Pecan Store August 17th, 2010

We get this question at the Pecan Store all the time: what’s pecan meal?  Pecan meal is simply finely ground pecan pieces. During the pecan shelling process, we separate the desirable pecan halves from the large, medium, small and midget pieces. Each of these items is boxed separately and then sold to customers all over the world. Naturally, we had leftover pecan bits and pieces that couldn’t be used for much…that is, until it occurred to someone that all those tiny pecan pieces were similar to the look and texture of flour, and pecan meal was born!

Pecan meal is the perfect substitute for flour in baking, or bread crumbs in cooking. And because pecans are gluten free, they make the perfect addition to a gluten free diet. I’ve included my two favorite pecan meal recipes below. If you have a favorite recipe that incorporates pecan meal, let us know in the comments. We would love to read them!

Liana’s Pecan Breaded Pork Chops

Serves 4

Cook time: Approximately 45 minutes

Ingredients

4 lean pork loin cuts

Dijon mustard

1 cup Pecan Meal

2 tablespoons pecan oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

2. Place the pecan meal in a shallow bowl or pie plate, and the mustard in a second shallow bowl. Season the pork chops with salt and pepper to taste, and then coat them in the dijon mustard. Next take the chops and coat them in the pecan meal.

3. Heat 2 tablespoon pecan oil in a non-stick skillet. Place the chops in the pan and cook approximately 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

4. Place pork chops on foil wrapped baking sheet and bake in oven approximately 30 minutes or until center reaches a temperature of 160 degrees F.

Butter Shortbread

Courtesy of Sunset Magazine

Ingredients

1  cups  flour

1 cup Pecan Meal

1  cup  cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/2  cup  granulated sugar

1/4  teaspoon  salt

2  tablespoons  coarse sugar (sometimes called sparkling sugar)*

Directions

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Pecan Store May 14th, 2010

Last night, while I relaxed and watched television, I caught the end of Paula’s Home Cooking. I heard her mention in passing her recipe for Bacon Wrapped Pecan Stuffed Dates and it immediately caught my attention because: 1. it contains pecans and 2. I love bacon. I found the recipe online and it’s quite simple; it would be perfect for a summer night appetizer or a toasty fall meal. I’ve made pancetta wrapped gorgonzola stuffed dates before that were amazing, so I’m thrilled to try this spin on the recipe.  I think I’ll use it to start a dinner featuring a pork roast with fruit compote and a healthy spinach salad. And of course a glass of a nice Cabernet Sauvignon would be a great complement. Perhaps I’ll make this tonight to start my weekend off in gourmet fashion!

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Pecan Store May 10th, 2010

Summer may technically be more than a month away, but today it feels warm and toasty. When it gets hot outside, I like to surround myself with cool things; sun tea, fresh salad and sorbet! So while my mind turns to these things, I want to share my favorite warm weather recipe featuring pecans. It partners perfectly with a glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc!

Baby Spinach Salad with Roasted Red Onions, Pecans, Dried Cranberries, Crumbled Goat Cheese and Citrus Dressing

Courtesy: The Food Network

 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

 

Ingredients

• 1 medium red onion
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Citrus Dressing, recipe follows
• 8 cups baby spinach
• 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
• 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

 

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice the onion into thin wedges, through the root end. Toss with the olive oil, season with salt, to taste, and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast until just soft and brown, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Put the spinach and onions in a large bowl. Drizzle with some of the dressing and toss. Add more dressing as needed; spinach should just be lightly coated. Divide salad among 4 chilled plates. Top with pecans, goat cheese, and dried cranberries. Serve immediately.

 

Citrus Dressing

Yield: about 1/2 cup

 

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Whisk the lemon zest, lemon juice, orange juice, Dijon, honey, thyme, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Gradually whisk in the oil, starting with a few drops and then adding the rest in a steady stream, to make a smooth, slightly thick dressing.

Enjoy!

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Pecan Store January 8th, 2010

It’s the first post of a new year and after much internal debate, I’ve finally made my New Year’s Resolution: Meatless Monday.

What is Meatless Monday, exactly? I’m sure you’ve already guessed, but it’s an effort to go meat-free every Monday. There’s even an entire website dedicated to the cause and they feature some pretty tasty pecan dishes.

I happened upon the site because I have heard a couple of times now that pecans are a good substitute for meat and was searching for a recipe that could demonstrate how it’s done. Although I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for, I’m glad I have a new resolution for the year.

And interestingly enough, Meatless Monday is not a new phenomenon. It all started in World War I when the government asked citizens to observe “Meatless Monday” and “Wheatless Wednesday” in an effort to reduce consumption and aid the war effort.

Word spread and according to MeatlessMonday.com, “The effect was overwhelming…In November 1917, New York City hotels saved some 116 tons of meat over the course of just one week.” That’s pretty powerful stuff.

