Great idea, caliloo - thanks!

I make about 6 pounds of these for holiday gifts---better than fruitcake!

Enjoy!

spicy Bourbon pecans

1/2 cup good bourbon
1 lb pecan halves
1 T. corn oil
1 T. worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon angostura bitters
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350.
1) in small saucepan, simmer bourbon over medium heat until reduced by 1/4. Blanch pecans in boiling water for 1 minute, then drain.

2) In large bowl, combine bourbon, oil, worcestershire, bitters, sugar. Add hot pecans and toss well. Let stand for 10 minutes.

3) spread pecans in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, or until they are crisp and liquid has evaporated.

4) Transfer to large clean bowl and toss with spices (as follows), about 1-1/2 teaspoon spices, 1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper.

Spices---Emeril's "Essence" (This makes a lot more than this recipe needs, but I use it for a lot of other things. You can just reduce the recipe proportionally, if you like)
2-1/2 T. paprika
2 T. salt
1 T. garlic powder
1 T. black pepper
1 T. onion powder
1 T. cayenne pepper
1 T. dried leaf oregano
1 T. dried thyme.

Store in airtight container.

Hints: the recipe does not seem to work with Splenda. And make sure the pecans are crisp... better slightly overdone than underdone.

Ok, I haven't made this yet, but this pumpkinseed brittle looks divine and is part of my gift giving plans for this year...

Here is a link that might be useful: Pepita Brittle

I *LOVE* those spiced pecans! Thanks for the reminder, I am definitely making them again!

Alexa

This is an oldie but a goodie! I'm making it tonight as we were told about 4 pm today to bring "a snack" for a leaving the company party for a longtime employee.

I think I will make mini cakes with this instead of pound cake for gift giving. The spices just taste like the holidays.

Plum Cake

1 cup Crisco vegetable oil or canola oil
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups sifted self-rising flour (get out the White Lily!)
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. ground allspice
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. butter flavoring - opt.
2 4-oz. jars strained baby food plums or 1 large jar Jr. Plums
1 cup chopped nuts - opt.

Beat oil and sugar with an electric mixer. Add in eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Mix spices and flour together and add gradually to the mixture; beat well. Add extracts and baby plums. If using nuts, add last.

Bake in a greased Bundt pan for 1 hour at 325 F. Cool in pan on a rack for 10-15 minutes, then turn out onto rack and continue to cool.

Glaze:

1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 TB lemon juice
milk - if needed to make a smooth consistency

Drizzle glaze on cake while hot.

Note: I used 2 t. English Mixed Spice for the spices because I had it on hand.

I think you could use strained baby pears or applesauce if you can't find the plums. My jar said it contained all three fruits. So maybe they aren't making just plums any more? Sometime I'm going to make it with real plums whirled in the blender, sans peels.

Here are some I've made in the past:

CUP OF CHAI

1 cup green cardamom pods
1 cup chopped cinnamon
1 cup chopped dried ginger
1/4 cup dried orange peel
1/4 cup whole cloves
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
Combine ingredients. Store in an airtight container.
To use: Measure 1 heaping tablespoon per cup of water and simmer 20 minutes. Turn off heat, add 1 teaspoon of your favorite black tea; steep 5 to 10 minutes. Strain and sweeten to taste with honey and milk. Makes about 3 cups chai tea blend.

Recipe from The Kansas City Star newspaper  12/12/01.

BLACK FOREST COOKIE MIX

1/2 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chocolate morsels
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Layer the ingredients in a 1-quart jar in the order listed. Attach a gift card with the following instructions:

Beat 2/3 cup butter in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in the black forest cookie mix, 2 eggs, and 1 tsp. cherry or vanilla extract. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet and bake in a preheated 325° F. oven for 14 to 16 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 2 dozen.

And here are some dip mixes I've given too:

Habañero Spice Blend: Stir together 1/3 cup onion powder, 3 Tblsp. salt, 4 tsp. dried oregano, 4 tsp. dry mustard, 4 tsp. sugar, 2 tsp. habañero powder, 2 tsp. garlic powder, and 2 tsp. ground cumin. Makes about 1 cup.

Chipotle Spice Blend: Stir together 1/3 cup onion powder, 3 Tblsp. salt, 4 tsp. sugar, 4 tsp. smoked jalapeño flakes, 4 tsp. ground cumin, 4 tsp. dried thyme, and 2 tsp. ground coriander. Makes about 1 cup.

Jalapeño Spice Blend: Stir together 1/3 cup onion powder, 3 Tblsp. salt, 4 tsp. sugar, 4 tsp. jalapeño flakes, 2 tsp. ground coriander, and 2 tsp. dried oregano. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Curry Spice Blend: Stir together 1/3 cup onion powder, 3 Tblsp. salt, 3 Tblsp. curry powder, 3 Tblsp. ground cumin, 4 tsp. dried thyme, 2 tsp. freshly ground pepper. Makes about 1 cup.

To make dip:
1 8 oz. container dairy sour cream
2 Tblsp. mayonnaise
1 Tblsp. desired spice blend (from above)

A pretty tin filled with these could make a gift for someone.

Cranberry-Almond Biscotti
*************************
Here's another in a series of low Glycemic Index recipes.

Makes about 20.

Ingredients:

Juice and zest of 1 orange - (my orange yielded 1/2 cup of juice)
1 TBSP Amaretto liqueur - ( I used 1 teasp almond extract)
1/2 cup (1 x 75 gram pack) dried cranberries
1 3/4 cups (250 grams) (9oz) wholewheat flour
1/2 cup (8 TBSP) sugar substitute (I use granulated fructose)
1 teasp cinnamon
1/2 teasp baking powder
1/2 teasp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1/4 teasp ground nutmeg
1 large egg
1 egg white
1/3 cup (50 grams) (2 oz) toasted almonds, chopped

1. Heat the orange juice, Amaretto and cranberries in a small saucepan just until hot.
Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.
Drain and reserve the juice.

2. Preheat the oven to 350F (177C) (Gas 4) and line a baking sheet with baking parchment.

3. Mix together in a large bowl the flour, sugar substitute, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, egg white, orange zest and 2 TBSP of the reserved juice.
Stir this into the dry mixture until combined, adding more juice if necessary to make the dough moist.
Stir in the almonds and cranberries.

5. With lightly floured hands, shape into a 16 inch (40 cm) log, then flatten slightly. Bake for 20 minutes or until firm.
Slide log onto a cooling rack and cool for 10 minutes while you reduce the oven to 320F (160C).

6. Cut the log diagonally into 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick slices.
Place on the baking sheet, leaving a 1 inch (2 - 3 cm) space between each slice. (I didn't have room to do that...mine were touching.)
Bake until golden brown and crunchy, about 25 minutes.
Allow to cool on the rack.

The Biscotti can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week or wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.

Source: Rick Gallop's GI Diet Greenlight Cookbook

SharonCb

I usually make gingerbread "bread" or "loaves" as gifts.

This gingerbread dough is not the gingerbread "cookie" dough, and it isn't the "gingerbread house" dough either.

It was from the Martha Stewart Living magazine (found a reference to it being in Dec. 1997) and I am trying to track it down both at home and on-line. I seem to have misplaced it at home, and cannot locate it on-line!!!

If anyone happens to have it, please post! It was delicious with a dollop of freshly whipped, slightly sweetened cream on top.

One of my closest friends makes a wicked good Irish Whiskey Bread Pudding with a Hard Sauce, but he won't part with the recipe. I get some as a Holiday gift every year!

Smiles,
Sooz