pecan

Caramel-Pecan Chocolate Ripple Ice Cream (Dairy Free)

By in Cool, GF Sweets, Sweets 10 Comments Tags: , , , , ,

caramel pecan chocolate ice cream

A couple weeks ago I celebrated my birthday. My hubby and mom cooked up a steak dinner with all the trimmings and I took care of dessert. My parents are gluten and dairy free so I knew I wanted to make cake and ice cream that they could enjoy along with us. I love dreaming up new ice cream flavours, and making goodies that everyone can enjoy just makes me happy, so it was perfectly suitable for me to make my own birthday cake and ice cream. Plus, they can be made ahead so there was no real work to be done the day of.

I knew I wanted to make a simple chocolate cake. I had found a great looking gluten-free cake that I wanted to try for my mom and dad so it seemed like the perfect time. Since I was going with a simple cake I wanted to make an ice cream that would steal the show, and did it ever!

caramel pecan chocolate ice cream

Instead of making a custard based ice cream and simply swapping out the milk and cream for coconut milk, like I usually do, I decided to just do coconut milk – no eggs – since it’s so creamy on it’s own. You honestly could not tell that this wasn’t a custard based ice cream, which means my dairy-free ice creams just got that much easier. Of course I had to go and complicate things by adding caramelized sugar. But really, who’s going to complain about that?

I got my inspiration from Turtle’s chocolates and made a caramel ice cream with tons of toasted pecans and a swirling of chocolate sauce. Yes, it does taste just as good as it sounds.

Why are you still sitting here? Get on this!

caramel pecan chocolate ice cream

Caramel-Pecan Chocolate Ripple Ice Cream

Caramel Ice Cream
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cans coconut milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Place sugar in saucepan set over medium heat. As it begins to melt, gently push the melted sugar into the center to help the process along. Allow to cook until a deep amber colour (if you’re unsure you can test a small spoonful on a white plate to check the colour). Keep a close watch because it can burn quickly. Once desired colour is reached, remove from heat and stir in one can of coconut milk, along with salt. Set over low heat and cook until any hardened sugar has melted. Remove from heat and stir in remaining can of coconut milk, along with vanilla. Allow to cool, then refriderage for 8 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.

To Assemble

If using the recipe for chocolate sauce that is linked to, substitute evaporated milk with coconut milk to make it dairy free. Also feel free to substitute dark chocolate for the semi-sweet.

  • 1 recipe caramel ice cream (above)
  • 1.5 cups toasted pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chocolate sauce, chilled

Freeze ice cream according to manufacturers instructions. Once ice cream has reached desired consistency, add pecans. Churn until evenly mixed. Spoon ice cream into a storage container, alternating with spoonfuls of chocolate sauce. Place in the freezer for several hours to firm up.

Pumpkin Pecan Granola

By in Breakfast No Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

I had to squeak in one more pumpkin recipe before all the Christmas festivities get started around here. Next week I”ll be decorating my house and listening to Christmas music all day long, with no shame involved! But, it”s not quite that time yet so I”m giving you one last bite of pumpkin bliss before it goes out of style.

We hardly buy any boxed cereal anymore because homemade granola is so easy to make and so adaptable to different seasons. Max is going through a major granola phase –  it”s all he wants for breakfast. But, when it”s so full of goodness and so easy to make, it”s one obsession I can get on board with.

Make this granola with that last bit of pumpkin before all the peppermint and cranberry recipes start rolling in. Wee Hoo!

Pumpkin Pecan Granola

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 2/3 cup maple syrup

  • 2/3 cup pumpkin puree

  • 4 cups rolled oats

  • 1 cup chopped pecans

  • 3 tablespoons sesame seeds

  • 1 cup dried cranberries

Stir together olive oil, salt, spices, maple syrup and pumpkin puree in a large bowl. Add oats, pecans and sesame seeds. Stir until evenly coated. Spread onto a baking sheet, allowing it to stay clumpy. Bake at 325°F for 35-45 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until mixture is dry and lightly browned. Stir in cranberries and let cool completely before storing in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Adapted from Simple Bites. Originally from The Sprouted Kitchen.

Apple Slab Pie with Crumb Topping

By in Fruit, Pastries, Sweets, Thanksgiving 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Apple Slab Pie with Crumb Topping

Thanksgiving just wouldn”t be the same without pies and tarts. Especially pumpkin pie. But, not everyone”s a huge fan of pumpkin pie so it”s always good to have another option to share. Apple pie is a favourite in our house. If we”ve got an abundance of apples, Apple Pie or Apple Crisp must be made!

