I wanted something salty to go along with all the sweets the girls and I have been making for Christmas-I also wanted something easy to make.
I found the following recipe in the book Carolina Christmas Archibald Rutledge’s Enduring Holiday Stories edited by Jim Casada.
Toasted Pecans
- 4 cups pecan halves
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Since I didn’t know how much my bunch would like toasted pecans-I halved the recipe.
Place pecan halves on a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan (the recipe says not to use a dark colored pan).
Drizzle melted butter over pecans and sprinkle with salt.
Bake at 325 degrees for 30 – 40 minutes or till lightly toasted. Stir pecans frequently and watch closely-because the pecans can burn easily. I cooked mine in 10 minute increments which helped make sure I kept an eye on them and allowed me to check their progress.
I ended up cooking mine for the full 40 minutes. If I make them again I’d probably stop at 30 minutes.
Place pecans on a paper towel to drain and store in an air tight container.
The girls turned their noses up at the toasted pecans, but they aren’t big nut eaters anyway. The Deer Hunter LOVED them! I can’t tell if I really like them or don’t care for them at all-crazy uh?
Tipper
Oh I love pecans any way at all! Happy New Year and I would love a chance for the book!
We have several huge pecan trees and the yard is working with squirrels and crows. They get more nuts than I do.
We have been enjoying our share this Christmas in cookies, cakes, and my favorite, pecan tassies.
I do enjoy reading your posts.
Happy new year.
Pecans are the best nuts God created. I have a friend originally from north Georgia, and her CHRISTmas gift to friends is a cup of roasted pecans. She probably makes them as you describe. Would love to have Jim’s book to add to my collection.
Friend of mine worked in Texas for a while and big squirrels raided the pecan groves. He had permission to help keep the squirrels thinned out. Sounds like a dream job to me. All the squirrels and pecans you could eat.
Daily, I still look forward to what the Blind-Pig will have to offer!
Merry Christmas to all!
Really enjoyed listening to the Christmas CD again this year.
Merry Christmas to you and your family! I love the recipes, the book recommendations & the music. This year, I am remembering all of the special recipes that family members brought to our Christmas gathering. The anise cookie cutouts; the dates stuffed with walnuts and rolled in sugar,and fruit cake!
Merry Christmas– and I wish my new found friends health & happiness in the New Year!
As I grew from being a chap to a man, there was an area surrounding our yard and our house that had tons of large, older but productive pecan trees filled with delicious pecans. When I was younger, they were fun to pickup off the ground; Mom would toast them, make cakes with them, pecan candies, and my favorite – her sweet, pecan pies. My mom created smells from the kitchen that I enjoyed as much as eating all of her tasty foods.
As I grew, the trees grew. We would cut long bamboo poles, cure them and use them to knock the ripe pecans from the trees. Those dang poles seems to be 50′ long to a young boy and they were so heavy. I would strain to even lift the pole and to try to “control” one for me seemed impossible.
Some way, the trees I was in charge of helped me get those pecans to the ground so more of Mom’s treats could be enjoyed once again.
After all the pecans were collected and converted into goodies, Dad would tie fishing lines to those same poles, put them through the back window of our old A-Model car into the front floorboard and take us all fishing at Lake Hickory for catfish and crappies. Those sam poles somehow became much lighter even with a big catfish on my line.
We made some great memories and some bigger tummies. Growing up nine the south is the very best.
Merry Christmas to you and your family and Thank you for all your wonderful posts. I love reading your blog every day. God Bless.
Merry Christmas to a sweet family that I feel after all these years, I know. I have enjoyed reading your posts everyday and watching those beautiful and talented girls grow up. Wish we could meet someday. Love ya ta pieces, Tipper!
Blind Pig #1 Fan,
Brenda Schlosser
Oh my! I love almost all nuts, and pecans are near the top of my list…never thought of putting them in the oven, but now I may try it! I bought a bag “just in case” for holiday baking, but something salty (and buttery) would make a nice change from all the holiday sweets.
I get so many good recipes here, Tipper – thank you! And a very Merry Christmas to you and yours 🙂
I have never tried the pecans as they are described but I remember as a child many time of having burned off the grass and broomsage under the pecan trees. After we could find them we would pick them up and they had the most wonderful roasted flavor and a memory from 55 to 65 years ago.
Wow! Did your readers ever respond to today’s post. That tells me that Christmas is definitely in everyone’s heart. For several weeks now, I’ve been collecting simple recipes for eating myself and for giving. Must add this one to the collection. Like several of your readers, I love nuts just about anyway you fix them so I’m sure I’ll love these salted ones. Wishing you and yours a truly wonderful Christmas full of Christ’s blessings!
Merry Christmas to the Pressley family. I really enjoy the blog. The recipe sounds great!
