4 Easy Pecan Holiday Treats as featured in KANSAS! Magazine

Check out the latest KANSAS! Magazine (2023 / vol 79 / issue 1 / pp. 26-31) for information about fresh, Kansas grown pecan! Kenny Felt’s pecan  photographs are amazing.

                 The magazine is full of ideas for holiday shopping and family excursions. 

Below are their recipes—perfect for the holidays, and easy, too! I’ve also included contact info for each pecan grower that was included in my article on pecans . . . so you’ll have easy ordering access. 

EASY PRETZEL TURTLES   Yield: 30 candies

A kid-friendly candy that Lila Carter makes with 

her grandchildren using Jake Creek Pecans.

INGREDIENTS

30 Rolo® chocolate covered caramel candies, unwrapped

30 square-shaped waffle pretzels 

30 pecan halves, toasted*

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up. 

2.  Place the pretzels on baking sheet and top each one with a candy.

3.  Bake in oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chocolate just begins to melt. The candy should be soft but not completely melted.

4.  Remove from oven, place on cooling rack and immediately squish the chocolate with a pecan half. 

* To Toast Pecans: Bake in a 350 degree F. oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir or shake the pan occasionally so the nuts brown evenly without burning. Watch closely as the oil in the nuts can cause them to burn. Toasting adds another layer of flavor to pecans. 

Note: Due to their high oil content, raw and toasted pecans stay freshest if stored in the refrigerator or freezer in sealed containers.

Jake Creek Pecans Orchard

Owners: Brad and Lila Carter

Address: 11469 W 335^th St., Paola, KS 66071

Phone: 913.406.2501

On-line store: jake-creek-pecans.square.site

Webpage: Jakecreekpecans.com

Facebook & Instagram: Jake Creek Pecans 

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SUGAR COATED PECANS    Yield: 1 pound 

Slina 

Prothe uses Prothe Pecans to create these crunchy, sweet holiday treats.

INGREDIENTS

1 egg white

1 tablespoon water

1 cup granulated (white) sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pound pecan halves

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Grease or spray one standard-sized baking sheet.

2.  In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy. 

3.  In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

4.  Add pecans to egg whites; stir to evenly coat the nuts. 

5.  Remove and add them to the sugar mixture; toss them in the mixture until coated.

6.  Spread nuts in a flat layer on prepared baking sheet.

7.  Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

8.  Cool and store in an airtight container. 

 

TOASTED, SALTED PECANS    Yield: 1 pound 

Recipe from Slina Prothe, Prothe Pecans. 

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons vegetable or pecan oil

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound pecan halves

Salt to taste

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Place oil and butter on a standard-sized baking sheet with sides; place in a preheated 250 degree F. just until butter melts. 

2.  Mix pecans and salt with the oil and butter. Spread nuts in a flat layer on prepared baking sheet.

3.  Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  

4.  Cool and store in an airtight container. 

 

Prothes Pecans

Owners: Leland and Slina Prothe

Address: 33850 Victory Rd Paola, KS 66071

Phone: 913.849.3358  

Webpage: prothespecans.com 

Facebook: Prothes Pecans

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SPICY HOT PECANS

Kendall Grier’s family adds Bentley Farm pecans to saucy and spicy ingredients to create a savory holiday treat. 

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups pecan halves

1 tablespoon chili powder, or cayenne pepper for hotter mix. 

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

2.   Mix ingredients in a resealable plastic bag and shake.

3.   Spread coated pecans on a medium-sized baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring approximately every 10 minutes.

 

Bentley Pecan Farm

Owner: Kendall Grier 

Address: 1216 Chestnut, Halstead, KS 67056 

Phone: 316.209.4588

Facebook: Bentley Pecan Farm

 

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Circle's Pecans & Country Store

Owners: Tom and Barbara Circle

Address: 2499 US HWY 400 McCune, KS 66753

Phone: 620.632.4382 

Webpage: kansaspecans.com

Facebook: Circle’s Pecans & Country Store

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Osage Ridge Farm 

Owners: Travis and Rhea Wilson

Address: 18090 Xavier Rd, Oswego, KS 67356

Phone: 620.238.2965

Email: osageridgefarm@gmail.com

Facebook: Osage Ridge Farm

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes – festive, healthy, easy and tasty, too!