In addition to saving resources, going meat-free for just one day can have highly-beneficial effects on your overall health. The site features plenty of recipes that don’t feature meat, and I think I might have to start with the Sweet Potato Pecan Pancakes Check it out and let me know if you’re going meatless every Monday.

photo credit: Made in Mississippi

• Meals , Pecan , Recipe
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Pecan Store January 2nd, 2010

Since it has been quite chilly these days, I have had a craving for a hot bowl of soup.  I typically stick to the basics such as chicken noodle and tomato. I decided to step out of the box and try something new. I was researching different recipes when I came across a recipe from Gourmet for sweet potato soup with butter pecans. It was a delicious combination of soft sweet potatoes and crunchy pecans. Check out the recipe for yourself!

photo credit: norwichnuts

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Pecan Store December 29th, 2009

I have had so many delicious meals over this holiday season, and I have never felt so full before. I found a wonderful snack to keep me full that is healthy and quite sweet.  The recipe contains pecans that are sautéed in butter and then toasted in the oven with a tablespoon of honey. I can eat this great snack without the worry of adding onto my holiday weight. Even though the New Year is only a few days away, I feel I can cut back on the holiday leftovers and enjoy more healthy snacks.

• Health and Wellness , Holidays , Recipe
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Pecan Store December 28th, 2009

Hope you’re having a great holiday season. As you know I love cooking with pecans and have recently posted recipes that I tried and really enjoyed.  Today, I am posting some great ideas of recipes from fellow bloggers who have made all different dishes with Green Valley Pecans.

Dessert is my favorite, and I found two great dessert recipes!  The first recipe is from Meet Me in the Kitchen blogger Mary Ann and is a pumpkin cake with whipped cream. The pictures of the cake look wonderful.

Another dessert recipe that I cannot wait to try is pecan squares posted by Barbara on Baking with Barbara. The way she describes the pecan squares makes me feel like I can taste there sweet, rich caramel-covered pecans and truly makes my mouth water. It looks like a great recipe to use for holiday baking.

During the holidays, snacking is my weakness and I am always looking for a new snack to try. I found this recipe for granola on Baking and Boys by Katrina. The mixture of pecans, nectar, applesauce and honey looks like a great mixture of flavors. It would be a great snack whether you mix it with yogurt or just grab a few handfuls at a time.

Who could resist a warm muffin and a hot cup of coffee on a cold winter morning? I know I couldn’t! The blueberry crumb cake from Shari on the Whisk blog is the next recipe I am going to make since it has been quite chilly in the morning.

The last recipe I would like to call attention to today is a mandarin orange and pecan spinach salad. It is a great recipe if you are looking to get away from all of the heavy holiday meals or just to use as a great starter salad for dinner. Either way it sounds delicious.

photo credit: visualpanic

• Pecan , Recipe , Resources
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Pecan Store December 18th, 2009

    
A friend of mine forwarded a link from Delish.com about how to “Host an Elegant Appetizer Party.” I absolutely love this idea, especially for the holidays. With so much going on, it’s sometimes incredibly difficult to even get dinner on the table, let alone serve an entire party. These simple, yet scrumptious appetizers are sure to hit the spot and fill up guests without sacrificing the happy in your holiday party.

Some of my favorite recipes from the slideshow include:

• 1. Chili Pecans (slide 10 of 11) - Sweet heat chili-covered pecans spice up the holidays
• 2. Fig-and-Stilton Squares (slide 1 of 11) - I love pairing sweet with savory, and you can never go wrong with cheese
• 3. Apricot Canapés (slide 9 of 11) - Dried apricots, blue cheese, pistachios, honey and a dash of pepper. This recipe is so easy to make, not to mention budget-friendly.

Check out the full slideshow here, and get ready to savor the holidays.

photo credit: ms.Tea

• Holidays , Pecan , Recipe
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Pecan Store December 14th, 2009

                                                  

You know, I’m so used to cooking and baking with Green Valley Pecans that sometimes I really take them for granted.

I was making these Mexican Wedding Cookies this weekend and realized I was out of Green Valley Pecans. Since I had already started preparing them, I just ran out to the store and picked up a generic bag of pecans. I should have just waited…

It’s not that the recipe was bad; it’s just that I realized there is a real difference between Green Valley pecans and pecans that have been sitting on a shelf in a grocery store for who knows how long.  The flavor was so different and not nearly as rich as I was used to.

If you still haven’t tried a Green Valley Pecan, you are really missing out. Trust me, I can tell you that from my own personal experience that they are definitely better than anything in the store!

photo credit: scaredy_kat

• Green Valley Pecan Company , Pecan , Recipe
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Pecan Store December 7th, 2009

Ever since I went to New York last March, I’ve been obsessed with fancy cupcakes, all thanks to Magnolia Bakery. For those of you who haven’t heard of Magnolia, they’re an insanely popular bakery, and they sell the most decadent, delicious cupcakes you have ever seen or tasted. They’re almost too pretty to eat…almost, but not quite. While we were there, lines of people would wrap around the block just for one of their amazing creations.

While I was browsing YouTube.com the other day, I came across a video from the Good Food Channel in the UK. Watch this video for Frosted Pecan Cupcakes to get a taste of Magnolia Bakery from your own oven.

 

• Food Shows , Pecan , Recipe
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