Here are several options

PECAN PRALINES

Pralines is what I think about when I think about New Orleans. This is my mom’s recipe, shared with her by a Cajun friend years back.

You’ll need:

1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 sticks butter
3 Tablespoons cane syrup
1 cup evaporated milk
2 Tablespoons vanilla
3 cups pecan pieces

Directions:

Combine white sugar, brown sugar, butter, cane syrup, and evaporated milk in a saucepot. Bring to boil, then lower fire and simmer, stirring constantly until temperature reaches 234? Fahrenheit on candy thermometer. Stir in vanilla and pecans and remove from heat. Drop by the tablespoon on parchment paper or wax paper. Allow to cool. People will tell you they are hard to make, which just isn’t true.

Should make 12-15 pralines, which will last about five minutes.

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My Mom’s Pecan Pie

Cooked in a shallow ready made pie crust

You’ll need:

1/4 Stick – Unsalted Butter at room temperature
1 Cup – Sugar
2 – Eggs
Pinch – Salt
1 Tablespoon – Jelly (plum works best)
1 Tablespoon – Self Rising Flour
1 Tablespoon - Water
1 Teaspoon - Vanilla
1 Cup - Chopped Pecan pieces

Directions

Mix butter, sugar, eggs, salt, jelly, flour and water in a bowl. Add vanilla and mix. Add chopped pecans and mix. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees until firm (about 20 min).

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The Wife’s (MHNBPF) Pecan Tasseys

Use ready made Pillsbury dough boy pie crust and small “bite size” muffin pans

You’ll Need:

1/4 Stick – Unsalted Butter at room temperature
1 Cup – Sugar or you may use “Splenda”
2 egg equivalents of Egg beaters
Pinch – Salt
1 Tablespoon – Jelly (plum works best). May use “no sugar added” jelly.
1 Tablespoon – Self Rising Flour
1 Tablespoon - Water
1 Teaspoon - Vanilla
1 Cup - Chopped Pecan pieces

Directions:

Mix butter, sugar, eggs, salt, jelly, flour and water in a bowl. Add vanilla and chopped pecans and mix until blended. Cut pie crust into 2 inch circles and press each mini-crust into a muffin depression.

Add about 2 tablespoons of filling to each crust lined muffin shell. Fill each crust about 2/3rds full. Bake at 350 degrees until firm (about 20 min).

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Pecan Crusted Catfish Sandwiches:

6 Catfish fillets (4-6 oz) thawed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup cracker crumbs
1 cup pecan halves, chipped (just short of fine) and lightly toasted
1 cup buttermilk
Warm (toasted) buttered crusty Hoagie style buns or French bread loaf
Mayo
Lettuce
Tomato

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees f. Soak catfish fillets in buttermilk for 1 hour in fridge. Lightly salt and pepper fillets and then dredge in cracker crumbs. Rewet the cracker crumb coated fillets in buttermilk and then dredge them in the pecan chips. Salt (again) lightly, place on lightly oiled baking sheet and bake at 400 f until fork tender (8 – 10 minutes).

Serve on a split piece of warm buttered toasted crusty bread with lettuce and tomato, kettle fried chips and a beer.

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Amaretto Chocolate Covered Pecans

You’ll need:

2 Cups of whole pecans
12 ounce package of dark (semi-sweet) chocolate, or milk chocolate if you prefer.
3 Tablespoons Amaretto Liqueur
1 Tablespoon of melted paraffin

Directions:

In a double boiler, melt paraffin and chocolate chips. When completely melted, add Amaretto and stir until smooth. The paraffin helps make the chocolate stick to the pecan halves.

Toast the pecans lightly in the oven (350 degrees for 4 minutes) and dip into chocolate. Place on wax paper until chocolate hardens.