Chocolate chip pecan cookies

I've always loved chocolate chip cookies with walnuts, but when I tried a chocolate chip-pecan cookie, I was smitten.

It was the day after Alice was born, and my friend Jean came to see us at the hospital, armed with gifts for little A and a bag of cookies. Dan and I couldn't stop snacking on them until they were gone. I can't remember the brand, but they were delicious, crunchy little devils.

The ones I make are not crunchy -- I have a feeling that attribute only comes with some kind of partially hydrogenated oil, though I can't be sure -- but they are still hard to stop munching. Mine are made with butter, and I try to make them at least a tiny bit healthy by using organic ingredients, whole wheat flour, and unrefined sugar.

Chocolate chip pecan cookies (makes about 3 dozen)

2 sticks salted butter (if you just have unsalted, add a little extra salt to the recipe), room temperature

3/4 cup sucanat or other unrefined, granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup whole wheat flour

1-1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4-1 cup chopped pecans

1.) Mix the butter with the sugars well, until they look pretty creamy. Beat in the eggs and the vanilla.

2.) In a separate bowl, combine the flours, salt, and baking soda, and mix well with a fork or whisk.

3.) Add that dry mixture to the other bowl, beating well.

4.) Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.

5.) Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Roll cookies into balls a little bigger in diameter than a quarter, and place on a grease cookie sheet.

6.) Flatten the cookies a little with the palm of your hand, and bake at 375 degrees for 11-12 minutes. (Make sure not to make them too big, or they will break in half when you eat them.) Cool before removing from cookie sheet.

Dark chocolate truffles

Who knew chocolate truffles could be so easy to make? Sadly, this photo is what happens when you wait too long to photograph your food, and most of it gets eaten...

My original plan was to make vegan truffles, and I found this easy and healthy recipe at one of my favorite food blogs, Enlightened Cooking. But wouldn't you know, I am a scatterbrain and was more focused on finding good quality chocolate for the truffles -- I opted for Ghirardelli's semi-sweet chips -- than on reading the ingredients to make sure the chocolate itself was vegan, too.

Well, good thing I'm not vegan! These truffles turned out delicious. I followed the recipe in the link above with my milk fattened chocolate chips being the only change. I was so impressed with how the cashews and water really turn into a cream when processed. (I wish I'd taken a picture of that, too! Next time...) They are the vegan substitute for heavy cream in this. And, while I love the taste of cashews, they blended right into the truffle, making it taste rich and nothing like nuts (except of course for the ones I rolled in toasted almonds).

Next time I make this, I'm going to find vegan chocolate chips and try different flavors in the truffles. What a great gift for someone!

Pecan-crusted chicken breasts

What can I say? I'm just nuts about nuts.

I've lately been on a roasted-and-salted nuts kick, but that's really the worst way to eat them. This chicken recipe will give you that nut fix without making you feel like you've nixed all their good properties by eating too many of them.

This is the second recipe I've made from The Wine and Food Lover's Diet, by Phillip Tirman. I previously posted an adapted version of his tasty and interesting tofu pockets with tahini sauce. Unlike that recipe, this one was a snap to prepare. And all you really need, equipment-wise, is a food processor or a chef's knife capable of finely chopping the nuts.

Pecan-crusted chicken breasts (serves 4)

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, totaling about 1-1/2 pounds

1/2 cup pecans

1 tablespoon heavy cream

3 tablespoons chickpea flour, soy flour, or a nut flour

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

coarse sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1.) While the oven preheats to 375 degrees, pulse the pecans in a food processor until finely ground. (You can also chop them finely with a sharp knife.)

2.) Add the heavy cream, flour, cayenne, cumin, and cinnamon. Stir or pulse briefly to mix. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3.) Lightly salt and pepper both sides of the chicken, and place the breasts in a small baking dish. Spread the pecan mixture over the top.

4.) Bake until golden-brown, and the chicken is cooked but still juicy, about 30 minutes.

Cinnamon-walnut granola

I have been thinking about granola since the holiday season began. It's something I've always wanted to make as a gift for family. But, I ran out of time in 2008, and I didn't make any treats to give away.

