We did it. I can’t believe it’s true, but we planted two pecan trees in our yard. We spotted them at Lowe’s in late September and selected a Sumner Pecan and a Stuart Pecan. We are slightly north of the growing zone for the Sumner, but our area has mild winters so it should do well. Pecan trees need another variety nearby to produce, and we planted these within 30 feet of each other. They got a little dry at one point and we were worried we might lose them, but it looks like they have taken to their new home. They don’t look like much right now, just a couple sticks about five feet (152 cm) tall since they lost their leaves, but they are full of promise, I can feel it. We have hopeful visions of harvesting pounds and pounds of pecans in about eight years. Yes it will be a long wait, but if the trees produce then my dream to grow our own pecans will be fulfilled.

And what better use for pecans than to make a pecan pie? Pecan pie is a favorite on my side of the family—we are Southerners, after all—and you can always find at our Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. I’ve tasted plenty of pecan pie over the years, and this recipe with bourbon and chocolate is still my favorite. This year we tried it with a whole wheat crust and loved the combination. Pecan pie is a bit hearty anyway, and the crust really seemed to match the pie well. This will be our go-to crust for pecan pie from now on.

For Thanksgiving preparations, you can make this up to a day ahead and save yourself a little work on the big day.

BOURBON CHOCOLATE PECAN PIE WITH WHOLE WHEAT CRUST

Makes 1 (9-inch) pie.

Equipment

9-inch pie pan
baking sheet
medium bowl

Ingredients

1 recipe whole wheat pie dough
3/4 cup (75 g) chopped pecans
50 pecan halves
3/4 cup (131 g) semisweet chocolate chips
3 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup (58 g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (36 g) dark brown sugar
1/3 cup (80 ml) golden syrup or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons bourbon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F/165° C. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to rest about 15 to 30 minutes, until it has warmed up and is easy to roll.

2. Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle, then place it in the pie pan. Carefully press it into place and crimp the edge. Put the pie back in the refrigerator while you prep the rest of the ingredients, about 15 minutes. You want the dough to chill a bit before baking so it doesn’t shrink up in the oven.

3. Roast the pecan halves and bits on a baking sheet for about 5 minutes. Remove and cool.

4. Sprinkle the chocolate chips in the bottom, then add the chopped pecans, and finally arrange the pecan halves on top.

5. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, golden syrup, bourbon, vanilla, and salt. Pour the filling over the pecans, making sure all of the pecans are coated in the mixture.

6. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the filling is set and the crust is deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Variations

You can also use a traditional white flour pie crust.

You can also use coffee liqueur (i.e. Kahlua) instead of bourbon.

More Thanksgiving Day Treats

More Pecan Recipes From Around the Blogs

Farmgirl Fare – Spicy Pecan Muffins

The Well-Seasoned Cook – Quick Pecan Salad

101 Cookbooks – Toasted Pecan Toffee

Closet Cooking – Brussel Sprouts with Bacon, Cranberries, and Pecans

[The Green Valley Pecan Company Pecan Store sent me a small sample of pecans, but I was under no obligation to mention their product. I used them in this pie and thought they tasted very good and fresh.]

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Here are a few of our favorite summer cookout foods to help you plan your holiday menu. Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

Barbecued Ribs

Tequila Lime Chicken Fajitas

Grilled Potatoes with Garlic and Herbs

Salt Potatoes

Slow-Cooker Four Bean Baked Beans

Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Confetti Rice Salad

Rhubarb Pie

Key Lime Pie

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Best wishes for a happy Father’s Day!

Blueberry Muffins

Chicago-Style Stuffed Pizza

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Moroccan-Style Chicken and Lentils

Inside-Out German Chocolate Cake

Maine Blueberry Pie

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ON THE GRILL

Greek Burger (or any other kind of burger)

Barbecued Ribs

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

Lemon Herb Marinated Chicken

Grilled Pizza (with anything you want to put on top)

ON THE SIDE

Salt Potatoes

Asian Cabbage Salad

Tabouleh

Red Potato Salad

SIPPING

Arancello

Sangria

Sweet Iced Tea

FOR YOUR SWEET TOOTH

Key Lime Pie

Mini Chocolate Pecan Pies

Oatmeal Caramelitas

Fresh Mint Ice Cream

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Breakfast/Brunch

Orange Blueberry Muffins

Fried Apple Crepes

Cinnamon Buns

Cherry and Sour Cream Scones

Crustless Quiche (gluten-free)

Appetizers

Shrimp and Mushroom Tapa (gluten-free)

Shrimp in Garlic Tapa (gluten-free)

Crab Cakes with Roasted Pepper Chive Aioli

Main Dishes

Chicken with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Shallots, and Thyme (gluten-free)

Pork Loins with Balsamic Honey Glaze (gluten-free)

Vegetable Paella (vegan, gluten-free)

Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Herb Crepes

Sides & Salads

Roasted Asparagus with Orange Ginger Glaze (vegan, gluten-free)

Sautéed Spinach (vegan, gluten-free)

Cantaloupe Strawberry Salad with Lime Syrup and Mint (vegan, gluten-free)

Confetti Rice Salad (vegan, gluten-free)

Desserts

Strawberries and Cream with Macaroons

Dorie Greenspan’s Perfect Party Cake

Strawberry Cream Tart

Chocolate Mousse (gluten-free)

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Roasted Green Tomatillo Salsa

Roasted Tomatillo Jalapeno Salsa with Avocado

Guacamole (not spicy)

Tequila Lime Chicken

Grilled Fish Tacos with Mango-Avocado Salsa

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sangria

White Sangria

Rhubarb Margarita (I realize this one is a stretch, but try it!)

