pecans | Not Just Sunday Dinner

Caramel Pecan Pie

Life is rolling on, and we are safe at the Melton house. I pray that this finds each of you healthy at home. Isn’t it strange how a small virus can cause such a profound change in the world? Things that were important three weeks ago do not seem quite as relevant today. Today I think more about God, family, friends, and making do with what I already have. I have not found the need to run out to buy something just because I want it. I’m saving gas, time, and money!

I have my mother with me during this. My goal is to help keep her safe and protected. I have one child in Atlanta who has not left her apartment in three weeks. I have another who will not be going back to his job for a while and a daughter-in-law finishing her last semester of college online. She has worked hard for a diploma and will not be able to walk with honor.

I plan to try to keep Easter as normal as possible around here. Most likely, my children will not be able to be here, which makes me sad. I will still get up to see the sunrise. I will rejoice that the resurrection has given me hope! I will be thankful for another day!

Caramel Pecan Pie

Course Dessert

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

28 Kraft caramels unwrapped
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs beaten
1 cup pecan pieces plus whole halves for top
1 (9-inch) pie shell unbaked

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉.
Heat caramels, water, and butter over low heat, stirring occassionally, until melted and smooth.
Combine sugar, salt, vanilla, and beaten eggs.
Add caramel sauce to egg mixture; mix well.
Stir in pecan pieces.
Top with whole pecans.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool before serving.

Grammy Salad

When I was growing up, on every holiday table, you were sure to find a congealed salad or a salad of some sort with cream cheese, whipped topping, and fruit, maybe even some Jello. Even as a child, it was always slightly odd that the big bowl of “salad” was right there beside the dressing and green beans. Who was I to tell the adults they were doing it wrong? It was an excuse to eat dessert first, in my opinion.

It seems the popularity of the salads has faded somewhat over the years. There is one, however, that I still love, and Wes could eat the entire bowl by himself if I did not insist on some of it myself. That salad is what we call Grammy Salad.

My mom, aka Grammy, has made this salad as long as I can remember. Wes has been eating it his entire life and expects to see it on holidays. As it turns out, he and Ashley will be with her family for the big meal on Thursday. However, you better believe this delicious salad will be on my holiday table. Right there beside the dressing and green beans! If Wes is lucky, I will save him a little.

Print Pin

Grammy Salad

Course Salad

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese softened
1 (12-oz.) container Cool Whip thawed
1 (10-oz.) jar maraschino cherries drained, reserving liquid, halved
1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple drained
1 (10-oz.) bag mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Beat softened cream cheese with an electric mixer.
Add Cool Whip and blend.
Stir in cherries, pineapple, marshmallows and pecans.
Add a tablespoon or so of reserved cherry juice, if desired. (Just enough to turn the salad pink.)
Serve right away, or refrigerate until serving. Store in airtight container.

Notes

*You can substitute frozen sweetened sliced strawberries for the cherries. Thaw and drain, reserving the liquid, and use as you would the cherries.

Cowboy Cookies

I recently went to the beach with some friends. Forgetting to take a book for the beach, I decided to try a podcast. Savannah and Ashley listen to them all the time. Who knew there were thousands of podcast and about that many subjects too?

Choosing a murder mystery, really unlike me, I settled back in my chair for the experience. It was not long before I was drawn into the case and was trying to figure out the crime on my own. If there is anything I probably should never be, it is a detective. I had everyone on that podcast convicted and sentenced, and I was completely wrong!

During this podcast the continued to talk about Cowboy Cookies. Although I had no idea what was in a Cowboy Cookie, this podcast persuaded me that I needed one.

Greg and I both eat low-carb 98 percent of the time. Occasionally, we both get a sweet tooth though, and this happened over the weekend. I pulled out our latest church cookbook. There, on page 131, was a recipe for Cowboy Cookies!

I scooped the cookie dough using a large scoop to make huge cookies that averaged 3 1/2 inches in diameter. They were chewy, delicious cookies studded with chocolate chips and pecans. You can use a smaller scoop, but you may need to cut the baking time, watching the cookies and baking just until they start to brown.

