Easy-breezy recipe to share - Gourmet Pecans

[RebeccaT]

Yet another winner from the Houston Junior League cookbook, Stop and Smell the Rosemary. I made these last night to serve at my party this weekend, and they are incredible! Just like something you would buy at Neiman Marcus for $10 a bag. And ever-so-easy... these are going to be great to have on hand during the holidays and for gift giving. Hope you enjoy them!

Gourmet Pecans
- from Stop and Smell the Rosemary

1 large egg white
3 Tbs. Kahlua, Grand Mariner, or other strongly flavored liqueur [I used Kahlua, I also think that Amaretto would be really good]
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Prepare a large jelly roll pan by lining it with tin foil.

Combine the sugar and salt in a bowl, set aside. Combine the egg white and the liqueur in a large bowl, stir well with a whisk. Add the pecans, and stir well. Add sugar to bowl, and stir well to coat.
Spread onto prepared jelly roll pan in a single layer.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until pecans are lightly toasted and browned, stirring every 10 minutes. It will look like the coating is coming off (it's not). Stir from the outside in to keep pecans on the edges from burning, and watch closely since sugar burns easily.

Remove from oven, transfer IMMEDIATELY to wax paper to cool. Pecans keep for two weeks in an airtight container.

Makes 4 cups.

[gabbyh]

Rebecca,
Every time I see a great recipe from this cookbook, I want to order a copy...it's been on my wish list for ages...any other goodies you can recommend?
~Gail H.

[RebeccaT]

I have only tried a few recipes (so many cookbooks, so little time... :D ) but each and every one has been fabulous. My faves so far (besides these pecans) have been the Chicken Tortilla Soup (posted on its own thread a couple of months ago) and an asparagus dish I can't remember the name of :o, but it was basically blanched asparagus with a crystalized ginger and balsamic vinegar dressing... perfect for a springtime brunch!

It's a beautiful cookbook! Definitely worth getting!

[Hoosier65]

I have several Junior League cookbooks and without a doubt they are one of the best around. I especially like CAPITAL CLASSICS fraom the Junior League of Washington DC.

[Linda in MO]

Do you think these would work with Bailey's? I have a bottle that needs to get used up.

[RebeccaT]

Hmmm... Linda, I have to say that I would be concerned about it working properly with Bailey's because of the heavy cream component. I am wondering if that would somehow keep the pecans from getting crispy.

However, if it DID work, those would be some pretty durn good pecans! :D

I'd say give it a shot. You might want to decrease the sugar just a bit since Bailey's is so sweet, but other than that I think you could keep the recipe the same. Please let us know how it goes!

[greysangel]

how about chambord and then covering them with dark chocolate?

YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

ok, someone stop me :D

J

[RebeccaT]

ooooohhhhh, that sounds amazing! I actually think a drizzle would be better than a coating though.

But, to be honest, these pecans are so sweet and yummy on their own, they really don't need much more. The egg white and sugar crystalize to make a crunchy coating, so adding chocolate might even be overkill, now that I think about it.

However, it would be pretty fabulous to use Godiva liqueur....

[greysangel]

LOL!

tis the season to dream about sinfully good food :cool:

who am i kidding, it's always the season for that :D

[olive101]

I make a recipe very similar to this, but instead of Kahlua, it calls for 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. They are wonderful! I may try Kahlua next time.

[Linda in MO]

I used 2 cups of pecans, 2 T. Bailey's, 1/2 an egg white, some cinnamon, and I didn't use quite all the sugar/salt mixture. Yum! The Bailey's taste is not really strong, but they still taste wonderful. I can't stop munching them and I made them for gifts! :o I will try them with kahlua next, but I need to buy some first. ;) Thanks Rebecca!

[RebeccaT]

YAY!

Linda, I am so glad it worked out for you! Sounds like the Bailey's is a winner, which I will have to remember since I often have Bailey's around. I love the addition of cinnamon as well!

I hope other people try this recipe with different liqueurs, and report back on how they work!

[Zinnia]

I have a couple of bags of pecans in the freezer and I think I am going to make 3 different batches from what I have seen here, lol.
One with Kahlua, one with Baileys, and one with cinnamon added..
I just hope I won't eat them all before packing them up for food gifts! Thanks. :) Zinnia

[Mamasue]

Originally posted by olive101
I make a recipe very similar to this, but instead of Kahlua, it calls for 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. They are wonderful! I may try Kahlua next time.

I have the same recipe and sent some to my Holiday Swap partner, LaraW. ;) Very addictive!

[MKSquared]

These are SO easy, and pretty darn good, too! :) I made mine with Grand Marnier - you really do taste the liquour, I think. The part in the directions about lining your pan with foil is a very important step. :) It's easy, but it gets messy fast!

[jellyben]

This will make a perfect hostess gift for dinner tonight! I am going to use up my Amaretto. Will it be okay if I put it in a plastic gift bag(the kind used for cookies)or will it stick?

Karen

[RebeccaT]

Karen, they should be fine. I store mine in one of those Glad Ware containers, and they don't stick together at all. The trick is to make sure that they are "well-done," that they have turned a nice golden brown color. This will ensure that the coating hardens as the pecans cool.

Please let us know how they are with Amaretto! I think that will be a great flavor!

[Missi]

I made these using almonds instead and Chambord (didn't dip them in chocolate though, Jeanne!) They are sooooo easy and taste great! I plan to make more using Tuaca, which is Italian and tastes like carmel. I sent these to Kathryn Y, my swap partner. Maybe she'll chime in too and give us her opinion on them. Thanks RebeccaT for posting--- this recipe is going in the holiday favorites file!

[ChristieinMB]

I made these last night using Kahlua, you are right they are simple, easy to make while making dinner. I used Kahlua, not a strong taste but nice, they are not too sweet.
Christie

[RebeccaT]

I am so glad that everyone is enjoying these!

I made another batch over the weekend (my third this season!). This time I added 1/2 tsp. cinnamon to the sugar and salt mixture, and kept all other ingredients the same. It was delicious! The Kahlua and cinnamon really did complement each other well!

[Peggy C.]

Spiced Party Nuts from The New Basics Cookbook by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups shelled whole almonds or pecan halves
1 Tbsp. Kosher salt (optional)
additional garlic salt (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. Mix cumin through cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over low heat. Add the spice mixture and stir well. Simmer to mellow the flavors
3-4 minutes.

4. Place the nuts in a mixing bowl, add the spice mixture and toss well. Spread the nuts in a single layer on a
baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice.

5. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and using a rubber spatula, toss the nuts with any spices and oil that
have accumulated on the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle with kosher salt and a bit more of the garlic salt if desired.
Let rest for 2 hours in a cool place. Store in airtight jars.


The recipe suggests working with thise size batch only, that if you try to double it the mixture doesn't get evenly
distributed. I've tried it with the almonds and with walnuts, honestly the pecans are the best. The mixture just
doesn't stick to the almonds as well and the walnuts just have a different flavor. I have never added additional
garlic salt at the end, but usually do add the kosher salt. Next time I may change it to garlic powder in the actual
spice mixture as they can get a little salty, but I love the kosher salt so I won't omit that.