Azoresgal~Life on an Island

Well here we are again, just a few weeks away from Christmas! Now I know it comes every year, but gosh it just seems like a year goes by faster and faster as I get older. If you are anything like me I am sure you are already making lists, and checking them twice trying to get things done! This month everything  seems to happen all at once, parties, school activites, church activities it's seems never ending. More often than not you will be asked to bring something, or perhaps you want to take a gift for a teacher, or a "secret santa"! Well look no further, these super delicious treats require only 3 ingredients and  about 10 minutes  of your time from start to finish! That's it, when you are finished, you can pour yourself a cocktail for all your hard work! All you need is a bag of Rolo candy, a bag of mini pretzel twists, and a bag of pecan halves. Preheat your oven to  200 C/400F degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper....

 This salad is packed with so much yummy goodness! Salad greens, apples, feta cheese, candied pecans, dried cranberries, and a scrumptious dressing!  It´s a show stopping combination, of sweet, tart, salty, crunchy and it’s delicious.  It is super simple to make, yes even the candied pecans, and presentation wise, it´s beautiful! My family and friends love it, and I promise yours will too ! 6 ounces baby spinach ( I used mixed greens, arugula, bib lettuce, romaine ) 1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped ( I added candied pecans, walnuts would be great too) 2 Granny Smith Apples, chopped ( I sliced mine, pears would work too) ½ cup crumbled Feta Cheese ¾ cup dried cranberries  Poppyseed Dressing ⅓ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup  milk ( I used skim milk) 3 Tablespoons Sugar 4 teaspoons cider vinegar 2 teaspoons poppyseeds In a large bowl, toss baby spinach, pecans, apples, feta cheese, and cranberries. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, m...

These candied pecans are so easy to make! Just three simple ingredients, and they are ready to eat in less than 15 minutes. They are great to served with drinks, or added to a cheese board. Or you can add them to salads, they  are also a great  homemade gift, or you can eat them by the handful as a snack. They are delicious and oh so addictive! 2 cups pecan halves 4 tablespoons butter, salted 4 tablespoons brown sugar  In a pot or frying pan ( non stick ), melt butter over medium heat. Add  the pecans and toss to coat. Add the sugar, and stir constantly until caramelized, about 5-10 minutes. The more toasted the pecans get, the more flavour they will have, but you must watch so the do not burn. Spread on wax paper and  let cool.

I don’t know what it is about pecan pie, that just might make it one of my favorite desserts. It could be the  scrumptious sweet syrupy filling, or the buttery crunchy pecans, or the fact that both are married to a delicate, flaky crust. Indeed it could be all of these things, add in some chocolate, and how could anyone resist this pie. It's a homemade pie, that's sweet, simple and made for sharing ! 1 (9") pie shell , deep dish 3 eggs, slightly beaten 1 c. light corn syrup 1/2 c. sugar 2 tbsp. butter, melted 1 tsp. vanilla 1 c. chocolate chips 1 1/2 c. pecans In medium bowl stir eggs, syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at  180//350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted half way between center and edge comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Makes 1 (9") pie. *** for the longest time, pecans and corn syrup, could not be found in any of the grocery...