Salted Caramel Strawberries
A quick dip in luscious caramel and a salty roll in finely chopped nuts turns fresh strawberries into a gourmet treat. Top picks: A ripe berry will have a shiny, deep red color from the tip of the berry to beneath the green cap. Check the carton from top to bottom for any damaged or moldy fruit—they’ll cause the others to deteriorate quickly.

Ingredients

  • 20 large fresh strawberries
  • 40 caramels
  • 3 tablespoons whipping cream
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans
  • Wax paper

Preparation

  1. Pat strawberries completely dry with paper towels.
  2. Microwave caramels, 3 Tbsp. whipping cream, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a 1-qt. microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 3 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring at 1-minute intervals.
  3. Dip each strawberry halfway into caramel mixture. Roll in nuts, and place on lightly greased wax paper. Let stand 15 minutes.
  4. Serve immediately, or cover and chill up to 8 hours.

Note

For testing purposes only, we used Kraft Caramels


Baked Cocoa Nuts

What’s better than a big bowl of sweet chocolaty nuts? Ok, I admit it … lots of things, but … that doesn’t mean that this tasty assorted nuts mix is bad. They’re awesome!

These are perfect for any social gathering. Just lie them out there for people to eat! I’m a big fan of “the twist” and tend to throw a slightly outlandish ingredient into things. I like to surprise! If you want to keep these nuts more traditional, simply omit the cayenne and you’ll have a sweet tasty bowl of nuts!

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup Swerve or other sugar equivalent
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup whole almonds
  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 1 cup walnut halves

Preparation

  1. Pre-heat oven to 225 F.
  2. Grease a baking tray with a small amount of butter.
  3. Whisk your egg white, until frothy.
  4. Combine your dry ingredients and mix them, well.
  5. Add the nuts, whipped egg whites and dried ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss until very well coated.
  6. Evenly layer the nuts on the tray. Evenly distribute them, so they roast and toast evenly.
  7. Roast for 90 minutes.
  8. Remove from oven and allow to cool, completely.
  9. Break apart and serve!

Our Favorite Pimiento Cheese

This top-rated pimiento cheese is great to serve as a dip for to use for a sandwich filling.  Stirring in chopped pecans adds great flavor and texture. You can make  this crowd-pleasing cheese spread in minutes–but every step counts, so no fudging!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise, such as Hellman’s or Duke’s
  • 1 (4-oz.) jar diced pimiento, drained
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon finely grated onion
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1 (8-oz.) block extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1 (8-oz.) block sharp Cheddar cheese
  • Celery sticks and assorted crackers

Preparation

  1. Make the mayo mixture. In a large bowl, stir together mayonnaise, diced pimiento, Worcestershire sauce, grated onion, and ground red pepper until blended.
  2. Toast the pecans. Toasting brings out the rich flavor of the nuts. Preheat your oven to 350°. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 8 to 10 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through. (Stirring helps to ensure even browning.)
  3. Shred the cheese. Trust us–texture matters. Using the small side of a box grater, finely shred extra-sharp Cheddar cheese. Then use the large side of the grater to coarsely shred sharp Cheddar cheese. Fresh cheese makes a difference.
  4. Stir and enjoy. Add pecans and shredded cheeses to mayo mixture, stirring until blended. You can store it in the refrigerator up to 1 week. Serve with celery sticks and assorted crackers, or make a grilled pimiento cheese sandwich in a skillet or panini press.

Pecan-Cheese-Crisps

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
  • Parchment paper

Preparation

  1. Preheat oven to 400°.
  2. Stir together Parmesan cheese and pecans in a small bowl.
  3. Spoon cheese mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets, forming mounds.
  4. Flatten each into a 2-inch round, creating an even thickness.
  5. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
  6. 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.

Chicken Pecan Wraps
Pecans add a touch of crunch to the warm chicken mixture in these speedy soft-shell tacos. Kick up the heat a notch or two by using medium or hot salsa.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 3 tablespoons sour cream
  • 4 flour tortillas (10 inches), warmed
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup salsa
  • Shredded lettuce, optional

PREPARATION

  1. In a large skillet, cook chicken, onion and cumin over medium heat in butter until chicken juices run clear.
  2. Reduce heat to low. Add pecans and sour cream; cook and stir until heated through.
  3. Spoon about 1/2 cupful down the center of each tortilla; layer with cheese, salsa and lettuce if desired.
  4. Roll up.

Yield: 4 servings.

 


Chocolate-Dipped StrawberriesMelt chocolate in your microwave, give strawberries a quick dip, and then add a Southern touch by rolling them in chopped pecans.

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts fresh strawberries
  • 2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream

Preparation

  1. Rinse strawberries, and pat completely dry with paper towels (chocolate will not stick to wet strawberries). Set aside.
  2. Microwave chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a 1-quart microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 3 1/2 minutes. Stir until smooth.
  3. Grasp strawberries by the stem, and dip into melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip. Place on wax paper, and let stand until chocolate hardens.