About Texas Nut Shellers


Peach-and-Toasted-Pecan-Ice-Cream
Our readers rave about this salty-sweet ice cream recipe. Serve in a dish or on waffle cones, as shown.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/8 teaspoon table salt
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste*
  • 1 cup peeled and coarsely chopped peaches
  • 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

  1. Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a large heavy saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk and whipping cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat.
  2. Whisk egg yolk until slightly thickened. Gradually whisk about 1 cup hot cream mixture into yolk. Add yolk mixture to remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in vanilla bean paste. Cool 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
  3. Meanwhile, cook peaches and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Coarsely mash, and let cool 30 minutes. Stir peach mixture into cooled cream mixture.
  4. Place plastic wrap directly on cream mixture, and chill 8 to 24 hours.
  5. Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; add pecans, and cook, stirring constantly, 8 to 9 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Remove from heat, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Cool completely (about 30 minutes).
  6. Pour chilled cream mixture into freezer container of a 1 1/2-quart electric ice-cream maker, and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. (Instructions and time may vary.) Before transferring ice cream to an airtight container for further freezing, stir in pecan mixture.

*Vanilla extract may be substituted.


Basil-Pecan-Sandies

Ingredients

  • 5 fresh cinnamon basil leaves*
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup butter or margarine
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation

  1. Process basil and sugar in a blender or food processor until basil is minced.
  2. Melt butter in a large saucepan; add basil mixture, flour, salt, and cinnamon.
  3. Stir in chopped pecans and vanilla; remove from heat.
  4. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls onto ungreased baking sheets; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness with bottom of a large glass.
  5. Bake cookies at 300° for 40 minutes or until golden. Remove to wire racks to cool.

*Regular basil may be substituted; increase ground cinnamon to 1 teaspoon.


Bayou-Fish-Fillets-With-Sweet-Hot-Pecan-Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 (6-ounce) package cornbread mix
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 6 (6-ounce) cod or tilapia fillets
  • Canola oil
  • Sweet-Hot Pecan Sauce

Preparation

  1. Stir together cornbread mix and Creole seasoning until blended.
  2. Sprinkle salt and pepper over fillets. Dredge fillets in cornbread mixture.
  3. Pour oil to depth of 4 inches into a large Dutch oven; heat to 375°. Fry fillets, in batches, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. Serve with Sweet-Hot Pecan Sauce.

Note

For testing purposes only, we used Martha White Buttermilk Cornbread Mix.

Sweet-Hot Pecan Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup pecan pieces, chopped
  • 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce

Preparation

  1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 minutes or until tender.
  2. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute.
  3. Stir in pecans and next 4 ingredients. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Chicken-Horseradish-Salad
When fresh tarragon isn’t available, substitute 1 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed tarragon.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 1/2 small sweet onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cups seedless red grapes, cut in half (optional)
  • Garnish: halved lemon slices

Preparation

  1. Arrange pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet.
  2. Bake at 350° for 5 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted. Cool pecans on a wire rack 15 minutes or until completely cool.
  3. Whisk together mayonnaise and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir in pecans, chicken, celery, and onion just until blended. Stir in grape halves, if desired. Garnish, if desired.

Chocolate-Pecan-Cobbler

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • 1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
  • 1 cup self-rising flour
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, plus 4 tablespoons
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup toffee bits
  • 1 1/2 cups boiling water
  • Caramel Whipped Cream
  • Ice cream and chopped pecans, for serving

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Put the butter in an 8-inch-by-8-inch baking dish and put the dish in the oven until butter is melted, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl combine 3/4 cup of the sugar, the flour, and 2 tablespoons cocoa.
  4. Add the milk and vanilla, whisking until smooth. Pour over the melted butter in the baking dish.
  5. In a separate medium bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup of sugar, remaining 4 tablespoons of cocoa, the pecans, and toffee bits; sprinkle evenly over the sugar mixture.
  6. Slowly pour boiling water over top of the cobbler.
  7. Bake until top of the cobbler looks set, about 40 to 50 minutes.
  8. Serve warm with Caramel Whipped Cream, ice cream and pecans, if desired.

Caramel Whipped Cream

Ingredients

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons caramel syrup

Preparation

  1. Combine the cream and sugar in a medium bowl and beat with a whisk or beater until soft peaks form.
  2. Add the caramel syrup, and lightly fold together.

Servings: 8