Dremas Spicy Pecan Cheese Coins Food

SOUTHERN PECAN CHEESE WAFERS

Steps:

• In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce until smooth and creamy.
• Add 2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, cayenne pepper, and smoked paprika, if you're using it. Beat well, scraping the sides.
• Add the cheddar cheese and beat well, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• Cover the dough and chill well, at least 2 or 3 hours or up to 3 days.
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
• Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and place on the baking sheet 1 inch apart. Press the top of each ball with a fork (if the fork sticks, coat with flour).
• Place a pecan half on top of each wafer.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, until the edges are quite brown.
• Let cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store covered on the counter. Best served within 2 days.
• Re-heating: I made these a day in advance as Thanksgiving appetizers. They lose a bit of their crunch by day 2, so I spread them out on baking sheets and baked at 350 for about 5 minutes until they got crispy again. Worked great!

CHEDDAR-PECAN CRISPS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and cheese until light and fluffy. In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, garlic powder and cayenne; gradually beat into creamed mixture. Stir in pecans., Shape into eight 10-in. long logs. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm., Preheat oven to 350°. Unwrap and cut dough crosswise into 1/4-in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until edges are crisp and lightly browned, 12-14 minutes. Cool on pans 1 minute. Remove to wire racks to cool. Refrigerate in airtight containers. Freeze option: Place wrapped logs in resealable plastic freezer bags; place in freezer. To use, unwrap frozen logs and cut into slices. If necessary, let dough stand 15 minutes at room temperature before cutting. Bake as directed, increasing time by 1-2 minutes.

PECAN CHEESE LOGS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the shredded cheeses, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Shape mixture into two logs, about 6 in. long. Roll in pecans, pressing down gently., Wrap each in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve with crackers.

DREMA'S SPICY PECAN-CHEESE COINS

Steps:

• In large mixing bowl combine cheese and softened butter. (You can use a food processor fitted with steel blade if available - if not, mix well using hands). Add flour, salt, pepper, paprika and cumin. Process or work well with hands until dough comes together in a ball. Work pecans into the dough so they are well distributed.
• Shape dough into 3 logs, about 1 1/4" in diameter. Wrap securely with wax paper or plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hrs. (Tip - these can be frozen for up to 30 days. Thaw before baking)
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice dough into 1/4 inch coins and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake about 12-15 minutes or until coins begin to brown.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool and store in airtight containers or tins. *Tip - they are easier to slice if they have been frozen and are starting to thaw slightly. Once sliced you can leave them on cookie sheet until finish thawing and bake at that time. Enjoy!

EASY CHEESE DREAMS

Steps:

• Cut each slice of bacon into 2 pieces and cook under broiler or George Foreman grill; pat on paper towel to remove fat.
• Spread butter or margarine on each slice of bread, add slices of cheese and top with 2 pieces of cooked bacon.
• Place cheese dreams on a baking sheet & place under the broiler until cheese melts (watch carefully), about 2 minutes.

HOT AND SPICY PECANS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• In a medium bowl, mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Stir in the pecans, and gently toss with chili powder to coat.
• Spread coated pecans on a medium baking sheet, and cook 30 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring approximately every 10 minutes.

CHEDDAR CHEESE COINS

Steps:

• In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, both cheeses, black pepper, salt and paprika, and pulse until well combined and sandy, about 30 seconds. Add butter and scallions, and pulse just until well blended, about 30 seconds. Continue pulsing and drizzle in 2 tablespoons of ice-cold water just until the dough comes together.
• Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and divide in half. Roll each half into a log that is 1 inch in diameter and about 12 inches long. If using sesame seeds, spread them onto the work surface and roll the log over the seeds until lightly coated. Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.
• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
• Using a sharp knife, slice chilled logs into ¼-inch-thick slices. Arrange them on the prepared sheets about ½ inch apart. Bake, switching the sheets from top to bottom and rotating halfway through, until golden and just firm (they will continue to crisp up as they cool), 23 to 25 minutes.
• Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer them onto wire racks to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature overnight, then refrigerate for up to 1 week. To recrisp after refrigerating and serve warm, heat in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes.

SPICY PECAN CHEESE WAFERS

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix cheese and butter on medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended.
• 2. Sift flour with salt and cayenne pepper. Stir pecans into the flour mixture. Add to the cheese and butter mixture and mix until a ball of dough forms.
• 3. Divide the dough into four or five parts and roll each part into a log about the diameter of a quarter. Wrap each log in waxed paper and chill in the fridge for at least two hours or up to two weeks. Logs can also be frozen for up to three months.
• 4. When ready to bake slice the logs in 1/4 inch slices and place on parchment lined cookie sheets or plain cookies sheets that have not been greased. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Do not allow to get too brown. Cool for about 2 minutes before removing to racks to cool.
• 5. These are delicious served as an appetizer or with tomato soup.

SWEET AND SPICY CANDIED PECANS - WITH A KICK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine corn syrup and next 4 ingredients in large bowl. Stir to blend. Add pecans; stir gently to coat. Transfer to baking sheet.
• Place large piece of foil on work surface. Bake pecans 5 minutes. Using fork, stir pecans to coat with melted spice mixture. Continue baking until pecans are golden and coating bubbles, about 10 minutes. Transfer to foil. Working quickly, separate nuts with fork. Cool. (Can be made 3 days ahead- store airtight at room temperature).
• Makes 1 1/2 cups.
• NOTE: Recipe is easily doubled, freezes well in ziplock bags.
• Serve as a snack, topping for appetizers or salads (see my Waldorf Salad recipe #117914) or candied sweet potatoes, -or- give as a gift for the holidays.

CHEESE CRACKERS

Steps:

• Add the flour, both cheeses, salt and cayenne to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until combined.
• Scatter the cold butter chunks on top, and pulse again to form coarse crumbs.
• Add egg yolk, pecans and seeds, and pulse to combine thoroughly, yielding a coarse grainy meal.
• Transfer mixture to a large stainless-steel bowl. Sprinkle the ice water on top, and knead briefly to bring the dough together, as you would a pie dough.
• Divide the dough into thirds, and roll each into a neat, 8-inch-long cylinder that is about the width of a silver dollar. Wrap each log in plastic wrap, and twist the ends tightly in opposite directions, forming a perfect and compact torchon. Refrigerate until well chilled and completely firm; overnight is ideal.
• Heat the oven to 375. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. Unwrap the dough, discarding plastic wrap, and slice the logs into thin coins, each about the width of a pencil.
• Arrange the coins in neat rows on the prepared sheets, making sure they're not quite touching one another. This dough won't expand or flatten after baking.
• Bake until golden at their centers and just starting to toast at their edges, about 20 minutes. Check them midway through baking, and rotate sheets if your oven bakes unevenly.
• Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks to cool. Once they are fully cooled, transfer coins to an airtight container, where they will keep for up to 3 weeks.