Author Archives: Nancy

SWEDISH NUTS

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With the holidays, comes an invasion of nutcrackers.  They stare blankly ahead, grinning while gracing tables and guarding doorways.  Let’s be honest — they’re the creepy clowns of Christmas.

When my children were young, we took them to see the annual production of The Nutcracker.  My 5-year old daughter looked beautiful in her flowing fancy dress, and my 3-year old son looked precious in his tweed blazer — I was so proud of my young family.  The sets were gorgeous, the costumes stunning, and . . . my kids were just too young to appreciate it.  They fidgeted and whispered questions.  We could sense that the people in front of us were mildly irritated.  OK. really irritated.  At intermission, the redneck-looking guy in front of us turned around and said something like, “Could you control your kids?  I paid $______ for these tickets.”  (Doesn’t he know it’s impolite to talk about money, and besides, he probably used a Groupon.)  We took the kids out to the lobby and got them a drink and some candy, and went back for the second act.  Unfortunately, my son was still fidgety, and as he squirmed, he dropped one of his Skittles and it rolled down the theater floor — ping ping ping.  Then he did it again — ping ping ping.  Before the redneck’s head popped off, I picked up my son to move him to my lap, and during the transfer, the entire bag of Skittles emptied out and rolled down the theater floor.  It sounded like soft rain — ch ch ch ch ch.  At which point my husband stood up and said “Get up, we’re leaving.”  Now, when my friends tell me they are going to The Nutcracker, I have to try very hard not to laugh.  Y’all have fun.

But just because I don’t enjoy The Nutcracker doesn’t mean that I don’t like cracked nuts.  A few years ago my neighbor brought us Swedish Nuts as a holiday treat.  We loved these nuts!  I hounded her for the recipe, and I am happy to be able share it.  These are easy and really delicious (how could they not be with all that butter and sugar), and by far my most anticipated homemade holiday gift — be sure to make an extra batch for yourself!

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SWEDISH NUTS
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizers, Snacks
 
Ingredients
  • ½ cup butter
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 pound pecan halves
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
  2. Beat egg whites with an electric mixture until stiff. Stir in brown sugar and salt, mixing until completely combined. Add the pecans and stir until all nuts are completely coated.
  3. Place butter on a cookie sheet, and place in oven until butter is melted. Pour nuts onto cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet, breaking up any nuts that have stuck together. Can be stored in refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container.

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Stir until all the pecans are coated

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Ready for to go in the oven

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After 15 minutes

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After 30 minutes

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Done!

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A perfect holiday treat

 

CLAFOUTIS

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This month I’ve heard about France more than usual.  First, there was Bastille Day, the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille in 1789.  Not being French, I don’t celebrate this holiday, but when I worked in Manhattan, my law firm had a French office, and held a Bastille Day happy hour every year.  This, however, was largely viewed as an opportunity to announce your availability to work late, and thus, was usually poorly attended because it wasn’t worth risking your evening for a little brie and cheap wine.  Perhaps a better way to celebrate might have just been to set out in the kitchen a “Best Deal” cake from the nearest French bakery, like this disaster from a French bakery here in Houston:

French fail

Next was the World Cup, which culminated with France’s win.  Pretty exciting, if you were rooting for France.

And then there’s the annual Tour de France with its spandex rainbow of superhuman zero-bodyfat cyclist bots, which started on July 7.  My husband follows it, and I watch it with him until I get bored, which is usually pretty early on.

But wait, there’s more!  My friend treated me to a cooking class at Sur La Table.  We really enjoyed the class and our instructor Nick, who talked nonstop and was just full of information.

We made a chicken thigh dish, a fabulous summer squash salad, and clafoutis — a baked French dessert with fruit, traditionally black cherries, arranged in a buttered dish and covered with a thick flan-like batter.  I’d made clafoutis once before, and it came out dry as dust.  This one, served warm out of the oven, custardy and bursting with tart raspberries, was my favorite dish of the evening.  I couldn’t wait to make it at home — in fact I made two and brought one to a neighbor — where it was a hit.  I’m in love with this dessert — it’s quick and easy to make, and is a comforting end to a meal that makes excellent use of summer produce.  If you’re feeling indulgent, serve it dusted with powdered sugar and a side of vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream — just make sure you serve it warm, when it is at its best.  And so, to wrap up all the France-ness July brought, here is the recipe for clafoutis, for you to bring a little ooh-la-la to your table.

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CLAFOUTIS
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
 
Ingredients
  • For the batter:
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ⅔ cup flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • For the fruit:
  • 1 cup fresh fruit -- pitted cherries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla-flavored sugar* (can also use regular or turbinado sugar)
  • *To make vanilla-flavored sugar, cut a vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Place 2 cups of sugar in a food processor and add the seeds. Pulse until combined. Store in a glass jar. (Tip: Add the scraped vanilla bean to a container of sugar to infuse the sugar with the vanilla flavor.)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and position oven rack in center of oven. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and set aside.
  2. To prepare batter: Add milk, eggs, and vanilla in a food processor or blender, and process until well combined. Add the sugar and blend until smooth. Drizzle in the melted butter and blend until smooth. Add the flour and salt and continue blending until smooth.
  3. To prepare the fruit: In a medium bowl, combine the fruit, flour, and sugar, tossing to lightly coat the fruit. Set aside.
  4. To prepare the clafoutis: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and arrange the fruit over the top, shaking off any excess flour from the fruit. Sprinkle the vanilla sugar over the top. Bake until clafoutis is golden brown and set in the center, approximately 25-30 minutes. The clafoutis will puff up during baking and fall as it cools. Serve warm.

Ready for the oven

Easy, comforting, and delicious