I really enjoy pecans. I used to have a friend who make them with maple syrup for me for Christmas. I loved them. I also used them to stuff dates and roll the dates in sugar. My mom used walnuts which I normally use, but I also enjoyed pecans. Merry Christmas to all!
I cannot force myself to eat any kind of nut. To me that’s cannibalism!
Tipper,
Merry Christmas to everyone! I love all your Posts of Appalachia.
Maybe soon I can read the Blind Pig without holding a blooming
magnifying glass to read.
Your Toasted Pecans look great, and pecans are called for in my Oatmeal Cake. But since I like Black Walnuts, I crush some to add to the topping…Ken
I love pecans pert near any way one can fix them. I have several Pecan Trees but they aren’t large enough to bear yet, may my children and Grandchildren will benefit some day from the fruit of my labor. The book sounds very interesting. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you, your family and all your readers a Very Merry Christmas and to remind all to remember the reason for the season!
Yum, I love salted pecans!! My wife pronounces them with a long E since she is from South Carolina. Here’s wishing you and your family and all the readers a very Merry Christmas. May the light of Gods son shine in all of us this season. Thank you Tipper for all the work you do in sharing and keeping our valued traditions alive!!
God bless!
I like all linds of nuts and my wife makes a mix of nuts with maple syrup, salt, and spices. If you like hot stuff, this is really good!
I like pecans in any form. Maybe try drizzling honey over them after they are drained.
We love pecans, thanks for the recipe. My family and I wish the Blind Pig Gang and all the Acorns out there a very Merry Christmas. May it be one of the best ones yet!
Tiper: By the time you get to my post you will be worn out! So I will make this short! MERRY CHRISTMAS and thanks for all you do to provide us with pleasant thoughts in our daily life.
Eva Nell
The pecans sound delicious. Someone suggested chopping them for cookies but I’ll bet coarse chopped pieces would be great in fudge.
Thank you for all the fun & memories here at Blind Pig. I hope you & yours have the best Christmas ever!
If I don’t win the book, please send me any pecans you have left over. I fondly remember the toasted peacans my father prepared in the winter, as well as the year round parched peanuts.
I’m another lover of salty nuts, the toasted pecans sound great!
Best wishes for a wonderful Christmas and New Year for you and your fine family!
A very Happy Christmas and New Year to the entire Blind Pig Family. Special blessings for you, Tipper,on all the work you do on this blog. I enjoy it every day. Please include me in the drawing for the book.
Hey Tipper,
Oh Happy Day…yesterday’s test was clear! Thank you for any prayers that were lifted up our way!
Now on with Christmas!
Just added these to todays list!
I love praline, spiced or toasted pecans!
Do you use ever use Sea Salt, Kosher or coarse salt? Do you think any of those would make them too salty?
My to-do today list:
Make the Ambrosia…Take down the one (1) gallon jar!…Make with 2 Tablespoons of Peach Brandy or Not! Fresh oranges pith removed and chopped chunky, pineapple chunks, crunchy chopped apples, mandarin oranges, red cherries, chunky fruit & tropical cocktail, sliced/chunky peaches, coconut, sliced pecans, etc. A touch of sugar if needed…rarely ever!
Set in the cold to chill and meld together for at least 24 hours…
Make or buy a small dense plain pound cake if wanted to eat with Ambrosia! Not necessary!
Sausage Balls…Bisquick recipe!
Put in carry tin!
Stuffed Celery…creamed cheese, a touch of milk and chopped fine olives with pimento…stuff celery & let chill good!
Home made Muffuletta cheese spread…chill..for sesame crackers or croissants.
Today is my oldest sons birthday..
I remember this Christmas eve!
We are having finger foods tomorrow…
Merry Christmas and thanks for all you do Tipper.
Sending a mountain magic Christmas to you all!
Mmmm-Mmmm, you can’t go wrong with pecans, butter, and salt. I love pecans, they are my favorite nut. I am going to bake a pecan pie today for Christmas dinner tomorrow. Thank you for all of your wonderful posts.
I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!
Pam
scrap-n-sewgranny.blogspot.com
We have access to lots of pecans and I will try this. We also fry them like we do peanuts w/a little butter in a iron skillet. Watching carefully so they don’t burn we salt them lightly and put on paper towels. God bless your family this Christmas..
The book sounds great and the pecans sound good. I’m wondering, if you don’t like them maybe you could chop them up and use in cookies.
On this eve of Christmas, I hope we can all slow down, take a deep breathe, and remember the reason for the season…and bask in the love and joy of our families and friends. Merry Christmas everyone.
