Holiday Pecan Snack

There are all kinds of pecan snacks that we make during the holiday season: from my grandmother's special recipe of sandwiching a small ball of a butter, sugar and cream cheese mixture between two pecan halves to my other grandmother's recipe of toasting pecans in butter, salt and both onion and garlic powder and all other recipes in between. However, I found something new a few years ago that I love more than other mixtures even though they are beloved childhood snacks. This one is salty and sweet at the same time while combining fruit. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have! Happy Holidays!

2 lbs Pecan halves
1 stick Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar
1 bag Dried Cranberries
1/2 container Orange Zest or 1/2 cup fresh
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Salt

Melt butter in microwave. Line a large cookie sheet with waxed paper. Place pecans, cranberries, orange zest, brown sugar, salt and pepper in large mixing bowl. Pour in melted butter and stir until mixed well. Taste to check seasonings adding more if necessary. Stir again. Pour mixture out onto lined cookie sheet and spread out so that pecans are all in a single layer. Use another cookie sheet if necessary. Bake at 350 until slightly toasted, about 15 minutes. Peel off cookie sheet and break everything apart. Store in a zip-lock bag.

Shrimp and Spinach Salad or Dip

It was my first summer in Phoenix, Arizona and it was sweltering. I was looking for recipes that I could make in the microwave instead using the stove or oven thus heating up the house and I also wanted something cool to eat. Someone brought a Vegetable Dip to work, made from the Knorr Vegetable Soup mix. I absolutely loved it, but OMG was it ever fattening! I kept wondering, how can I modify this recipe to make it less fattening, more healthy but just as enjoyable? After some thought, I decided to cut back on the amount of sour cream and mayonnaise, increase the spinach and add seasoned, steamed shrimp. It turned out to be a winner!!!

3-10 oz boxes chopped spinach, steamed and squeezed dry
1- 8 oz container sour cream
¾ cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
1 package Knorr vegetable soup mix
3 green onions, chopped
1 lb shrimp, peeled
3 tbl Zatarain’s liquid Shrimp/Crab Boil
2 tbl salt
Tony’s
New York Style Garlic Bagel Chips or Roasted Garlic Panetini Toast

In a large bowl, combine sour cream, mayo, Knorr Vegetable soup mix and green onions; set aside. Steam spinach in microwave until cooked. I open the boxes, sprinkle some water in each and steam the spinach in the box until done then squeeze the excess water out and allow to cool.

Peel shrimp, place in microwaveable bowl, cover with water, add seafood boil, salt and Tony’s to taste, cover and cook in microwave until done (in increments of 6 min, stirring in between). When cooked, drain and allow to cool.

Combine the shrimp and the cooked/drained spinach with the mayo/sour cream mixture and stir well to fully incorporate all. Refrigerate overnight (doing this allows the flavors to bloom). The next day, check seasonings and add salt and Tony's if necessary. Serve on New York Style Garlic Bagel Chips or Roasted Garlic Panetini Toast. I serve this as a lunch item with fruit or as a dip. Wonderful!!!

Apple Bread

I love apple bread any time of the year! More importantly, I love the warmth it brings to my home and that wonderful apple cinnamon aroma that lingers for a day after! Through the years, I've tried several recipes until I finally found this one and it's the best I've ever had! This recipe is very moist, wonderfully soft and best enjoyed with a cup of hot tea in the winter or sweet iced tea in the summer.

8 Tbsp butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 apples (Any apple will do, I prefer JonaGold)
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4-6 oz chopped pecans (optional)

Peel and core the apples. Dice into small cubes, set aside. Mix softened butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add eggs and milk, mix well. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt to the butter and sugar mixture and blending well. Mix in the apples. Lightly mix in the optional pecans. Carefully pour mixture evenly into 2 greased and floured loaf pans and bake at 350 F for one hour. Remove from oven and let rest in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool.

***If your oven runs hot, it's been cooking less than an hour and the bread looks ready, reduce the heat to 300 F or lower and continue cooking for an entire hour or your bread will be raw in the center.

Gourmet Chicken Salad with Snow Peas and Water Chestnuts

Southern Belles love their Chicken Salad and it is a summer staple in kitchens throughout the South. While there are many variations, I developed one myself that is a hit in my own home as well as at parties and luncheons! Snow Peas and Water Chestnuts give this chicken salad an Asian flair while the garlic and Tony's lend a delicious Cajun flavor. Lots of garlic is key in this recipe...you can't go wrong with this version! Serve it with sweet iced tea, a Chardonnay, freshly baked croissants and fresh cut fruit.

2 pkgs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lg onion, ¼ chopped fine
3 lg stalks of celery, 1 stalk chopped fine
4 cloves garlic minced
4 green onions chopped
1 lb snow peas
2 cans sliced water chestnuts
1/3 cup White wine
Mayonnaise
Reserved chicken broth
Tony’s

Place chicken breasts in large pot. Cover with water (1” over top of breasts). Cut length of 2 celery stalks in half and ¾ of onion and add to pot. Season water with Tony’s & garlic powder (or salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic powder). Cover and cook until breasts are just done and firm but not falling apart. Remove breasts, reserve broth and allow both to cool.

While chicken is cooking, add about 1 cup mayo, white wine, garlic, green onion and remaining chopped onion and celery to a large mixing bowl. Season liberally with Tony’s and stir well. Add water chestnuts and snow peas, stir well to coat and allow to sit while chicken cooks and both chicken and broth cool.

When chicken is cool, cut it into large bite size chunks and place in the bowl with the seasoned vegetable/mayo mixture. Add about 1/2 cup of broth, more mayo as needed and stir, doing so until you get the desired consistency and the chicken is coated well (I like mine a little dry). Check seasonings adding more garlic, Tony's and salt, if necessary. Yummy!

***Note: I place the cooled broth in a ziplock bag and freeze it for future use! Seasoned homemade broth is better than store bought any day!!!