This pie is a little different from the norm for several reasons. It”s baked on a sheet pan instead of in a pie plate, it”s got a delicious crumble topping, featuring pecans, and it feeds a crowd without the work of making several pies at once. I think it would be the perfect addition to the Thanksgiving table. It”s like an apple pie, tart and crisp all in one. And, it can easily be eaten out of hand, which means less dirty dishes – bonus!

If you”re not feeding a crowd you can always freeze the extras between parchment paper and just take out as many as you need at a time, to thaw. I prefer to heat them up in the microwave or oven for a bit, because nothing beats warm apple pie.

I would venture to say this recipe is even easier to make then a regular apple pie because of the crumb topping and since the effort of one pie makes so many servings. And, it”s just so extremely delicious that I know I”ll be making it often over the coming months.

Apple Slab Pie with Crumb Topping

Pie Crust

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 2/3 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes

  • 8 – 10 tablespoons cold water

Apple Filling

  • 2/3 cup sugar

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 3 1/2 pounds tart apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (or 10 cups sliced)

Crumb Topping

  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats

  • 1 cup packed brown sugar

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into cubes

  • 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

To Make Pie Crust: Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Toss in the butter cubes and, using your fingers, quickly break up the clumps, rubbing together with flour, until the butter is in pea sized amounts and mixture resembles coarse crumbs (or cut in with a pastry blender). Sprinkle water over flour mixture 1 tablespoons at a time; gently toss with a fork, until all of the flour mixture is moistened. Gently knead the dough just until a ball forms.

Roll out the dough to approximately a 17×12 inch rectangle, on a large piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Transfer to a 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Patch any corners that don”t reach the edges of the pan, with any overhanging dough. Roll edges under and press down onto the rim of the baking sheet. Trim off excess parchment paper. Refrigerate while you make filling.

To Make Filling:  Toss together all ingredient, in a large bowl, until apples are evenly coated. Pour into dough-lined pan, spreading evenly. Refrigerate while you make the crumb topping.

To Make Crumb Topping: Stir together oats, brown sugar, and flour until well combined. Using your fingers, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in chopped pecans. Sprinkle evenly over apple filling.

To Bake: Bake at 375ºF for 45-60 minutes, until filling is bubbly near the centre and crust is browned. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

To store: Once completely cool, cover and keep at room temperature for 24 hours or refrigerate for up to 3 days (bring up to room temperature to serve). Freeze for longer storage.

Makes: 20-25 servings

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens.

Maple Pecan Granola

By in Breakfast 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

I”ve come to love homemade granola. When I first discovered my favourite granola recipe, no store-bought granola could compare. And the fact that it”s sweetened with maple syrup instead of sugar gives it extra bonus points in my book! I”ve been craving maple and pecans lately so I decided to switch things up a bit and adapt the recipe to make it more maple-pecan-y. It was a good decision and I”ll be happily putting this recipe into rotation.

And, since it”s back-to-school, you can turn this into a portable breakfast by packing it into jars (or tupperware) for kids to take on the road – so if you have any late sleepers they don”t have to miss out on breakfast. Just don”t forget to pack a long a little bottle of milk! (I make my own using Starbucks Frappuccino bottles.)

Maple Pecan Granola

  • 4 cups rolled oats

  • 1 cup quick oats

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup chopped pecans

  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut

  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseed (optional)

  • 1/4 cup warm water

  • 6 tablespoons canola oil

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

  • 2 teaspoons pure maple extract

  • 2/3 cup raisins

Mix together oats, salt, pecans, coconut and flaxseed in a large bowl.

In a small saucepan combine water, oil, maple syrup and extract. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour over oat mixture. Toss to coat.

Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and line with parchment paper (this will keep the paper from sliding around). Using your hands, squeeze the granola mixture together to create clumps as you transfer it to the baking sheet.

Bake at 275ºF for 30 minutes. Stir in raisins and cook an additional 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned.

Allow to cool completely before storing. Granola will crisp up as it cools. Store in a sealed container for up to one month.

Makes approximately: 8 cups

Fudge Brownies with Salt Roasted Pecans

By in Chocolate, Cookies & Bars, Sweets 8 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

Fudge Brownies with Salt Roasted Pecans

Hi friends! I hope you didn”t think I”d forgotten about you!

After what feels like forever, we”re finally settled in our new place. We didn”t have any internet for most of last week, which is why the blog was rather quiet. But, I did get my first ever garden planted – I even have the bright red sun burn to prove it!

