About Texas Nut Shellers

Pumpkin-Pecan Cheesecake

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Pumpkin-Pecan-Cheesecake
Combine your favorite Thanksgiving desserts into one delicious cheesecake! A sweet Praline Topping sends this dessert over the edge.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Praline Topping
  • Garnishes: coarsely chopped Pecan Pie-Glazed Pecans, fresh sage leaves

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 325°. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a bowl until well blended. Press mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
  2. Beat cream cheese and next 2 ingredients at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended and smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, beating until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust. (Pan will be very full.)
  3. Bake at 325° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.
  4. Remove sides and bottom of pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving plate. Prepare Praline Topping; immediately pour slowly over top of cheesecake, spreading to within 1/4 inch of edge. Garnish, if desired.

Try This Twist!

Sweet Potato-Pecan Cheesecake: Substitute 1 1/2 cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes for canned pumpkin. Proceed with recipe as directed, baking 1 hour or until almost set.

Broccoli Slaw with Candied Pecans

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Broccoli-Slaw-with-Candied-Pecans
Everyone is sure to love this broccoli slaw with sweet candied pecans at your next cook out.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh broccoli
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 1/2 small head napa cabbage (about 1 pound), thinly sliced*
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • 1 (3.5-oz.) package roasted glazed pecan pieces

Preparation

  1. Cut broccoli florets from stems; separate florets into small pieces using a paring knife. Peel away tough outer layer of stems; finely chop stems.
  2. Whisk together mayonnaise and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl; add cabbage, raisins, and broccoli, and stir to coat. Cover and chill 1 hour. Stir in pecans just before serving.

*1 (16-oz.) package coleslaw mix may be substituted.

Chocolate-Pecan Caramel Apples

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Chocolate-Pecan-Caramel-Apples
White and semi-sweet chocolate combine to give these caramel apples a unique flavor, while pecans add a satisfying crunch.

Ingredients

  • 1 11-ounce package KRAFT Caramels
  • 5 apples, washed, well dried
  • 2 ounces White Chocolate
  • 1 ounce BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Preparation

  1. Melt caramels as directed on package.
  2. Coat apples with caramel as directed on package. Do not refrigerate.
  3. Melt white chocolate with semi-sweet chocolate as directed on package; mix well. Drizzle over apples. Press nuts into chocolate.
  4. Refrigerate 1 hour or until caramel is firm.

Caramel Bug Candies

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Caramel-Bug-Candies

Ingredients

  • 24 thin chocolate wafer cookies
  • 1 1/4 cups pecan pieces
  • 1 bag (14 oz) caramels, unwrapped
  • 2 tablespoons whipping cream
  • 48 pecan halves (1 1/4 cups)
  • 24 strands rice stick noodles

Preparation

  1. Line 2 large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. Place 12 wafer cookies on each cookie sheet. Arrange 6 pecan pieces around each cookie to make 3 legs per side.
  2. In medium microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and whipping cream uncovered on High 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Spoon melted caramel over cookies and pecan pieces to form oval shapes.
  3. Place 2 pecan halves on center of each caramel-coated cookie for wings.
  4. Break rice stick noodles into 1 1/2-inch pieces; press into head end of each candy to form antennae. Let stand until set, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Poisoned Pecan Squares

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Poisoned-Pecan-Squares
…just kidding, my little pretty!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 3 tablespoons whipping cream
  • 3 1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

Preparation

  1. Sift together flour and powdered sugar. Cut in 3/4 cup softened butter using a pastry blender or fork just until mixture resembles coarse crumbs meal. Pat mixture on bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a lightly greased 13-inch by 9-inch baking pan.
  2. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden. Cool. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring brown sugar, honey, 2/3 cup butter, and whipping cream to a boil. Stir in pecans and pour into prepared crust.
  3. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Cut into 2-inch squares.

Makes about 28 squares.

Pastry Garnish

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Pecan-Pie-Cake

This recipe goes with Pecan Pie Cake.

Ingredients

  • 1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 24 pecan halves

Preparation

  1. Unfold pie crusts, and press out fold lines. Cut 8 to 10 leaves from each pie crust with a 3-inch leaf-shaped cutter, and mark leaf veins using tip of a knife. Reserve pastry trimmings. Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water, and brush on pastry leaves.
  2. Crumple 10 to 12 small aluminum foil pieces into 1/2-inch balls. Coat with vegetable cooking spray, and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Drape a pastry leaf over each ball; place remaining pastry leaves on baking sheet.
  3. Bake at 425° for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Gently remove foil from leaves.