Cowboy Cookies

Course Cookies

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. shortening
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. brown sugar packed
2 lg. eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. rolled oats
1-2 c. chocolate chips
1 c chopped pecans

Instructions

Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside.
Using an electric mixer, cream together the shortening and sugars until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla extract.
Spoon in the flour mixture and gently combine.
Stir in the chips and pecans.
Scoop using 1/4 cup scoop and drop onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350℉ for 15 minutes or until the cookies start to brown.
Cool on pan for 5 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.

Heirloom Carrot Cake

Heirloom-Carrot-Cake

Okay, folks, I have heard, and I have listened. Some of you want a change from keto, low-carb and gluten-free recipes. I have been doing this recipe sharing thing for more years than I even planned when I started. During that time, I have found that change is essential. I love hearing from you, and though I know that every recipe will not appeal to every reader, whether I share keto or not, I want to share recipes that you want to try in your own kitchen. Since I have readers that are enjoying the new recipes I will try switching it up. Let’s see if alternating weeks from keto, low-carb, gluten-free to delicious mouth-watering southern recipes will work. As always, I welcome your comments so please let me hear from you!

With Easter coming up I thought I would share one of my Aunt’s Carolyn’s best recipes. When I was growing up this cake was always on the dessert table at my grandparent’s house. It was one of her specialties, and if you didn’t get a piece of cake quickly, then you might just miss out. Unlike most carrot cakes, this cake has no nutmeg, no pineapple, and it does not have cream cheese frosting. If you are a fan of German Chocolate Cake, then you know what I mean when I say it has that rich, caramelly pecan and coconut frosting that you know so well.

This cake gets better with time. Because of that, I suggest that you bake and assemble the cake 24 to 48 hours before serving.

Print Pin

Heirloom Carrot Cake

Course Dessert

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 c. granulated sugar
4 lg. eggs room temperature, separated
4 tbsp. hot water
2 1/2 c. self-rising flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. grated carrots
1 c. chopped pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour three 8 or 9-inch round cake pans and set aside.
In a small bowl mix the dry ingredients and set aside.
With an electric mixture beat the oil and sugar. Add egg yolks, mixing well. Add hot water and mix.
Add dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Fold in carrots and nuts.
In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold into cake batter.
Divide batter among the three prepared cake pans. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until cake tests done with a toothpick.
Remove from oven to cooling rack. Cool in pans for 5 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely.

Print Pin

Coconut Pecan Frosting

Course Dessert

Author Amye Melton

Ingredients

3 egg yolks
1 stick unsalted butter
1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
1 c. granulated sugar
1 c. shredded coconut
1 c. chopped pecans
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

In a saucepan, add the butter, sugar, milk and egg yolks. Cook over medium-high heat until thickened. Stir in coconut, pecans, and vanilla.
Place one cooled cake layer on cake plate and top with ⅓ of the frosting. Top with 2nd layer and top with ⅓ of the frosting. Then top with the 3rd layer and top with the final ⅓ of the frosting.

Earthquake Cake

Several months ago, while visiting my mom, I attended Wednesday night church with her. One of her good friends, Inell, had taken an Earthquake cake and was kind enough to share the recipe with me. However, months later when I wanted to make the cake I could not find it. This has happened to me more than once! In all honesty, it’s probably in the bottom of a purse somewhere, but for now, I took to the web.

This Earthquake Cake is super moist, extremely easy and crazy delicious! Inell’s cake and the one I made used a chocolate cake mix, however, while searching the web I found several variations including red velvet and pumpkin. I love the coconut, but it is totally optional and works well without it.

Earthquake Cake

Author:

Amye Melton

Ingredients

1 (15.25-oz.) box Chocolate cake mix (I used German chocolate)
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
½ c. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. powdered sugar
½ c. flaked coconut
1 c. chopped pecans, lightly toasted
1½ c. chocolate chips (milk chocolate or semi-sweet)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Sprinkle pecans in the bottom of the dish, set aside.
Prepare the cake mix as directed on the package. Pour the batter evenly over the pecans, do not stir.
Using a hand mixer, mix the cream cheese and butter until mixed well. Gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until creamy. Fold in coconut.
Drop coconut mixture by spoonfuls randomly over the batter. Using a butter knife, lightly swirl through the batter.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the cake.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake come out clean.
Cool to room temperature then serve.