I can”t believe how much our lives have changed over the last little while. We went from a view like this:

To a view like this:

Only a little change…

To make up for my week of silence, I made you brownies. Fudgy, gooey, rich brownies. With little pockets of salt roasted pecans to help offset the uber chocolatey-ness. It is one delicious combination.

To ensure fudgy brownies every time it”s important to do two things 1) Don”t over-bake the brownies. A toothpick inserted in the centre should have a few fudgy crumbs stuck to it. If it comes out clean it”s been in the oven too long. To avoid this, check on the brownies well before the recommended time. 2) Don”t over-beat the batter. If you beat the batter too much it incorporates too much air and you”ll have a cakey brownie instead of a fudgy one. To avoid this, mix the batter by hand just until the ingredients are incorporated.

This is one brownie that gets better with age, so if you can bear the wait, make it the day before you plan on serving it.

Fudge Brownies with Salt Roasted Pecans

Salt Roasted Pecans

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1 cup pecans

  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pecans and salt. Cook, stirring often until the pecans have a toasted aroma. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Brownies

  • 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cut up

  • 1 cup white sugar

  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

  • 3 large eggs, room temperature

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Melt together chocolate and butter in a medium sized saucepan, over medium heat. Remove from heat; whisk in sugars. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, until evenly mixed. Stir in vanilla. Stir in flour and cocoa powder.

Remove 12 pecans from the skillet and set aside. Chop remaining pecans and stir into brownie batter. Pour the batter into a greased 8×8 inch baking pan. Top with the reserved pecans.

Bake at 350º for 25 minutes, or until the top looses it”s shine and a toothpick inserted in the centre produces fudgy crumbs. Let cool at least one hour before serving. Store covered, at room temperature, for up to 5 days.

Makes: 12 servings

Adapted from Bake with Anna Olson.

Pecan Crusted Chicken & Apple Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

By in Main Dish, Poultry 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

Pecan Crusted Chicken & Apple Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Oh goodness. I don”t even know how to begin telling you how absolutely delicious this salad is. The only thing I can think to say is that it was so good I was craving it for dessert. Really.

Chicken breasts coated in a pecan, sesame seed, flour mixture – pan-fried til crisp and then baked in the oven. Served over a bed of salad greens, apple slices, red onion, dried cranberries and almonds. All of that drizzled with a simple Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette. It”s heaven on a plate I tell you!

My three year old son had three helpings, and gobbled up every last drop of everything. I think this will become a regular at our table when we want something a little lighter but still with the warmth and feel of fall.

As you can see there are no cranberries in the salad pictured, but they are listed in the ingredients below. That”s because both me and my grocery store were lacking in the cranberry department. But I just know they would be perfect in this salad and will be adding them next time.

This is even tasty as leftovers (with everything stored separately). I ate it the next day while the chicken was cold and I thought it was just as delicious as when it was fresh. So, if you wanted to make the chicken ahead and pack this for lunch throughout the week that would be a very viable and tasty option.

I have no problems eating salad for dinner when it tastes this good. If you get tired of all the heavy fall food I encourage you to give this recipe a try.

Pecan Crusted Chicken & Apple Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

For the assembly of the salad I don”t have an exact measurement of ingredients because my family likes to make and customize the amounts on their own. Feel free to pre-assemble the salad or leave the ingredients separately for people to make their own.

Pecan Crusted Chicken

  • 4 chicken breasts, flattened slightly

  • 2 tablespoons milk

Coating Mixture

  • 1/4 cup flour

  • 1/2 cup pecans

  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

  • 3/4 teaspoon paprika

  • 3/4 teaspoon pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Place coating ingredients in a food processor and process until pecans are finely ground, transfer to a shallow dish. Alternatively you can chop the pecans finely by hand and simply mix the ingredients together.

Coat chicken in milk and then in coating mixture. Pan-fry in a small amount of oil, in a large non-stick skillet, until coating is crisp and golden. Transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

Allow to cool slightly before slicing on a diagonal. Or, refrigerate once completely cool for use later.

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • pinch salt

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Whisk together vinegar, syrup and salt. Whisk in oil, in a steady stream, until combined.

Salad

  • mixed salad greens

  • 2 apples, thinly sliced

  • red onion, sliced

  • dried cranberries

  • pecan crusted chicken, sliced

  • sliced almonds

  • maple balsamic vinaigrette

Place salad greens on a plate. Top with apples, onion and cranberries. Place a chicken breast on top and sprinkle with almonds. Drizzle with vinaigrette just before serving.

Serves: 4

Pecan Crusted Chicken recipe adapted from Taste of Home.