Pumpkin Walnut Crisp

The pumpkin bug has bit me again!  I found this recipe on Pinterest and since it was super easy to make I decided to give it a shot.

I made this for Mr. T's work potluck last week and forgot to take an after picture.  I wanted to make sure I got the recipe out there before Thanksgiving was upon us.  I'll be making this again on Thanksgiving and i'll try to get a better picture then.

Pumpkin Walnut Crisp:
(Adapted from Rachel Schultz)

15 ounce can pumpkin
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 package yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup butter, melted


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice.

Pour the batter into a 9×13 baking dish and sprinkle the cake mix over the pumpkin mixture.  Arrange walnuts on top of the cake mix.

Pour the butter evenly over pecans, making sure all of the cake mix is moistened.

Bake for 70-80 minutes, or until golden brown and allow to fully cool before serving.

Butter Pecan Pound Cake

I hope the person that invented pound cake was given a medal.  It's really good and can be changed around to suit any flavor need.  This recipe was given to me by my mom, who got it from a friend.

This recipe takes the basic pound cake and adds pecans (awesome) and rum (more awesome!).  The flavors work really well together and the cake just tastes awesome.  You can feel free to stop with the cake, but the glaze adds a lot and doesn't take much time.

Butter Pecan Pound Cake:
(My mom's friend Nan)

3 cups flour, sifted
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2  sticks butter, room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons rum
1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped     

GLAZE:    

1 1/2 sticks of butter
1 1/2  cups of sugar
1/3  cup of water
3/4 cup of rum

In a bowl measure the flour and sift it together with the baking soda.  Set the bowl aside.

In the bowl of a mixer cream together the butter and the sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in the flour and sour cream, alternating between each.  Add the vanilla, rum, and toasted pecans.

Bake in a greased and floured bundt pan at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes.

For the glaze:
In a sauce pan mix together the butter, sugar, and water.  Melt and stir, then add the rum.  Let the mixture come to a light boil and continue stirring for about 5 minutes.

Poke holes in the bottom of the cake while it is still in the pan, about 1 inch apart.  Loosen the cake from the side of the pan.  Pour all but 3/4 cup of the glaze on the cake.  Let it sit for 1 hour then turn the cake out onto a plate and drizzle with the rest on the cake.

Pineapple Nut Cake

Pineapple is one of my favorite fruits.  This cake is so moist and is perfect with a good cream cheese frosting.  It was a very easy cake to make and most of the ingredients are pantry staples.

Pineapple Nut Cake:

Cake:

2 cups flour

2 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 #30 can crushed pineapple - do not drain

1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

Grease & flour 9 x 13 pan. Mix all ingredients by hand. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese  1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup butter or margarine

1 ½ cup powdered sugar

Mix with electric mixer & frost while cake is warm.  Sprinkle top with 1 cup chopped nuts.

Banana Nut Bread

My aunt's church is having a craft sale and I'm bringing some baked goods to it.  One of the things I wanted to bring was banana nut bread.  Everyone loves it so I decided it would be a safe bet.  I used a recipe from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook and made a couple of changes to suit my tastes.

Banana Nut Bread:
(adapted from Martha Stewart)

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 3 bread pans with cooking spray; set aside.  In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the eggs, sugar, and vegetable oil on medium-low speed until combined.  Beat in the flour mixture.  Add the vanilla, banana, nuts, and buttermilk.  Beat until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly between prepared pans.  Bake for 60-65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.

Pecan Buttermilk Pie

I feel like I might have an obsession with buttermilk.  Here's the thing... the store only carries one size and I usually only need like 1/4 cup and so I'm left with the majority of the container.  I don't want to throw it away but I also don't need to make a million biscuits.  Here is my most recent buttermilk creation.
















Pecan Buttermilk Pie:


1 pie crust (made from scratch or store bought)
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup pecans, chopped


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl take the beaten eggs and mix in the sugar.  Add the buttermilk, butter, vanilla, salt, and flour.  Mix together.  Place the pie crust in a pan and line with the chopped pecans.  Pour the custard over the nuts and bake for 40 minutes.  At the 40 minute mark reduce heat to 325 and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cranberry Pecan Bread

It's cold and gross looking outside. I decided that it was a sign that I needed to do some housework, which means time to do the dishes.  With a clean kitchen I decided it was a perfect time to make some bread.  I've had a bag of cranberries in my freezer since Thanksgiving and I have some fabulous pecans laying around.  Cranberry-Pecan bread... FTW.

Cranberry Nut Bread:
(adapted from Martha Stewart)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 bag (12 ounces) cranberries
1 cup pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees; butter and flour a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan (8-cup capacity), and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine butter, egg, vanilla, and milk. Add wet mixture to dry mixture, and whisk to combine; fold in cranberries and pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pan and top with some sanding sugar, if you want.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack; let bread cool 30 minutes. Invert onto rack, then immediately turn right side up to cool completely.


Print Me Out

Brownies

I made brownies recently.  I love brownies.  I think that they are quite possibly my favorite dessert.  I like them with nuts (pecans if I have the choice).

These were really easy to make and turned out great.


Chocolate Pecan Brownies
(adapted from Ina Garten)


Ingredients

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs

2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups pecans (halves)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter.

Pour into the baking sheet.

Bake for 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into squares.

These were awesome.  The pecans make it, to me at least.