Next year, I'll be making this granola and Jean's delicious turtles. I have to pat myself on the back here: This is really good granola! I think it's probably because it's so fresh. Who knows how long the store-bought kind have been out of the oven?

The basic granola recipe for this came from this month's Bon Appetit magazine. You can substitute any chopped dried fruit and nuts that you like. I'm sure it will taste scrumptious. I turned the magazine's concoction into my favorite flavor, cinnamon-walnut with golden raisins and dried apple.

This is one of those things that I will no longer buy, now that I know how to make it. That's always nice -- and thrifty! Plus, you know exactly what's in it.

Cinnamon-walnut granola (makes 5-6 cups)

3 cups old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons oil, divided

2 egg whites from medium eggs

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup flaxseed meal

1/4 cup honey

salt

1 cup walnut bits and pieces

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup chopped dried apple

1.) Brush 1 tablespoon oil onto a rimmed baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350.

2.) In a large bowl, whisk egg whites, remaining oil, and sugar. Add oats, flaxseed, and salt, and toss well.

3.) Spread mixture onto baking sheet evenly. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir with metal spatula, then bake another 15 minutes.

4.) Sprinkle the dried fruit on top of granola, drizzle with honey, stir, and bake another 10 minutes.

5.) Stir again before scooping onto a cold surface -- a clean baking sheet will do -- to cool completely before storing in an air-tight container. It will keep for about a month.

Pear custard bars

These bars are so good, I just had to get the recipe from my sister-in-law Kristen so I could make this for my family during the holidays. Now my mom wants the recipe, too, because she loved this so much.

The macadamia nut crust is what makes these so delicious, but you can make the crust using pecans or almonds, too. Actually, the cream cheese custard filling and pears make it delicious, too -- like a cheese cake bar. I wonder what it would be like using peaches...

Pear custard bars (makes 16)

--- for the crust ---

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts

--- for the filling and topping ---

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 can (15-1/4 ounces) pear halves, drained

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1.) In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the flour and vanilla until combined.

2.) Stir in nuts.

3.) Press into a greased 8-inch-square baking pan. (I used a pan that was rectangular.)

4.) Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

5.) Increase heat to 375. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.

6.) Add sugar, egg and vanilla, and mix until combined. Pour over crust.

7.) Cut pears into 1/8 inch slices, and arrange in a single layer over filling.

8.) Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pears.

9.) Bake at 375 for 28-30 minutes. The center will be soft, but it will become firmer upon cooling.

10.) Cool on a wire rack for 45 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before cutting. Store in refrigerator.

Jean's turtles

God help us. Can it be?

Can it be that there's yet another delicious sweet in my life? And one that's easy to make, to boot?!

Yes.

My dear friend Jean makes scrumptious holiday treats for her family, and because my birthday falls so close to Christmas, I've happily been the recipient of many a sweet over the years. Last year, there were chocolate truffles. Yesterday, I received homemade turtles.

For this recipe, you'll need mini pretzels, Rolos, and pecan halves. So happy together.

Jean's turtles: verbatim from an e-mail:

"The turtles are easy. Buy those little candy papers and fill a cookie tray with them. First put a pretzel in and then a rolo. Put in the oven at 325 or so for just a few minutes, until they are soft. Then squish a pecan on top.

"I've compared buying bags of Rolos versus the smaller packages by the register. When they are on sale, the smaller packages are a better deal and they are not individually wrapped in foil, so they are a much less pain in the ass."

I love my friend Jean.

Wild rice & hickory nut salad

I didn't know quite what to do with the hickory nuts that fell in our yard, but our friendly neighbor had mentioned they were very tasty.

I found this Web site devoted to the little nuggets -- which taste like a cross between walnuts and pecans, with a strong hint of maple, I think -- and decided on the following recipe. (I adapted it to my needs.)

Shelling the hickory nuts was the most difficult part of this; they are small and really tucked into their shells, so you'll have to use a nutcracker and pick to get them out. I started with about one-third more nuts than I needed, which was a good thing because about that many were old and shriveled inside! My photos show the nuts I started out with, unshelled, and then the good nuts that remained after shelling.

At first bite, this salad tasted a little strange to me. By the third bite, I thought it was delicious. I know that might sound weird, but some dishes are just like that, aren't they? I happen to love the nutty flavor of brown and wild rice, so that helps. Hopefully, you are a fan of those, too, and will try this interesting side dish out for yourself.

