Roasted Pecan Salmon

Not only is salmon tasty, it’s loaded with heart-healthy omega-3s,mow hitch ease arthritis and depression symptoms. To get the most. Nutrition, look for wild salmon, not farmed, when you go to the store.

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon filets, 4-6 ounces each
  • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 2 Tablespoons seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped pecans
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • wedges fresh lemon
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

  1. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Place skin side down on baking sheet.
  2. Combine mustard and honey, brush on top of salmon.
  3. Mix topping of breadcrumbs, nuts, and parsley and sprinkle over salmon.
  4. Bake at 400°F 10-15 minutes or until flaky.
  5. Serve with wedges of fresh lemon.

Grilled-Fillets-with-Pecans-and-Green-Bean-Ravioli

Ingredients

  • 4 4-ounce beef tenderloin fillets
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 20-ounce package refrigerated cheese-filled ravioli
  • 1 8-ounce package fresh small green beans
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
  • 1/2 cup (2 ounce) shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation

  1. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Grill, covered with grill lid, 5 to 8 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 155°. Let stand 10 minutes.
  2. Cook ravioli and green beans in boiling water to cover in a Dutch oven 4 to 5 minutes or until green beans are crisp-tender. Drain.
  3. Heat pecans in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes or until toasted and fragrant. Remove from skillet; wipe skillet clean. Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until garlic is caramel-colored and butter begins to brown. Remove from heat, and stir in sage, hot pasta mixture, and pecans. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately with fillets.

Quick-and-Easy-Ways-with-Pecans
Pecans are a wonderful fall ingredient, whether in a tasty pecan pie or in a sweet praline. But we have created new recipes to use pecans for all courses from appetizers all the way to dessert.

Easy Pecan Recipes

Pecan-Cheese Crisps

Preheat oven to 400°. Stir together 1 1⁄2 cups (6 oz.) freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and 3⁄4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans in a small bowl. Spoon cheese mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, forming mounds. Flatten each into a 2-inch round, creating an even thickness. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool 15 minutes or until crisp. Store between layers of wax paper in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

Preheat oven to 375°. Stir together 1 (14-oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped; 1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained; 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened; 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese; 1 cup chopped toasted pecans; 1⁄2 cup each sour cream and mayonnaise; 2 garlic cloves, pressed; and 1⁄2 tsp. ground red pepper in a medium bowl. Spoon spinach mixture into a shallow 1 1⁄2-qt. baking dish; top with an additional 1⁄2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Serve with pita chips.

Honey-Pecan Butterscotch Sauce

Bring 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar, 1⁄2 cup butter, 1⁄4 cup milk, and 1⁄4 cup honey to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; boil, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool 30 minutes. Stir in 3⁄4 cup coarsely chopped toasted pecans. Serve over hot apple pie topped with vanilla ice cream.

Jalapeño-Pecan Mustard Butter

Stir together 1 cup softened butter; 1⁄3 cup finely chopped toasted pecans; 2 Tbsp. minced red onion; 3 Tbsp. Creole mustard; 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced; and 1 garlic clove, pressed, in a small bowl. Spread on hot biscuits filled with ham or on a grilled flank steak sandwich, toss with oven-roasted new potatoes, or stir into hot cooked stone-ground grits. Store, covered, in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Pecan Quesadilla

Sprinkle 1 side of 1 (8-inch) soft taco-size flour tortilla with 1⁄3 cup (1 1⁄2 oz.) shredded Havarti cheese and 2 Tbsp. chopped toasted pecans. Fold in half over filling. Cook quesadilla in a lightly greased skillet over medium-high heat 2 minutes on each side or until cheese melts and tortilla is golden brown. Cut into wedges, and serve with pear preserves.

Pecan-Chutney Cheese Spread

Process 2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened; 1 (9-oz.) jar mango chutney; 1 Tbsp. curry powder; and 1⁄2 tsp. dry mustard in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Stir in 1⁄4 cup minced green onions and 1 cup each finely chopped toasted pecans and toasted sweetened flaked coconut. Transfer to a large bowl; cover and chill 24 hours. Shape cheese mixture into 2 (6-inch) logs. Stir together 1 cup chopped toasted pecans and 1⁄2 cup chopped fresh parsley in a shallow dish; roll logs in pecan mixture. Serve with gingersnaps, sliced Gala apples and Bartlett pears, and assorted crackers.

Pecan-Crusted Tilapia

Process 1⁄2 cup pecan halves in a food processor until finely chopped. Sprinkle 4 (6-oz.) tilapia fillets with 1 1⁄2 tsp. seasoned salt and 1⁄2 tsp. freshly ground pepper. Dredge fish in finely chopped pecans. Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add fish, and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until well browned and fish flakes with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges.

Pecan Clusters

Preheat oven to 300°. Toss 3 cups coarsely chopped pecans with 3 Tbsp. melted butter; spread in a 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Microwave 6 (2-oz.) chocolate candy coating squares in a 1-qt. microwave-safe glass bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 2 to 3 minutes or until melted. Stir in pecans and 1 1⁄2 cups chopped chocolate-coated caramels. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper; let stand 30 minutes or until chocolate hardens. Note: We tested with Rolo Chewy Caramels in Milk Chocolate.

Bacon-Wrapped Figs

Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together 1 (4-oz.) goat cheese log, softened, and 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil. Cut 6 large fresh figs in half lengthwise. Place 1 heaping teaspoonful goat cheese mixture and 1 toasted pecan half on cut side of each fig half. Wrap 1 ready-to-serve bacon slice around each fig half, and secure with a wooden pick. Place figs on a wire rack in a 15- x 10-inch jelly-roll pan, and bake 6 to 8 minutes or until bacon is crisp and browned. Note: We tested with Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Bacon.


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.


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.