About Texas Nut Shellers

Pecan Crescents

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Pecan-Crescents
Sift the powdered sugar for these cookies after measuring, but sift the flour before measuring.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pecan halves, toasted
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • Powdered sugar

Preparation

  1. Pulse pecans in a food processor until they are coarse like sand.
    Beat butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Stir in vanilla and ground pecans. Gradually add flour, beating until a soft dough forms. Beat at low speed just until combined. Cover and chill 1 hour.
    Divide dough into 5 portions; divide each portion into 12 pieces. Roll dough pieces into 2-inch logs, curving ends to form crescents. Place on ungreased baking sheets.
  2. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes. Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Cool completely on wire racks.

Crispy Praline Cookies

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Crispy-Praline-Cookies
Let the butter sit at room temperature for several hours, or soften it in the microwave at HIGH for 10 to 20 seconds (do not melt).

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Stir together all ingredients in a large bowl, blending well.
  2. Drop cookie dough by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
  3. Bake at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute; remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Crispy Praline-Chocolate Chip Cookies: Add 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels; bake as directed.

Ham, Pecan, and Blue Cheese Pasta Salad

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Ham-Pecan-and-Blue-Cheese-Pasta-Salad

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces fully cooked ham, cut into thin bite-size strips
  • 1 cup broken pecans, toasted
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (2 to 3 ounces)
  • 1/3 cup snipped parsley
  • 1/4 cup olive oil or salad oil
  • 2 tablespoons snipped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
  • 8 ounces packaged dried bow ties (3 1/2 cups)
  • Lettuce leaves (optional)

Preparation

  1. In a very large mixing bowl combine ham, pecans, blue cheese, parsley, oil, rosemary, garlic, and pepper. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta; rinse with cold water. Drain again.
  3. Add pasta to the ham mixture; toss to mix.
  4. If desired, line individual salad plates with lettuce. Divide the pasta mixture among the lettuce-lined plates.

Makes 5 main-dish servings.

Brown Sugar-Pecan Scones

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Brown-Sugar-Pecan-Scones

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 cup whipping cream, divided
  • 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
  • Wax paper

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 450°. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly and mixture resembles small peas. Freeze 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. cream and pecans, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
  2. Turn dough out onto wax paper; gently press or pat dough into a 7-inch round (mixture will be crumbly). Cut round into 8 wedges. Place wedges 2 inches apart on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush tops of wedges with remaining 2 Tbsp. cream just until moistened.
  3. Bake at 450° for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden.

Pecan-Beet Salad

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Pecan-Beet-Salad
Beautiful golden beets are the star of this salad recipe. Pecan halves and a sprinkling of Gorgonzola take supporting roles for a tasty flavor combination.

Ingredients

  • 6 medium-size golden beets (about 6 oz. each)
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 5-ounce package gourmet mixed salad greens, thoroughly washed
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Trim beet stems to 1 inch; gently wash beets. Wrap individually in aluminum foil, and place on a jelly-roll pan.
  2. Bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool, wrapped in foil, 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, decrease oven temperature to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a jelly-roll pan 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant. Cool completely on wire rack (about 15 minutes).
  4. Whisk together vinegar and next 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Add oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly until smooth.
  5. Peel beets, and remove stem ends. Cut beets into 1/2-inch wedges; gently toss with 1/3 cup vinegar mixture.
  6. Arrange greens on a serving platter. Top with beet mixture, Gorgonzola cheese, and pecans; serve with remaining vinaigrette.

Pecan Fudge Pie With Raspberry Sauce

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Pecan-Fudge-Pie-With-Raspberry-Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 (1-ounce) unsweetened chocolate squares
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
  • Raspberry Sauce
  • Toppings: powdered sugar, fresh raspberries

Preparation

  1. Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate squares in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat.
  2. Beat eggs at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes. Gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar, beating until blended. Gradually add chocolate mixture, flour, vanilla, and salt, beating until blended. Stir in 2/3 cup chopped pecans.
  3. Pour mixture into a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate.
  4. Bake at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until center is firm. Serve pie warm with Raspberry Sauce and desired toppings.

Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons sugar
1 (16-ounce) package frozen raspberries (do not thaw)

Preparation

Cook syrup and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Add raspberries, and cook, stirring constantly, 10 minutes or until thickened. Pour mixture through fine wire-mesh strainer; press with back of a spoon against sides of strainer to squeeze out sauce, discarding solids.