Italian Cream Cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 egg yolks
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 7-ounce coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans from Louisville Pecan Co.
• 5 egg whites (stiffly beaten)

Instructions

Cream shortening and margarine till fluffy. Add sugar and beat until mixture is smooth. Add egg yolks and beat well. Sift flour and soda and then add to creamed mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Stir in vanilla, coconut, and nuts.  Fold in egg whites. Pour batter into 3 greased and floured 9" cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  When layers are cool, frost with the following frosting.

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Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 box (1 lb.) sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans from Louisville Pecan Co.

Instructions

Beat cream cheese and margarine until smooth. Gradually add confectioners' sugar and mix well. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Stir in pecans. Spread between layers, on sides and on top.

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Blueberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients

• 2 Eggs
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
• 3 tbs. sour cream
• 1 box "Butter Recipe" or Yellow Cake Mix
• 2 cups blueberries
• 1 cup pecan pieces

Instructions

Beat eggs, oil and cream cheese at medium speed of electric mixer till mixed well. Stir in cake mix and sour cream at low speed, just until mixed. Add blueberries and pecans and stir by hand just til mixed

Bake in greased and floured tube or bundt pan at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Do not overbake.

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Rhonda's Pecan Pie

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup good quality margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbs. all purpose flour mixed in with sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup pecan pieces

Instructions

Melt margarine in microwave. Stir in eggs with wire whisk. Pour into 8-inch unbaked pie shell. Bake in 325 degree oven about 1 hr + 15 minutes or until pie is golden brown on top. Pie is done when top begins to crack about 1 inch from edges. Pie will continue to "set-up" as it cools.

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Roasted/Salted Pecans

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 lb. Louisville pecans
• salt to taste

Instructions

In a heavy skillet over medium heat, melt the margarine. Add the Louisville pecan halves. Fold the Louisville Pecans gently into the melted butter to coat. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.

Place the skillet in a 325 degree oven over 20 minutes. During this 20 minutes, take the skillet out every 5 minutes and toss the pecans gently to re-coat with the butter. Sprinkle with additional salt and taste for saltiness each time. After 20 minutes, remove pecans from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels with newspaper underneath. (Do not pour salt and butter remaining in the skillet over the pecans. They will be too salty!

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Pecan Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 whole chicken breasts
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 8 oz. fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 small onion or 6 green onions, diced
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cup finely diced Louisville pecans
• 1 cup fine bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 2 tbs. butter
• 4 oz. sour cream
• 1 tbs. spicy brown mustard
• 1 tbs. fresh thyme

Instructions

On hard surface with meat mallet, pound chicken to 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté mushrooms and onions in butter. Cool. Mix with sour cream, mustard and thyme. Divide into 4 equal portions and spread on each piece of chicken. Fold over and roll up, pressing edges to seal. Mix pecans, bread crumbs, and parsley in bowl. Dip chicken into butter, then into crumbs. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

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Chocolate Pecan Pie

Ingredients

• 1 9 inch pie shell
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels (6 oz.)
• 2 cups chopped Louisville pecans
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Sprinkle chocolate morsels evenly over bottom of pie shell. Top with Louisville pecans. Mix eggs, sugar, corn syrup, butter, and vanilla and pour over the morsels and nuts. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until golden. Cool at least 30 minutes before slicing.

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