Viennese Pecan Crescents

Christmas cookie season is upon us! I am working again with Boom Island Brewing Company to pair up these festive treats with each of their beers. But even if you aren't a beer person, these cookies are sure to please. Buttery shortbread, rich pecans and a healthy dusting of powdered sugar...what's not to love!  The shaping of these cookies is a tad tedious, but worth the extra time. And after these cookies are baked, they freeze beautiful so you can happily enjoy them throughout the holiday season.

Recipe adapted from Gale Gand

Yields about 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients

• 1 c unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ c sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ½ c all-purpose flour
• 1 c finely ground pecans
• powdered sugar for coating

Directions

• Cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Gradually add the flour and nuts and mix until just combined. The dough with be very crumbly.
• Shape the dough into tiny crescents using about 2 tsp of dough for each cookie. Place on an ungreased sheet pan in rows, leaving 1 inch in between. Chill the cookies for at least one hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake about 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges begin to brown.
• Allow cookies to cool slightly and then dredge in powdered sugar to coat.

Pecan Meringue Cookies

Have you made much ice cream or custard this summer? This simple meringue cookie will help use up some of those egg whites.

adapted from Elise Bauer's recipe on Simply Recipes

yields about 2 dozen cookies

The Ingredients:
1 cup whole pecans
3 egg whites, brought to room temperature
pinch of salt
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 tsp white vinegar

The Process
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Place pecans in an oven proof dish and bake until lightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Using a blunt object, smash pecans until broken into small pieces. Set aside.

Increase the oven temperature to 300.

Add egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Add salt. Whisk the eggs on low, gradually increasing the speed until frothy and soft peaks begin to form, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Increase the speed to medium-high, and slowly add the sugar 2 Tbsp at a time. Allow each addition to thoroughly combine before adding the next. Continue to whisk the eggs and sugar for a 2-3 minutes. Add the vinegar to the bowl. Increase speed to high and whisk until the mixture is glossy and stiff peaks form, 4-5 minutes.

Gently fold in the pecan pieces. Drop by heaping teaspoons onto parchment lined baking sheets.

Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Leave them in the oven overnight to dry. In the morning the cookies should be crisp on the outside, but light and airy on the inside. If they are a little marshmallowy or chewy on the inside in the morning, allow them dry out for a few more hours.

Store at room temperature in an air tight container.

Pumpkin Coconut Cheesecake Bars with a Coconut Pecan Crust

The title is a mouthful.  The bars are an even more delightful mouthful.  Decadent and silky.  Not overly sweet.  In my mind it brought together the best of Indian cuisine and Southern comfort food.  Spicy, warm, sweet and silken. 

The inspiration from this came from a Facebook conversation with a friend on Christmas Eve.  I needed to bake something.  ANYTHING.  I've been slammed with work from three shows.  That, coupled with the usual Holiday chaos has left me with precious little time to cook, let alone enjoy it.

My friend suggested pie.  After a quick perusal of my pantry I discovered pumpkin puree, coconut milk, pecans and flaked coconut.  Back around  Thanksgiving I had thought about making pumpkin cheesecake bars.  The discovery of the coconut milk teased for a twist...

Cobbled together from recipes at Taste of Home, Alida's Kitchen, and Alaska from Scratch

yields 12 servings

The Ingredients:
For the crust:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup toasted pecans, finely crushed
5 Tbsp butter, softened
1/3 cup flaked coconut
1/2 tsp ginger

for the filling and topping:
11 ounces light cream cheese
1/3 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
6 oz coconut milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp ginger


The Process:
for the crust: 
Preheat the oven to 350

In a large bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the pecans, coconut and ginger.  Reserve about 3/4 cup of the mixture for the topping.

Firmly press the remaining mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a greased 8 inch square baking pan.  Bake for 12- 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

for the filling:
Lower to the oven temperature to 325

In a large bowl cream together the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, corn starch and vanilla until smooth.  Add eggs, and beat on low until combined.  Stir in the coconut milk.

Pour 3/4 cup of the filling into a small bowl. Whisk in the pumpkin, brown sugar and ginger.

Pour the coconut filling over the cooled pecan crust.  Gently dollop the pumpkin filling  over the top.  

Smooth into an even layer, or if desired, gently swirl the pumpkin into the coconut with the tip of a knife for a marbled effect.  Sprinkle with reserved crust.

Bake the bars fro 35-40 minutes or until the filling is mostly set, but still slightly jiggly in the center.  Cool to cool to room temperature.  Refrigerate for at least two hours or preferably over night.

Honey-Spiced Roast Turkey with Apple Pecan Stuffing

How to prepare the bird is usually the first challenge to any Thanksgiving feast.  If you are even having turkey that is...

A few years back, when the holiday looked as though it was just to included Ross and myself, we opted to try pheasant.  That was an interesting experiment.

This year we were blessed with a visit from my mother and brother, as well as a dear friend of ours from Hawaii who has been spending the last few months in Michigan.  Along with our roommate, we created quite the hodge podge group.  Turkey was a must.  And as word of my cooking enthusiasm has spread, the ante was upped slightly.  All of the classics needed to be present, but a twist was needed.

So back to the bird.  I've brined before with much success.  In fact it may be my favorite way to prep a turkey, but it does require a little more fore thought than simple defrosting the bird usually entails.  So no brine this year.

I love the combination of nuts and fruit in my stuffing.  That is what caused the recipe to first catch my eye.  Once I read through and discovered the sweet and spice glaze on the bird, I was sold.  Most ingredients were staples in my pantry and no fancy culinary tricks or techniques would be needed.

Do keep an eye on the turkey during the last two hours.  The honey causes the skin to brown very quickly, even when loosely covered.  In the end, never uncovered ours and it was still finished nearly an hour earlier than estimated.

It was surprisingly moist and tender, throughout.

adapted from pillsbury.com

serves 12

The Ingredients:
for the turkey
12- to 15-lb turkey, thawed
1/3 cup honey
3 Tbsp butter, melted
1 Tbsp chili powder
3/4 tsp ground allspice
3/4 tsp ground cumin

for the stuffing:
1/4 cup butter
1 small onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
2-3 sprigs fresh sage
1/2 cup pecan pieces, toasted
1 medium apple, chopped (1 cup)
4-5 cups dried bread cubes
1 1/3 cups apple juice

The Process:
Heat oven to 325°F. 

In a small bowl, combine the honey, butter and spices until well blended.  Starting at back opening of turkey, gently separate skin from turkey breast, using fingers. Try not to puncture the skin over the breast.   Brush half of the honey mixture over turkey breast under skin.  Reserve remaining honey mixture for later.

In large heavy bottomed pot , melt 1/4 cup butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery, thyme and sage. Saute until onion is tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the apple and pecans, cooking another 2-3 minutes.Add the bread crumbs and stir in the apple juice until the stuffing is just moistened.  Remove from heat.  Remove the sage and thyme sprigs.  Allow the stuffing to cool before stuffing the turkey.
  

Gently stuff the neck area.  Pull the neck skin over the opening and secure with a skewer or toothpick.   Loosely pack the stuffing into the cavity, do not over stuff...the stuffing will expand during cooking.  Twist the wing tip back under the bird and secure the legs, if desired.  Place turkey, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan.  Loosely tent foil over the turkey.

Roast for 4 to 5 hours (or about 20 minutes per pound).   Uncover the turkey and brush with the remaining honey mixture.   Roast for an addition 30 minutes or until a thermometer reads 180°F and juices run clear. Drumsticks should move easily when lifted or twisted.

Place turkey on warm platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Let stand at least 15 minutes for juices to set.  Carve.

Spoon out the stuffing and serve separately.