Mango-Lime Ice (Nieve de Mango con Limon)

Thanks for reading Andrea’s Recipes through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2009 Andrea’s Recipes.

Happy Easter from our family to yours!

Roast Leg of Lamb with Cracked Peppercorns and Herbs

Roasted Asparagus

Brown Butter Green Beans with Almonds

Green Bean Casserole

Baked Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Herbs

Red Potato Salad

Hot Rolls

Yogurt Fantail Rolls

Butter Lamb

Easter Bunny Cake

Filled Chocolate Easter Eggs

Grandma’s Coconut Cake

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Beef stew is one of my favorite comfort foods, both for the wonderful flavor and the ease of preparation. I saw this recipe at Epicurious a couple years ago and then saw Elise’s notes on how they used some red wine and Guinness Stout in place of some of the beef stock, an idea that definitely appealed to me. For my own touches, I added a pound of beef soup bones for extra flavor, used Yukon Gold potatoes instead of russet, and of course used fresh thyme from our garden. Though it’s not strictly traditional, this recipe has become a St. Patrick’s Day tradition for our family, a stew we look forward to every year.

IRISH BEEF STEW

Makes about 4 quarts/liters.

Equipment

8-quart heavy pot with lid
6-quart heavy pot

Ingredients

1/4 cup (60 ml) canola oil
1-1/4 pounds (567 g) stew beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound (454 g) beef soup bones (Ask your local butcher.)
6 large garlic cloves, minced
6 cups (1.44 liters) beef stock or canned beef broth
1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine
1 cup (240 ml) Guinness Stout
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon raw sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh thyme, rinsed (I drop it in whole and remove the stems later.), or 1 tablespoon dry
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons butter
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I don’t peel, but you can if desired.)
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I don’t peel, but you can if desired.)
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. In the 8-quart pot, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef soup bones and the meat. Cook until brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

2. Add the beef stock, wine, Guinness, tomato paste, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and bay leaves, then stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cook covered at a simmer for about 1 hour.

3. While the soup simmers, melt the butter in the 6-quart pot. Add the prepared potatoes, onion, and carrots. Saute until the vegetables are golden, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside until the soup has simmered for 1 hour.

4. Remove the bones from the stew. Add the potatoes, carrots, and onions. Simmer uncovered until the vegetables and beef are tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems, then skim the fat off the surface. Season to taste with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.

5. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle fresh parsley on top, then serve.

Make Ahead Notes

You can make this up to 2 days ahead of time. Skim the cold fat off the top before pouring into the pot. Bring to a simmer and serve.

More Soup and Stew Recipes

More Irish Stew Recipes From Around the Blogs

Closet Cooking – Irish Lamb Stew

Family Cooking with Chef Mom – Irish Stew of Ballymaloe

FatFree Vegan Kitchen – Irish White Bean and Cabbage Stew

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Source: adapted from Simply Recipes who adapted from Bon Appetit

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Irish Soda Bread

Irish Freckle Bread

Guinness Gingerbread

Guinness Milk Chocolate Ice Cream

St. Patrick’s Day Ideas From Around the Blogs

Simply Recipes – Irish Beef Stew

Kitchen Parade – Caraway Corned Beef

Karina’s Kitchen – Colcannon

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I realize this is not a traditional St. Patrick’s Day recipe by any means, but it is a tasty way to use Guinness Stout, the king of Irish stouts, in your baking. Guinness and chocolate are a perfect pair, and they work especially well with the spicy ginger, pepper, and smoky cinnamon. The gingerbread only takes a few minutes to mix up, so it’s a quick and easy dessert to serve at a St. Patrick’s Day celebration or any time of year.

The gingerbread was a hit at our house and Michael even said it was the best gingerbread he’d ever tasted as he went back for seconds. The flavor and moistness kept us coming back for more.

More Recipes For St. Patrick’s Day

GUINNESS GINGERBREAD

Makes 1 9×9-inch cake.

Equipment

9×9-inch baking pan, buttered and floured
small glass measuring cup or mixing bowl
medium mixing bowl
large mixing bowl
stand mixer with whisk attachment (or hand mixer and medium bowl)

Ingredients

CAKE
2/3 cup (160 ml) Guinness Stout
2 cups (240 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (I use Droste.)
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2-1/4 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (88 g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (37 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup (160 ml) molasses
3/4 cup (180 ml) canola oil

WHIPPED CREAM
1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon + 1-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Preparation

1. Place rack in center of the oven and preheat to 350° F/175° C.

2. CAKE: In the microwave, warm the Guinness Stout in the glass measuring cup, or you can warm it on the stove in a small sauce pan. Bring just to a simmer then remove from heat.

3. In the medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ginger, white pepper, and cinnamon.

4. In the large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and molasses until smooth. Add the canola oil and whisk until thoroughly combined.

5. Add the dry ingredients alternating with the beer (dry, beer, dry, beer, dry). Whisk as you add, then mix at the end just until combined. Do not overmix.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Place cake pan on a wire rack to cool.

7. WHIPPED CREAM: In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat the heavy cream and vanilla on medium speed until fluffy. Slowly add the sugar in a steady stream and continue beating until the cream forms medium-stiff peaks.

8. Serve while still warm with a dollop of the whipped cream on top.

References

Wikipedia – Guinness stout

More Recipes Using Guinness From Around the Blogs

Simply Recipes – Guinness Bread with Molasses

Pinch My Salt – Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Noble Pig – Guinness Stout Chocolate Layer Cake

Steamy Kitchen – Aged Cheddar and Guinness Fondue

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Source: adapted from The Sweet Melissa Baking Book, by Melissa Murphy

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