Seven Layer Magic Cookie Bars

Prep time: 10 minutes
Makes 2-3 dozen bars

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaported milk)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch flavored chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup Oliver Pecan Pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for glass baking pan). In small bowl, combine graham creacker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 13x9 inch baking pan.

2. Pour condensed milk evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with remaining ingredients; press down firmly with fork.

3. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Chill if desired. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store covered at room temperature.

Storing Pecans

Pecans retain their freshness, flavor and nutrients with proper storage. Store pecans in airtight containers or freezer bags and you will have delicious treats all year. Storing pecans at room temperature in not recommended.

Refrigerator Inshell Shelled Cracked
40 degrees 9-18 months 6 months 6 months

Freezer
0 degrees 2 years 2 years 1 year+

You do not have to let pecans thaw, when taking them out of the freezer, to use in a recipe.

Jalapeno Pecan Balls

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 tbls. jalapeno jelly
1/2 cup very finely chopped Oliver Pecans (midget size works best)

Mix together well the cream cheese and jelly. Chill. Form into balls. Roll in finely chopped pecans to coat.

Savannah Cheesecake Cookies

Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 35 minutes
Yield: 25 squares

Crust:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup chopped Oliver's Pecans
1 stick butter

Filling:
2 (8- oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh berries for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flour, brown sugar, pecans and butter in bowl. Press dough into an ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

For filling, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar together in a bowl until smooth, using a handheld electric mixer; add eggs and extract; beat well. Pour over crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into squares before serving. Decorate tops with berries if desired.

Hot Squeeze Sweet Heat Chipotle Sauce

We found a great new product and have brought it into our stores, Hot Squeeze Sweet Heat Chipotle Sauce. We fell in love with this sauce because of its taste of course and that there are so many uses for it. We did not have time to get it in our catalog, we will add it to the website soon. If you can't wait, call us at 800-657-9291 and place an order, it is only $6.95 and ask for the 30 days of Hot Squeeze pamphlet that lists all the uses for it.

Some uses:
Use on everything you grill
Add to your favorite soup or chili
Pour over cream cheese and serve with crackers
Saute vegetables
Marinate shrimp
Whip with softened butter and use on corn on the cob and steamed vegetables.
Chicken wings
Ground beef for burgers
Salmon Glaze
Glaze pecans in the oven.

Won Ton Chicken Pecan Salad

Makes 6 main dish servings
Prep time: 30 minutes

12 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped
1 cup Oliver's Pecan Pieces
6 green onions, chopped
7 wonton wrappers
12 oz. chicken breast, boiled
2 tbl. sugar
3 tbl. cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. canola oil

Toast pecans on a cookie sheet in a 375º oven for 305 minutes. Let cool. Bake wonton wrappers on a cookie sheet in a 375º oven until lightly browned. Let cool and break into pieces.

Dressing: Heat sugar,vinegar, salt and pepper over low heat until sugar dissolves. Let cool, then add oil. Combine lettuce, pecans and chopped green onions. Toss; add wontons, dressing and serve.

Coconut Pecan Shrimp

1 lb. of jumbo shrimp
1 egg
2 tbs. water
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup Oliver's pecan meal

Dipping Sauce
1 cup plum jam
1/2 cup sweet and sour sauce
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cream of coconut
1 cup of finely chopped pecans (Oliver's midget pieces work great)

Take cleaned and shelled shrimp and dip in a egg wash (beaten egg combined with water) roll in pecan meal and then in coconut flakes. Place on jellyroll pan and spray top with cooking spray. Bake at 350 until golden brown.
Cooking time: About 45 minutes

Olive Pecan Spread

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, regular or reduced fat. Softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped Oliver's pecans
1/2 cup chopped green olives
2 tablespoons olive juice
Ground black pepper to taste

In a bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve on crackers, bread, celery or a tortilla (rolled up and sliced)

For variations, cosider 1/2 cup of chopped cooked bacon, chopped celery and/or green onions.

Heart Healthy

The Harvard Heart Letter reported that in a long term study of 26,000 people who consumed tree nuts (pecans) frequently (at least 5 times per week) had roughly half the risk of a heart attack or a coronary death as those who rarely ate them. People who ate a portion of nuts even once a week had about 25% lower risk of heart disease than those who didn't.

To keep pecans fresh year round place them in a freezer (they will stay good for 2 years) or in the refrigerator for 6 months. When you take the pecans out of the freezer you do not have to let them thaw.