Spicy Pecans

This is the recipe I use for the Pecans I put on my Strawberry salad!
These have a kick but my 11 yr old daughter can't keep her hands off of them!

I most usually double or triple this recipe!


 Spiced Pecans:
1/4 cup Sugar
1 cup warm water
1 cup pecans

soak for 10 minutes

Drain and Discard Syrup

Combine:
2 T Sugar
1 T Chili Powder
1/8 t. ground red pepper

toss with nuts.

Bake 30 minutes at 350- turning very often. ( I tend to turn these every 7 minutes - this insures that I don't overcook them, because no one likes them burnt!)

Brown Beans (Grandma Branhams way)

  

Sort a pound of pinto beans removing all the split beans as well as any little rocks that may have been in the bag.

Soak the beans over night in a stock pot of water.
This is the type of bean that Grandma would remove. She would throw that out!
Rinse the old water that the beans have been soaking in all night OFF!  Pour in fresh  new water - a couple inches above the bean line.

Cut the top off of a bell pepper just to open up the flavor.  Place the entire pepper, seeds and all still attached inside the stock pot of beans.
Put in a ham hock, and season with lots of salt and pepper!
Also add a couple teaspoons of baking soda. (it helps trust me)









Boil the beans good for an hour or so, and then simmer all afternoon.  Serve them with Jiffy Cornbread Mix and Fried Potatoes and Onions and you have yourself a meal!

California Sisters Salad

I promised you that I would bring you this amazing salad recipe, and here it is.  While spending time with my parents this weekend they have taken the Spiced Pecan Strawberry Salad to an amazing place.  While in California they were served this amazing version. The dressing  It is actually completely different except for the greens, strawberries & spiced  pecans!
So here is is the totally kicked up version!

For your salad greens, do a rough chop of Boston Lettuce and combine with a container of Baby Greens.
Thinly slice some red onion, paper thin if possible.
Slice up a fresh Pineapple, Several Kiwi's, and a pint of Strawberries. (not pictured here but also a part of this salad are Fresh Blueberries).
Make up a triple batch of Spiced Pecans.



Now for the dressing:
Combine 1 Cup Mayonaise
1/2 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Poppyseeds
1/4 cup of Strawberry Preserves (or simply fruit strawberry's)
Mix all these together very well and refrigerate before serving!