Easy-peasy-pecan-squeezy. This recipe originally called for walnuts, but I altered it (having a huge package of pecans in my freezer, but no walnuts, it seemed to make sense). I actually like it better this way. Sometimes walnuts are a little too bitter for me. With pecans, this recipe is sort of reminiscent of pralines. Crunchy, chewy, buttery, delicious.
Chewy Pecan Squares *click here for printable version*
1 egg, unbeaten
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped pecans
Stir together egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Quickly stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Add pecans. Spread in greased 8" square pan. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes. Note: Recipe can easily be doubled, using a 9" x 13" pan and same oven temperature and baking time.
Note to self: When you unpack in your new kitchen, find the chopper as quickly as possible. Chopping nuts with a knife is possible, but not preferable.
I'm still struggling with using organic brown sugar. It gets very stale very quickly. And when I say stale, I mean rock hard. It also doesn't really "pack" in the way regular brown sugar does. I had to cook it in the microwave for 3 or 4 minutes just to get it to a point where I could measure it out. But, it seems to taste just fine, so I'll keep trying to work with it.
The batter is thick-ish and sticky and so is a little difficult to spread into the pan. But it puffs up nicely when it cooks.
Served the squares with vanilla ice cream. Yum.
(Please pardon the styrofoam. I took this to a family gathering and my family is nothing if not numerous. So, we don't really do the whole "fancy dinnerware" thing. Except on Thanksgiving.)
Anyway...
TGIP Rating--Chewy Pecan Squares--KEEPER (in fact, don't ever make them with walnuts again)
Next up: I move out of this house on Friday/Saturday. I pack up my kitchen Wednesday. This is definitely the most difficult part of the move for me. It's for less than a month, but boxing up my kitchen stuff and not being surrounded by it is, well, difficult. So...I bake at the Pie Queen's house this week. And I'm trying a modern version of a cake I've always heard about but never baked. In fact, I don't think I've ever eaten it. Red HOT Velvet Cake from the Baked cookbook. For St. Valentines' Day, you see.
1 comment:
I found a couple of links you may be interested in
http://www.sugarbearsinc.com/
and
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-brown-sugar-softener.htm
For help with the brown sugar. I have never tried one of these myself I usually just use a piece of bread to soften it.
Also, I made your scones the other day. Instead of smearing on butter after rolling it out I spread on puried peaches (baby food) instead. Then sprinkled on the dried cherries. It was so yummy! Everyone loved it and didn't mind the change at all (they may just be getting used to my quirky ways!)
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