On a healthy eating quest, I have tried some recipes that are edible but not worth a repeat performance. These healthy pumpkin pancakes passed the taste test making them blog worthy! Besides that, they are simple. Found the recipe on ambitiouskitchen.com blog. I did cut the ingredients in half creating two moist and tender plate size pancakes that are full and spice, and naturally sweetened. 

We served them with homemade applesauce (without no additional sweetener), chopped pecans, and maple syrup . . . and a few pomegranate seeds since they are in season and we had some on hand. 

 

Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancake

Makes 6 pancakes total. Serves 3 (2 pancakes each)

 

3/4 cup pumpkin puree, freshly made or pumpkin pie filling without sugar & spices

2 large eggs

2/3 cup milk (regular, almond, etc.)

2 teaspoons vanilla 

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

Olive oil, for cooking

1. Add all of the ingredients to a blender (or food processor) and blend on high until completely smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
2. Lightly coat a griddle with c oil and place over a medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add about 1/3 cup of the batter to the griddle for each pancake; the batter may be thick so you'll need to use a spoon to spread out the batter a bit. It will get thicker as it sits so be sure to cook these pancakes immediately after blending. Cook for 2 to 4 minutes until pancakes slightly puff up and you see a few bubbles along the edges.

3. Flip cakes and cook until golden brown on underside. If you find that pancakes are browning too quickly, then you need to lower the heat. 

Note: Instead of individual spices, use 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.

Healthy Fall Applesauce Parfait

Attempting to reduce our reliance on refined sugars, I’ve been making natural applesauce. This is a fanciful version that was pleasing to both the eyes and the palate. 

Healthy Fall Applesauce Parfait

Apples, cored & cut into chunks with the skins left on

A small amount of water, apple juice or apple cider (just a couple of tablespoons for 4 to 6 apples; the apples release their own natural juices as they cook)

 

Optional Flavorings:

Spices: add a cinnamon stick (or part of one) to apples at the beginning of the cooking period or add ground cinnamon and possibly some nutmeg as apples are blended

Honey: use only if needed for added sweetness

 

Optional Toppings:

Yogurt flavored with honey

Pomegranate seeds

Coarsely chopped walnuts 

1. Add prepared apples and a little water or juice to a saucepan or slow cooker (add cinnamon stick if using). If using saucepan, cover and cook on low until apples are tender. If using slow cooker, add ingredients to ceramic bowl and cook on high for a couple of hours or on low for about four hours. Test apples to make sure they are tender.
   
   
   
   
2. Cool and then add to the work bowl of a blender, blend until smooth. (Very small chunks of skin may remain.)
   
3. Taste and flavor with spices and honey if desired.
4. To create a parfait — add chilled applesauce to a parfait or juice glass. Top with honeyed yogurt, pomegranate seeds and walnuts. Or, add other toppings of your choice.  

Recipe without photos . . . Healthy Fall Applesauce Parfait

Apples, cored & cut into chunks with the skins left on

A small amount of water, apple juice or apple cider (just a couple of tablespoons for 4 to 6 apples; the apples release their own natural juices as they cook)

 

Optional Flavorings:

Spices: add a cinnamon stick (or part of one) to apples at the beginning of the cooking period or add ground cinnamon and possibly some nutmeg as apples are blended

Honey: use only if needed for added sweetness

 

Optional Toppings:

Yogurt flavored with honey

Pomegranate seeds

Coarsely chopped walnuts 

1. Add prepared apples and a little water or juice to a saucepan or slow cooker (add cinnamon stick if using). If using saucepan, cover and cook on low until apples are tender. If using slow cooker, add ingredients to ceramic bowl and cook on high for a couple of hours or on low for about four hours. Test apples to make sure they are tender.
2. Cool and then add to the work bowl of a blender, blend until smooth. (Very small chunks of skin may remain.)
3. Taste and flavor with spices and honey if desired.
4. To create a parfait — add chilled applesauce to a parfait or juice glass. Top with honeyed yogurt, pomegranate seeds and walnuts. Or, add other toppings of your choice.