I'm now a big hickory-nut nut! I will be trying out some more dishes with them next year, for sure.

Wild rice & hickory nut salad (makes about 8 servings)

1/2 cup uncooked short-grain brown rice

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice

enough water to cook rice

3/4 cup shelled and chopped hickory nuts

4 green onions, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more if necessary (that's really up to you)

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 apple, diced (just use your favorite kind)

optional: a handful of golden raisins and/or a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon (I will try one of these next time)

1.) Cook rice with water in pot or rice cooker, and let cool completely.

2.) Combine rice with other ingredients in large bowl and toss well to coat evenly with dressing.

Dan's Indian pilaf

Sometimes it's so great to have a few days off from cooking -- especially when you're lucky enough to have a husband who knows his way around a kitchen!

As I said in my last post, I had to take a few days off from cooking and doing dishes because of a finger injury. It's just a small cut, but in a place that makes it really painful and impossible to keep away from water while working in the kitchen. So for the past few days, I've been enjoying some down time -- as much as I can get with a 1-year-old -- and Dan has taken over kitchen duties.

Last night, he threw together a delicious rice pilaf for our quick Indian meal (I sang the praises of that fast Indian food in this post about my favorite things). Sorry the photo is so dark!

Dan's Indian pilaf (makes 4 servings)

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice (we had short grain; basmati would be ideal)

1/2 cup uncooked wild rice blend

enough water to cook rice in pot or rice cooker

5 cardamom pods

pinch of saffron

1 teaspoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons sliced almonds, toasted and crushed

1 bay leaf

Combine all ingredients in rice cooker or large pot, stir to mix, and add water. Cook until done, and remove cardamom pods before serving.

Spiced spinach

It's hard for me to find new and interesting things to do with spinach, or with any greens, for that matter. I don't care for raw spinach in salads very much -- except for in the wild beet spinach salad at Lennie's. It's fantastic!

But I've started sauteeing spinach and other greens with various ingredients, and that's opened a world of possibilities.

My favorite spinach recipe has been mentioned before on this blog -- it's a Turkish spinach recipe from Dr. Zorba's Web site. It's got a little tomato paste and some rice with it, and I like to make a big portion to eat as a main dish. I use quite a bit less salt and oil than the recipe demands, though, and I use brown rice, which takes a little longer to cook.

Well here's another way to use spinach, and it calls for less dicing and less time than the Turkish spinach. It's also versatile; you can change the ingredients to suit your tastes. If you don't like spinach, just substitute your favorite greens. (They may require a little more cooking time, though.)

Spiced spinach (makes 1 main dish, or about 3 sides)

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 shallots, chopped (you can substitute onion)

1 bunch of fresh spinach, or 10 ounces of any of your favorite greens, stems removed

1/8 cup golden raisins (or chopped sun-dried tomatoes or dried apricots)

1 tablespoon sliced almonds (or any nut you prefer)

1/2 teaspoon ground curry (or cumin, rubbed thyme, rubbed sage, etc.)

optional: 1/8 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

optional: handful of chickpeas

splash of sherry vinegar

salt and pepper, to taste

1.) Heat oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and shallots and cook over medium heat, until golden brown. (If adding ginger, cook it here.)

2.) Add the spinach, stir, and cook, covered, for 5-6 minutes.

3.) Uncover, and stir in raisins, almonds, and spice or herb. Splash with vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and stir.

Q: How do you make a cream puff?

A: Chase it around the block. (from the Scholastic's "ROFL" book)

A healthy breakfast: Barley cereal with fruit

It sure didn't sound too exciting to me, either, but it wasn't bad. I like warm cereals, and this one reminded me quite a bit of brown rice. Needless to say, the toppings were key, and next time, I'll use fresh apple, cinnamon, and walnuts. I'll never tire of that combo.

I had never bought or cooked barley before, though I've enjoyed it when I've had it in soups. I thought I'd try it as a breakfast cereal because I get bored with my usual whole-grain options -- flaky cereal, oatmeal, 11-grain, etc.