I love the Archibald Rutledge books and have given many as gifts. The University of South Carolina Press has published some wonderful versions (and since I worked at Carolina until I retired, I always took advantage of their sales!). One of my favorite recipes for Christmas gift giving is spiced pecans: 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and two cups of pecans. Cook the sugar and milk together until almost soft ball stage, add vanilla and cinnamon, continue until mixture forms a soft ball when a small amount is dropped in a cup of cold water. Add pecans and stir well. Turn out on waxed paper or parchment paper and separate the pecan halves. Store in airtight tin or box. Everyone loves these and they are so easy.
Stories of Christmas and pecans go together. Growing up, my great-grandparents had a horseshoe driveway lined with pecan trees. As I recall it, it was usually my Granny and I who would collect the pecans. While my little sister darted here and there, we’d go up and down, back and forth, across and return covering the same ground several times and always discovering more pecans. We would have so many bucketfulls! As I look back, I know others must have been picking them up also because I don’t think Granny and I picked up as many bucketfulls as we, as a family cracked and picked. After the pecans fell that was our evening activity rather than play cards or dominoes – cracking, picking, cleaning (watch out for those shell pieces, and sorting good halves from parts to be later chopped for other things. Of course we made pecan pies – the Karo recipe with double the pecans was our standby; but we also put pecans in most of our salads, mixed them into the stuffing/dressing, added them to cookies and breads,roasted them with assorted sweeteners, spices, and sometimes herbs, and, of course, ate them raw. I miss Granny’s and my version of “walking the line”, the time spent together preparing the pecans, but I do buy pecans each year just to encourage the reminiscing.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
I always love anything Christmas, and especially if a southern flair. I may try the recipe, as I am a nut for nuts. Merry Christmas to The blind Pig and all the readers.
Tipper, I take this opportunity to wish you your family and all the Blind Pig Family worldwide a Merry Christmas and The Happiest of New Years.
Merry Merry Christmas, thanks for the wonderful gift of your blog, I loooooove it !
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I love pecans and this recipe sounds yummy. A friend of ours makes spiced pecans, and honestly, I can’t leave them alone. Pecans are my favorite nut.
Merry Christmas, Tipper. I too have enjoyed all your posts this year and look forward to reading them next year. I have the foxfire books and love the old stories handed down through families. At this time of year, we look back at those wonderful memories of Christmas in our childhood and count them as special blessings! Just sitting around a table with family cracking nut shells and pulling out the pecan was a time to hear some good stories.
AWESOME!
Merry Christmas
to you & yours!
(Count me in! Thanks! nwn)
mERRY cHRISTMAS TO YOU AND THE DEER HUNTER AND THE GIRLS ! I WOULD LIKE TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GIVE AWAY.
I usually bypass the sweets and head for the nuts! These sound perfect.
I miss the mountains and don’t get there as often as I would like. Thanks for sharing those great places and memorable people with us.
Merry Christmas! Wishing you and your family a blessed holiday season. Thank you so much for your wonderful posts. Look forward to the new year and new posts! Please include me in the book giveaway.
Merry Christmas!! How blessed we are to have such an uplifting message every morning from you, thank you so much 🙂
May His joy follow you and yours through this upcoming year.
I bought three huge bags of pecans to use in my Christmas baking. Two bags are still unopened… Since I love pecans, I wasn’t worried about them going to waste. Now I know what I will be doing with some of them.
Merry Christmas to all!
Merry Christmas to all! Hope Santa is good to you.
Merry Christmas Tipper to you and all of your family. I have enjoyed your site again this year, and as a fan of Archibald Rutledge, I would also like to be in the drawing for this book.
My brother-in-law gives me a tin of toasted
pecans every Christmas. It’s one of my favorite
Christmas traditions.
I love toasted pecans! And Tipper’s and Jim’s writing. This reminds me that I got Strom Thurmond’s pecan pie recipe from him written on a napkin when I was a teenager. I can’t find it anywhere now. Dang it! But the recipe is in my head though.
Merry Christmas, Y’all!
Looks like a good book..I am a Christmas book fanatic! The pecans sound good,since I prefer salty snacks to sweet. Merry Christmas to the entire Blind Pig gang!!
Merry Christmas to you and your family. Would love to read the Archibald Ruthledege’s book.
I am a cashew lover so I thro mine in the deep fryer with peanut oil. Just leave them in til they show a good color
then put on paper towels to drain and salt to taste.
Would love to win that great book.
Love toasted pecans. I will have to give it a try
My mother used to make these each Christmas. I love them. Thanks for posting the recipe and for a chance to win Jim’s book!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to a fine bunch of friends in North Carolina. God bless you all, and thanks for your friendship…Glynn Harris
Merry Christmas Tipper and all your family.
Thank you for all you do to provide this blog everyday, it is a gift! I wish you and your family a Blessed Christmas and a fun filled New Year!
I would love to be included in the drawing for the book, it would be a great addition.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year..I enjoy all your posts and really enjoy the music.