Toasted Pecans

  We've saved the simplest form of pecans for last.  The only thing you do to these babies is toast them in the oven.  While we had these at our Thanksgiving dinner, they are a perfect tasty snack throughout the holidays.  Think "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" except that they're pecans toasting in the oven.  Okay, so that analogy didn't quite work, but you get the point.  It makes your house smell cozy, inviting and as delicious as the pecans actually taste.

Toasted Pecans
provided by Sandy Cox
YEILDS: 4 cups

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups pecan halves
6 Tbsp. margarine or butter
3 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS:
Melt margarine and pour over pecans.  Sprinkle with salt, stir well.  Put pecans in shallow baking pan.  Put pan in preheated oven at 350°, then turn oven off.  Let pecans stay in oven until cooled.  Will not burn!

Pecan Crusted Catfish

  Today's pecan recipe is different from what is usually featured on here.  Instead of being a sweet or a snack, it's an actual meal.  This catfish, dressed with pecans, is a little salty, a little sweet and all the way delicious.  The perfect home cooked meal all year round.

Pecan Crusted Catfish
provided by Andy Peterson
YEILDS 4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. butter, melted
salt and pepper
4 catfish fillets
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup Ritz cracker crumbs
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400°.  Combine lemon juice and 2 teaspoon of melted butter in 12x8 inch baking dish.  Salt and pepper fillets and spread mayonnaise over "bone" side.  Arrange fish in baking dish.  Combine cracker crumbs, pecans, and 3 tablespoons melted butter; sprinkle over fillets.  Bake catfish for 12 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes.

Zucchini Nut Bread

  I know it's not exactly the season for zucchini, but nowadays you can buy vegetables all year around.  This is one recipe that might not exactly be good for you but because you can always pretend it is because of the vegetables and pecans inside.  (Don't worry, I won't tell if you won't.)

Zucchini Nut Bread
provided by Wynne Harris
YEILDS: 3 loaves

INGREDIENTS:
3 eggs
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
3 cups peeled and grated zucchini
3 tsp. vanilla
3 cups plain flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup raisins (or chocolate chips)

DIRECTIONS:
Beat eggs with whisk.  Add oil, sugar and zucchini.  Mix lightly.  Add vanilla.  Add all dry ingredients.  Mix well.  Add pecan and raisins (or chocolate chips).

Bake in a greased and floured tube pan for 1 hour at 325° until it tests done.
OR
Bake in 3 one-pound greased and flour metal coffee cans (or small loaf pans) for 1 hour at 350°.

Warm Fudge-Filled Cheesecake

  It's November!  That means that our recipes this month will all have pecans in them (except for the Sunday recipes).  Today's recipe is one that is a favorite in my family.  For as long as I can remember, my dad has been making this cheesecake and it was actually the cake that converted me from a cheesecake hater to a cheesecake lover.  With the chocolate center of this cake, you can either eat it warm, with the chocolate melted, or eat it cold.  Both ways are just as delicious, though personally molten chocolate is my downfall.

  While making this cheesecake, we tried to combine two leftover bags of chocolate hoping it would be enough.  It wasn't.  The pictures below reflect the lack of chocolate.  Where normally there would be a whole layer of chocolate there are just a sprinkle of the chocolate mini-morsels.  It was still extremely tasty (I think there is about 1/2 of the cake left and it was just made three days ago).  This go-to recipe is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, birthdays, anniversaries, basically any special occasion or even a non-occasion.  You can pair this cake with any drink you would like.  It especially goes well with Cognac or a nice red wine.

  The next few pecan recipes will be more pecan based, but this delicious treat was too yummy to not pass on.  It's not to late to send in your pecan recipes or you could start sending in cookie recipes for December!  Our December recipes will be centered around Christmas cookies so that we can get into the Christmas spirit.  I don't know about you, but as a sweet lover, I'm really looking forward to December.

Warm Fudge-Filled Cheesecake

from Southern Living January 1998 Cookbook

YEILDS: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup butter or margarine, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup chopped pecans

4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 ½ cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate mini-morsels

Sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Garnish: chocolate shavings

DIRECTIONS:

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add 1/3 cup of sugar, beating well.  Gradually add flour, beating at low speed until blended.  Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla and pecans.  Press into bottom and 1 ½ inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan.  Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.  Cool on a wire rack.

Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add 1 ½ cups sugar, beating well.   Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.  Stir in remaining 2 tsp. vanilla.  (Do not overmix.) 

Pour half of batter into prepared crust; sprinkle with chocolate morsels to within ¾ inch of edge.  Pour in remaining batter, starting at outer edge and working toward center.  Place cheesecake on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until set.  Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 1 hour.  Serve slightly warm with sweetened whipped cream, if desired.  Garnish, if desired.