Pecan Squares

I think I made these once or twice at 4238 Spruce, but they are amazing. My grandmother found the recipe in Taste of Home magazine (which is also amazing) and baked them one Thanksgiving, and I was hooked. I'll be making them to bring to Cas's tomorrow, so I just thought I'd share. Really, ridiculously good.


Pecan Squares Cookies
From Taste of Home

These bars are good for snacking when you're on the road or for taking to gatherings. They're different from ordinary dessert bars...if you love pecan pie, you'll likely find them irresistible! —Sylvia Ford Kennett, Missouri

INGREDIENTS

CRUST:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold butter

FILLING:
4 eggs
1-1/2 cups corn syrup
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups chopped pecans

SERVINGS
24
CATEGORY
Dessert
METHOD
Baked
PREP
10 min.
COOK
45 min.
TOTAL
55 min.

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly and evenly into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. For filling, in a bowl, combine the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla. Stir in pecans. Spread evenly over hot crust. Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Yield: 4 dozen.

NUTRITIONAL INFO
Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (2 each) equals 316 calories, 17 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 55 mg cholesterol, 133 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.

More Sweet Potatoes!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I do believe all of those exclamation points were necessary. This is the first time I've gotten two SFChronicle newsletters in a row with the same featured produce. And these recipes sound even better. Cas, gear yourself up for some serious kitchen experimentation. I'm making November National Sweet Potato Month - you heard it here first kids! - at least for the ladies of Let's Dish. Fortunately, we do span the entire nation, so it kind of works. I'm especially excited about the fritters recipe. Enjoy:

Sweet Potato & Parsnip Puree

This is a favorite recipe from Chronicle staff writer Janet Fletcher.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound Japanese or other yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 cup hot milk, or more as needed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS:

Using separate saucepans, boil the sweet potatoes and the parsnips in a large quantity of salted water until tender. The sweet potatoes will take about 25 minutes, the parsnips a little less.

Drain the vegetables, then puree together through a food mill into a clean saucepan. Add the butter, set the pan over moderately low heat, and stir until the butter melts. Stir in enough hot milk to achieve the consistency you like. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Serves 6

PER SERVING: 195 calories, 3 g protein, 30 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat (5 g saturated), 23 mg cholesterol, 41 mg sodium, 5 g fiber.

Spicy Corn & Sweet Potato Fritters

For something a little different, try sweet potato fritters as a starter. Fritters are eaten throughout Asia. In this adapted version from Chronicle contributor Mai Pham, inspired by both Vietnamese and Thai fritter recipes, the corn kernels are tangled in a nest of sweet potatoes. The key is to cut the vegetables very small so they cook up crisp.

INGREDIENTS:
1 egg
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups fresh corn kernels
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into very thin matchstick strips (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 yellow onion, halved, cut lengthwise into paper-thin slices and patted dry with paper towels
1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped cilantro
Vegetable oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS:

Whisk together the egg and water in a mixing bowl. Add the soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper flakes, flour and baking powder and mix well. Add the corn, sweet potato, onion and cilantro and toss until the ingredients are blended together.

Fill a frying pan with 1 inch of oil. Place over medium heat and heat to 350 degrees.

Place 2 tablespoons of the fritter mixture on a metal spatula. Using the side of a spoon, spread the mixture so it is about 1/4 inch thick. Gently push into the hot oil. Fry the fritter for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden on both sides, turning once. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining mixture, cooking only 3 or 4 fritters at a time. Keep the fritters warm in the oven until ready to serve.

Yields about 24 fritters

PER FRITTER: 52 calories, 1 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat (0 saturated), 9 mg cholesterol, 72 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.

Sweet Potatoes with Caramelized Mandarin Topping

From Georgeanne Brennan, Chronicle contributor.

