Cranberry-Pecan Pie...More Than Just Dessert!

This pecan pie recipe is a little different, using fresh chopped cranberries in the mix. I found this in Woman's World Magazine and I think I am going to make this at Christmas. I have had pecan-chocolate pie before, but sometimes that can be too sweet...possible? Yes! The cranberries will lighten this up and provide a nice tartness to the already sweet enough pecan pie. The recipe calls for garnishing with whipped cream and sugared cranberries. I think I am going to stick a few mint leaves into the whipped cream swirls to make it really Christmas-y!

Cranberry-Pecan Pie

Half of 11-oz.pkg. pie crust mix Or use 1 roll of Pillsbury All-Ready Pie Crust

4 eggs

1 cup dark corn syrup

1 cup light brown sugar

6 Tbsp butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups chopped pecans (6 oz.)

1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped

1/2 cup pecan halves

Whipped cream and sugared cranberries

Place jellyroll pan on center oven rack; preheat to 350 degrees.

Coat 9-in. pie pan with PAM. Prepare pie crust according to package directions for 1 crust. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into 12-in. round; fit into pie pan. Trim and flute edge; refrigerate.

Whisk together eggs, corn syrup, butter and vanilla. Stir in chopped pecans and cranberries; pour into crust. Top with pecan halves.

Bake on jellyroll pan 1 hour or until almost set and center jiggles slightly.

Cool completely on rack. Garnish with whipped cream and sugared cranberries.

SUGARED CRANBERRIES: Mix 1 Tbsp. warm water with 1 tsp. dried egg whites, until frothy. Using fork, dip well-dried fresh cranberries, one at a time, into mixture; let excess drip off. Transfer to plate spread with sugar; roll until coated. With dry fork, transfer cranberries to another plate; let stand until dry.

SPINACH SALAD WITH CRANBERRIES, PECANS, BACON AND BLUE CHEESE

We have had a cranberry hors d'oeurve so we move on to the table and sit down for our salad course, also using cranberries. This salad is courtesy of The Neeleys on the Food Network. I have made this several times and it is a party in your mouth. There are so many flavors and textures going on in this. And of course, what doesn't go good with bacon? But, this really is a beautiful looking salad, pretty colors for the holidays and had a lot of good stuff in it! Toast your pecans, make your bacon and slice your onion and put it in a zip lok bag the day before. All you have to do the next day is toss everything in the bowl and whisk your dressing.

Spinach Salad with Cranberries, Pecans, Bacon and Blue Cheese
1/2 pound hickory smoked bacon slices, roughly chopped

1/2 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped

2 (6-ounce) containers baby spinach

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup dried cranberries
Dressing:
1/2 cup Danish blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Fry chopped bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined 1/4-sheet tray to drain.
Toast pecans in the oven on a 1/4-sheet tray until lightly golden and fragrant, about 6 minutes.
In a medium bowl mash the blue cheese with a fork. Mix in the buttermilk, sour cream, sugar, salt and pepper, to taste.
Combine baby spinach, red onion, pecans, dried cranberries and bacon in large bowl. Toss with the dressing immediately before serving.

Home Made Pecan Sandies

Many of us try to keep something in the freezer that we can take out and serve with coffee when there is unexpected company. It takes the pressure off of having to create something immediately. In the fall I keep a frozen, unbaked apple pie that can be popped into the oven at a moment's notice and served later in the day with no fuss and no kitchen clean up. It is easy to make 2 pies, put one away and bake the other. The same holds true with some cookie dough. I have bought the fundraiser cookie doughs in the buckets, but they always seem too sweet. The packaged cookies that are slice and bake or pull-apart and bake...easy, but again too sweet for me. And my preference is to know what is going into my cookies. I am always on the look-out for something new I can make that will fit this description. These doughs are really handy when the kids are going to be around as it takes little time to slice and bake. And nothing is better than the aroma of freshly baked cookies when you walk in the door! Well, I found a new recipe that I think is going to be like Pecan Sandies. I love, love those!! I hardly ever buy them though. The recipe comes from The Craft of Baking by Karen DeMasco. They sound so good and the best part...the dough can be frozen for up to a month. I am thinking that if you have some baking going on in your kitchen already, this is something that will go together quickly and you can put away for another time. I might even add these to the Christmas tray. You roll these in Demarara sugar so when you slice and bake there is a nice, crispy sweet edge. For the holidays, they would be cute rolled in red or green sanding sugar.

Pecan Shortbread Cookies

Makes about 2-1/2 dozen.

3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

1-1/4 sticks (10 Tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/2 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise, seeds scraped

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tbsp. demerara or turbinado sugar

1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the chopped pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toast for 6 minutes, until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool. (If you are making the dough to put away, do this step in your toaster oven to save energy.)

In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the confectioners' sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, vanilla extract and salt at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the flour in 3 batches, beating at low speed until just incorporated. Discard the vanilla bean. Stir in the pecans.

Transfer the dough to a work surface and roll into a 1-1/2-inch thick log. Wrap the log in plastic or parchment paper and refrigerated for about 1 hour, until chilled.

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, Spread the demerara sugar on a platter. Brush the log with the egg yolk and roll in the sugar. Slice the log into 1/2-inch thick rounds. Transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1-inch apart. (Skip this step if you are freezing and when you are ready to bake then do the egg wash and sugar step prior to baking.)

Bake the shortbread cookies for about 20 minutes, until the edges are golden; rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let stand until cooled completely, about 30 minutes, before serving.

A Great Start to a Grilled Steak Dinner

I think I could eat blue cheese on almost anything. The same goes for gorgonzola. This spread works well with either cheese. While this is not exactly a diet delight recipe, it is a great starter while you are waiting for the steaks on the grill. (I know....I am trying to clog those arteries by the bite!) But as we all know, everything in moderation..... This is so darn good though and I really love it with pears and apples the best. But it a versatile spread. In the past, I have toasted bagette slices first, spread them with some of the cheese spread and popped them back in the oven to soften the cheese and get it warm. After removing from the oven, top with chopped pears and pecans, or a sugared pecan. Open a cold, crisp bottle of Frascati or some bubbly Prosecco and you will have a lovely beginning to your fabulous dinner. And, if you have any of this leftover, use it on a burger, on a baked potato or as a spread in a veggie pita sandwich with some sprouts and cucumbers and dried cranberries or cherries.

Blue Cheese and Toasted Pecan Spread

Ingredients

1 pound good quality blue cheese, crumbled

4 tablespoon butter, softened

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 clove garlic

1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped

1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

Toasted baguette slices, unsalted crackers, pear or apple slices
Instructions

In the bowl of a food processor, place the blue cheese, butter, cream and garlic.

Cover and process until nearly smooth.

Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl or crock; fold in the pecans, green onions, and parsley. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For easier spreading, remove mixture from the refrigerator at least an hour before serving to soften. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: about 2-1/2 cups spread