Buttery Pecan Date Spread Food

PECAN DATE BUTTER

Steps:

• Place pecans in a dry saute pan and over medium heat toast until browned. Toss often (every ten seconds or so) so they don't burn. As soon as they are toasted, pour out of the hot pan onto a plate or small sheet tray to cool. Let cool completely to room temperature.
• Check to make that all of the dates are in fact pitted. I found out the hard way that sometimes a few unpitted dates get mixed in.
• Place the dates in the bowl of a food processor along with the oil and puree until smooth. With my high-speed food processor, it took about a minute or two to get the dates to a gummy consistency.
• Remove the pureed date mixture to a small bowl.
• In the same food processor bowl, add the now cooled pecans. Process in 15 second blasts, removing the cover for a second to release heat. I found out through trial and error that if you just let it go, the heat from friction and the food processor motor will heat the nuts and separate the oil from the nut solids. Once that happens, there is nothing you can do to correct it and you must start over.
• Keep pulsing for 15 seconds and eventually the nuts will go from pieces to ground, to a fine ground and finally to a smooth creamy consistency. To get mine to a smooth creamy consistency took about 2-3 minutes, stopping every 15 seconds to make sure the mixture did not heat up too much.
• Once the nuts are creamy, add the pureed dates back in along with the salt and pulse just to combine.
• Taste and add more salt as needed.

DATE PECAN BARS

Steps:

• To prepare filling, mix together dates, sugar and water in saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 10 minutes). Allow to cool. Add pecans.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter and brown sugar. Combine remaining ingredients and stir into butter mixture until well blended. Press half of the filling into a 9x13-inch glass baking dish. Spread with cooled filling. Cover with remaining filling mixture, patting lightly. Bake until lightly browned (approximately 25 to 30 minutes). Cool and cut into bars.

BUTTERY PECAN DATE SPREAD

Steps:

• in small mixer bowl combine the cream cheese, beat at med speed, scraping bowl often until well mixed.
• by hand stir in remaining ingredients.
• serve with crackers or nut bread.
• store refrigerated.

PECAN CRANBERRY SPREAD

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer, beat at medium speed and cream the cream cheese until soft and fluffy.
• Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until flavors blend, at the very least 60 minutes.
• Serve cold with crackers.