Bake 3 or 4 sweet potatoes at 350 degrees until very soft, about 1 hour. Let cool a little, then scrape out the flesh. Mix the flesh with salt, pepper, about 2 tablespoons of grated ginger, mandarin zest and the juice of a mandarin. Put into a baking dish. Top with peeled slices of mandarins, sprinkle with brown sugar and dot with butter.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 15 minutes, or until the butter has melted and a slight crust has formed.

Notice they didn't include calorie counts here - I'm thinking it'll totally depend on the amount of those last two ingredients you use. But it sounds amazing, and an excellent side to a chicken breast main.

Sweet Potato Chiffon Pie

Sweet potatoes take the place of pumpkin in this holiday pie. Be sure to measure the powdered gelatin as envelope contents vary. Roasting the sweet potatoes and making the crust can be done a day ahead.

INGREDIENTS:

Almond Cookie Crust:
7 ounces vanilla wafers (about 56 cookies)
1/3 cup chopped blanched almonds
Pinch of ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Pie Filling:
2 large sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup (lightly packed) light brown sugar
3 egg yolks, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground ginger
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin (about 2 envelopes)
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 egg whites, room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Whipped cream and toasted almonds, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

To make the crust:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, process the vanilla wafers, almonds and cinnamon until finely ground. Place the crumbs in a bowl and add the melted butter. Mix until moist. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9 1/2- or 10-inch pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool.

To make the filling:
Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Roast the sweet potatoes until tender, about 45-60 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and pass through a food mill or ricer. You should have about 2 cups.)

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the sweet potato puree, cream, brown sugar, egg yolks, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Whisk to blend. Stir until the mixture reaches 140 degrees on a thermometer. Remove from heat.

Pour the water into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over and let stand until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Heat over medium heat until the gelatin dissolves, about 2 minutes. Whisk the gelatin mixture and the vanilla into the sweet potato mixture. Pour the mixture into a bowl and place the bowl inside a larger bowl filled with ice and water. Cool until chilled, stirring and scraping the sides occasionally with a rubber spatula, about 30-40 minutes.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form. Fold the beaten egg whites into the chilled mixture in three additions. Pour the filling into the baked shell. Press plastic wrap onto the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Remove the pie from the refrigerator 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a few toasted almonds, if desired.

Serves 8-10

PER SERVING: 454 calories, 7 g protein, 43 g carbohydrate, 29 g fat (14 g saturated), 143 mg cholesterol, 118 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.

This sounds like a very elaborate, but very impressive dish to bring to a holiday feast, potluck or party.

Another thing to make later

So Cas and I have been going through a bit of a sweet potato fry phase (it's been glorious!) and this recipe popped up the SFChronicle Food & Wine newsletter. Sounds like something all of us could easily do for a quick weeknight meal, so I thought I'd share.

Chicken Breasts with Sweet Potato Fries

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds unpeeled jewel or orange-skinned sweet potatoes
2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt
4 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary (optional)
4 boneless, skinless chicken half breasts, about 6 ounces each

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 425° and place a rack in the bottom third of the oven close to the heating element. Coat a large, heavy-duty baking sheet with vegetable oil.

Cut the potatoes in half width-wise (not length-wise), then cut each half into triangular wedges about 1/2 inch thick at the widest point. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet, then sprinkle with a little more seasoning salt to taste (the intensity of the flavor will vary depending on the brand). Drape the herb sprigs, if using them, on top of the potato wedges.

Roast the potatoes until browned on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes, then turn the potatoes and roast until tender, golden brown and blistered, 12 to 15 minutes more. Watch carefully to prevent them from burning. Discard the herbs, or reserve them to use as a garnish.

While the potatoes are cooking, season the chicken with the remaining 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons seasoning salt. Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in a large ovenproof nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and saute until browned, about 5 minutes, then turn the chicken over and saute for a few minutes more. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast until the chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving with the sweet potatoes, garnished with the reserved herb sprigs, if you like.

Serves 4

PER SERVING: 405 calories, 42 g protein, 40 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat (1 g saturated), 99 mg cholesterol, 905 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.