As I was eating a Christmas cookie, I was thinking it'd be helpful to have a thread for suggesting recipes to those who just passed a challenge or are now not allergic to a certain food.
If you've outgrown pecans (and can get your allergen free ones), try the Mexican Wedding Cookies! I grew up with these, and they were a great addition once DS outgrew pecans. Other recipes call for almonds or walnuts, but I grew up with pecans for these, and that's what we use. DH grew up with this cookie, too, but called them Snowballs--a great name.
You could also just leave out the pecans and they'd be wonderful. These melt in your mouth and are fab with Darjeeling tea (sipping some now while eating one).
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mexican-Wedding-Cakes-108073 (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mexican-Wedding-Cakes-108073)
Polvorones
ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup pecans, toasted, coarsely ground
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon preparation
Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until well blended. Beat in flour, then pecans. Divide dough in half; form each half into ball. Wrap separately in plastic; chill until cold, about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and cinnamon in pie dish to blend. Set cinnamon sugar aside.
Working with half of chilled dough, roll dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between palms into balls. Arrange balls on heavy large baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart. Bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes. Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheet. Gently toss warm cookies in cinnamon sugar to coat completely. Transfer coated cookies to rack and cool completely. Repeat procedure with remaining half of dough. (Cookies can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature; reserve remaining cinnamon sugar.)
Sift remaining cinnamon sugar over cookies and serve.
Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mexican-Wedding-Cakes-108073#ixzz2octBKiax (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Mexican-Wedding-Cakes-108073#ixzz2octBKiax)
I have done these nut-free. They come out fine. The dough itself makes great thumbprint cookies as well, filled with a dollop of seedless raspberry or apricot jam. So, I guess if you have outgrown wheat allergy, or dairy allergy, it is a good cookie for you as well. ;) Just a very good basic dough for a shortbread-ish, butter cookie.
I could do that with almonds! :)
Those have always been my favorite. I haven't had them in years. We always used walnuts.
:)
Another for people who can now add a nut and dairy back in (and this may seem obvious, but if you've been without this for years, it may be good to state the obvious) :
Candied Nut
We had our simple Christmas dinner last night: sweet potato tamales with a ginger cream sauce topped with candied pecans.
DH toasted pecan halves in the oven in a skillet.
Put skillet on stove
Put tablespoon of sugar in a pan added a little cinnamon (tad). Tad salt.
While stirring that, added touch of water--enough to melt sugar
Turn heat off. Add a tablespoon or two of butter
Let it boil until pecans are glossy
Remove to foil.
There are other variations--this is just what DH did last night. He just found a three step recipe. But the point is if you can now eat a nut, try it this way. These are a real treat for DS at the holidays.
Ah here's another recipe.
http://www.food.com/recipe/quick-candied-pecans-354830 (http://www.food.com/recipe/quick-candied-pecans-354830)
Quote from: GoingNuts on December 27, 2013, 07:26:42 AM
I could do that with almonds! :)
Hazelnuts are traditional in the Northwest, because they are local. :) They are DELICIOUS.