Barley cereal with fruit (makes 1 large serving)

1/2 cup barley

about 1.5 cups water

1/4 cup blueberries (fresh is best, for sure, but I only had frozen) OR 1/2 banana, sliced, 3-4 sliced strawberries, or 1/4 apple, chopped

1/2 cup yogurt

drizzle of honey -- by the way, I love Hunter's Honey from Martinsville

optional: dash of cinnamon with the apple

sprinkle of toasted almonds, walnuts, or pecans, chopped

1.) Boil the barley, covered, with the water, until the water is soaked up. (This took me about a half-hour, I think.) It will cook like rice.

2.) Put the grains in a bowl, and top with fruit, nuts, yogurt, and honey. Brown sugar would taste good, too.

The ultimate pecan pie

The name says it all.

My friend Lissa makes a pecan pie that does give this one a run for its money -- I'll see if she'll let me post the recipe here; it's a family recipe -- but this tried-and-true calorie bomb is fit for a king. Alas, it was the dessert for my dad's 66th birthday last week.

I can't remember where this recipe came from. But, instead of tossing all ingredients together, as is customary with pecan pie, this one requires a little more work with the nuts. It's worth it, I promise. The crust I use also has no partially hydrogenated oils.

Ultimate pecan pie (makes 8 servings)

1 cup toasted pecans -- toss them with 1 tablespoon butter, melted, and roast them at 325 degrees for 12 minutes on a cookie sheet

1 cup quartered pecans

1/2 cup finely crushed pecans -- use a mortar and pestle or a food processor

3 eggs, beaten with a fork

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 cup brown sugar

pinch of salt

prepared pie crust -- I love the frozen Wick's kind, so I no longer make my own (it was never very good!) -- make sure to follow the directions on the crust

1.) Combine the eggs, corn syrup, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in the quartered pecans.

2.) Spread the crushed pecans on the bottom of the pie crust. Pour the filling on top. Spread the toasted pecans on top of that.

3.) Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack.

Kara's Asian slaw

We had a cookout on Sunday and provided hamburgers, hot dogs, and veggie versions of both those. Our friends brought the sides and the sweets, and it was quite decadent: There was bean salad, red cabbage salad, dill coleslaw (modeled after Anatolia's tasty version), BBQ chicken, Italian sausage, panzanella (bread salad), jalapeno cornbread with butter, pasta salad, habanero salsa, Southwest potato salad, watermelon, vegan sloppy joes, baguette with pesto, rosemary-olive bread, cherry cobbler, chocolate cake, brownies, cookies, a variety of chips, and plenty of other goodies I'm probably forgetting.

If I had made something for a side, I would have made my sister-in-law Kara's Asian slaw. It's a simple recipe she came up with some years ago, and the "secret" ingredient is a Trader Joe's sesame soy ginger vinaigrette (but any such vinaigrette will do). Now, there's a running joke in the family that Kara always "accidentally" leaves out an important ingredient when passing along her recipes because they never turn out quite like her versions, but fear not! Having made this slaw quite a few times now, I feel secure in saying that she gave me the real deal.

If you haven't tried the TJ dressing, it's really yummy -- and at a bargain price, of course.

Also, if you are avoiding peanuts, this slaw works really well with sunflower butter (my favorite is Sunbutter Natural Crunch) and sunflower seeds in place of the peanut butter and peanuts.



Kara's Asian slaw

2 tablespoons crushed peanuts

1 package pre-cut slaw

3/4 cup sesame soy ginger vinaigrette

1 tablespoon peanut butter

a few shakes of soy sauce

a drizzle of sesame oil



Whisk together the vinaigrette, peanut butter, and soy sauce. Toss with the slaw, sprinkle the peanuts on top, and drizzle with sesame oil.

Bonus weekend recipe: Spiced mixed nuts

Your weekend bonus: Here's a super easy recipe that's equally great for a party or just for a healthy snack.

Spiced mixed nuts

1-1/2 cups raw nuts of your choosing

3 tablespoons olive oil

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

salt and black pepper

Mix ingredients together, spread on a cooking sheet, and roast for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Cool completely before serving.

The question of the day: What's a junk food you love? Unfortunately for my waistline, I'm a donut fan. Who isn't, though?

Next week, I'll be tackling a Spanish tortilla.