pecans

Maybe it's the "Christmas Song" ("chestnuts roasting on an open fire . . ."), but eating spiced nuts always gets me in the mindset of the holidays. One handful of spiced nuts, and I'm transported to a place where I'm with my family, snuggled up in blankets on the couch with a holiday movie on TV and hot chocolate brewing in the background. That picture may just be in my imagination, but I'll take that comfy feeling any day — hence loving these addictive nuts!

To get the quick and simple recipe, read more

Need a super-quick, delicious dessert for Thanksgiving? How about classic pecan pie! This no-fail recipe is especially great for those short on time or new to the kitchen. No special baking equipment is needed to make this pie. All you have to do is combine the filling ingredients in a bowl, fill the pie shell, and bake. To simplify the process even more, use a ready-made pie crust from the store. The final pie is chewy, sweet, and nutty. Learn how to make it and read more

Last week I was asked to make a sweet contribution to BabySugar's baby shower. Since the shower was a surprise, I decided what kind of cake to make. Filled with Fall flavors, this pumpkin cake with pecan brittle and whipped cream-cheese frosting is to die for. The cake is moist, rich, and delicious. The crisp pecan brittle provides a snappy texture while the creamy frosting is not overly sugary. This cake was a huge success at the party and it was devoured in mere minutes. On a Thanksgiving table it would be a festive alternative to the classic pumpkin pie. To look at the recipe, read more

I originally thought I'd make a classic Thanksgiving pie for this week's baking project. However, as you may know, pie crust tends to thwart me. So instead of struggling about, I started thinking about ways to make a pie without making a pie. Eventually, I landed upon the idea of a pecan pie cookie and after a bit of googling, I found a recipe that sounded just right. The result — a thumb-print cookie with a caramelized-pecan filling — was definitely reminiscent of pecan pie, only a lot easier to put together. If you're looking for a treat for an upcoming Thanksgiving potluck, then look no further, get the recipe, just read more

What would a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner be without the glorious finish? Allow plenty of digestion time to pass before serving dessert. Offer guests two options to choose from. A sweet potato pie with pecan streusel is a nice alternative to the classic pumpkin pie. A to die for caramel apple pie rounds out the other half of the dessert menu. To get the recipes that will have guests saying "pass the whipped cream," read more

I think of nuts as little nuggets of energy, since ounce per ounce they are one of the most nutritionally dense foods around. Nuts are high in protein, but unlike meat, they are low in saturated fat. Also absent from nuts – cholesterol. Instead nuts contain phytosterols, which are considered heart healthy since they help to lower cholesterol.

We all know that variety is the spice of life, and this philosophy holds true for nuts. Not only do they vary in taste and shape, but they each have fairly unique nutritional properties too.

Here's a little lesson on nut nutrition:

• Almonds: An ancestor to stone fruits, the almond is high in vitamin E. Vitamin E is considered a powerful antioxidant that helps prevents cells from damaging oxidative stress that has been linked not only to heart disease, but to Alzheimer’s as well.
• Brazil Nuts: Just one of these large nuts exceeds the daily requirement intake (RDI) for the mineral selenium. The mineral selenium is also an antioxidant proven to reduce the risk of cancer.

To learn about three more nuts just read more

This week's cupcake comes from A Cat In the Kitchen. Her adorable Totoro topped cupcakes are wonderfully cute and made me squeal out loud. The cupcakes are actually maple, pecan and apple — perfect for the fall — and are topped with a sugar fondant/paste and decorated with a food pen. I love all the detail in them. They're really almost too cute to eat! Well, almost...