepper, add Pecans tossing to coat.
    4. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or untill Pecans are golden brown.

    Sweet Spicey Pecans 

    1 cup Waterfall Creek pecan halves

    1/4 cup sugar                              1/8 tsp garlic powder

    1 cup warm water                         1/8 tsp cumin

    1 tsp cayenne pepper                    1/8 tsp salt  

    3 Tbs brown sugar

     Stir together 1/4 cup sugar and water, untill sugar dissolves, add Waterfall Creek Pecan halves and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and discard water mix. Combine 3Tbs brown sugar, cayenne, garlic powder, salt and cumin. Add pecans and toss to coat.

      Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or untill Pecans are golden brown.

                               spinachpecan(002).JPG

    In my rush to get a photo of the beautiful spinach salad with marinated onions we used these in, I almost got a picture of myself eating!

     

    Honey Roasted Pecans 

    2 cups Waterfall Creek Pecan Halves

    1/2 cup Honey

    1 stick Real Butter

    Sea Salt

    1. In a saucepan simmer everything but the salt on low for10 minutes.
    2. Then spread on a no stick baking sheet and bake in the oven at 250 deg. for 30 minutes.
    3. Salt with Sea Salt to taste and allow to cool.

    Honey Pecan Glaze 

    1 cups Waterfall Creek Pecans

    1/2 cup Honey

    2 sticks Real Butter

    1. In a saucepan simmer everything but the salt on low for10 minutes.
    2. Serve cool over icecream, or serve warm over Waffels, Pancakes, Muffins, or best of all our own Pecan Glazed Fried Chicken!

    Glazed Pecans 

    5 cups Waterfall Creek Pecan

    1 cup brown sugar

    1/2 cup water

    1 tsp cinnamon

    1 tsp vanilla extract

     

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lay pecan halves on cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.

     

    Mix brown sugar, water and cinnamon in sauce pan and bring to boil.  Boil until temperature taken with candy thermometer is 236 degrees.  Remove from heat, add vanilla extract and stir.  Stir in pecan halves.

    Spread pecan halves onto wax paper and let cool.

     

    Enjoy!

     

    This recipe was donated by a friend of ours, Kyle Pratt DVM from Broken Bow Animal Hopspital.

     

    halves
    Coming Soon!Pecan Pear Salad.JPG A Pecan Pear Salad with fresh basil! 
    Coming Soon!Pecan smoked game hen.JPG A Pecan Stuffed, Pecan wood Smoked cornish game hen!