Brazilian Colonel Cake

This recipe makes me very, very happy.

Just look at its Brazil-nutty goodness!

I love Brazil nuts. Before moving to New England I would buy them pre-shelled in the bulk section of a nearby Wegmans über grocery store (go Wegmans!). The stores in my new little town don't carry them.

But now, thanks to THIS recipe, I can stock up while the nuts are plentiful at Christmas time, and shell them in a big batch!

Can you say WOOT?!?

And while I'm nattering on about nuts, I've got a complaint to make.

When I Google Brazil nut recipes, it comes up with a measly 271,000 results. Contrast that with pecan recipes which get 13,800,000. Walnut recipes come in at 14,400,000.

Why, oh why?

Yes, they are a bit hard to shell. But I'm sure it's more an issue of cost and availability. Brazil nuts are grown in rain forests, of which the U.S. has few. They also apparently require special bee-attracting orchids for pollination.

Sigh...

Guess it's time to build a bio-dome in the back yard. Can't put it off forever.

And while I'm waiting for it to be finished, and for the trees to reach maturity, and for the orchids to thrive, I'll read this little booklet and plan what to make from the fruits of all this labor:

Colonel Nut, I salute you!

Angel Pie with a Bite

Cranberry that is!

I'm beginning to think the term "Angel Pie" is used for a wide variety of pie types.

This recipe has several of my favorite flavors; orange, cranberry, and walnuts.

Here's a blown up version of the recipe:

When I make this, I think I'll substitute orange juice for the boiling water and added some orange zest to boost the orangeyness. And I'm not sure I'd want to disrupt the filling with the texture of walnuts.

Soaking in Jell-o does weird things to nuts.

I think I'd just work the nuts into the crumb crust instead.

But that's the way I roll; if a recipe ain't broke, mess with it.

Chocolate Nut Drops? You Decide.

This recipe is undoubtedly tasty. How can you go wrong with chocolate, walnuts, and icing?

But I have to admit, in a week in which my naughty puppy unscrewed the lid of a 1/2 full jar of dry roasted peanuts and consumed them, the picture brought to mind something else:

Go reindeer!

Rejoice! Saltine Toffee Crispy Bits

I got this recipe from a church lady years back, and made it with my kids in the early 2000's to give as Christmas gifts. It is easy, and absolutely delicious.

Saltine Toffee Crispy Bits

1 1/2 sleeves of saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts 

Cover a rimmed cookie sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray. Arrange the crackers to completely cover the cookie sheet. Melt butter and sugar in a saucepan until foamy (about 3 minutes). Pour the syrup over the crackers and spread with a spatula to coat. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Do not overcook! Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Return to oven for another few minutes to soften the chips, then spread to cover the entire top. While chocolate is still soft, sprinkle nuts over top and press in lightly. Let cool and refrigerate until hardened.

Admittedly, I am afraid of boiling sugar, I but pushed through it, and it was worth the confrontation. Several steps are not suited for little kidlets, but they can certainly help with measuring, arranging the saltines, and breaking up the candy when it's done.

Variations of this recipe substitute pecans or almonds for the walnuts, or use varying amounts of chocolate, toffee bits, etc. My advice: try this version once and you'll be addicted, then move on to variants.

I couldn't find an old-timey version of the recipe, but I did find some groovy saltine ads for you.

Happy candy making!

Where have all the puddings gone? (Auntie's Date-Apple Pudding)

Something happened in the dessert world during the 1970s.

Something earth shattering. Pole shifting. Cataclysmic.

And yet something so subtle we didn't even notice it happening.

For some reason, we stopped making pudding. (If I was a betting woman, I'd wager that Bill Cosby had something to do with it.)

Pudding as an ubiquitous dessert option virtually ceased to exist in any form other than what comes from a box. Eventually you didn't even need a stove.

I've tried to fight the trend in small ways. I made tapioca pudding from scratch the other day, recognizing that it was a small splash of rebellion against a tidal wave of change. And I may grow even more daring, and try a recipe like the one below, despite having no knowledge whatsoever of who "Auntie" might be.

What's the worst that could happen? JELL-O brand takes a contract out on me?

Auntie's Date-Apple Pudding

A butterschotchy pudding rich in apples, dates, and nuts.

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 1/4 cups water

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup chopped apples

2 tbsp. butter

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1 cup broken walnuts

Mix brown sugar and cornstarch in 2-qt. saucepan. Gradually stir in water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils; boil 1 min. Add dates, apples, butter, and vanilla. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature, add nuts, then chill. Serve in sherbet glasses. Top with whipped cream, if desired. 6 to 8 servings.