Waldorf-Salad-Style Penne

6 Servings

Prep 25 min
Cook 10 min

Ingredients:

• 1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 nectarines, 3 coarsely chopped and 1 sliced
• 1 bunch chives, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped salted, roasted pecans

Get fresh
In autumn, swap pears for the nectarines.

Directions:

1. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, cumin and 1/4 cup water. Add the pasta nd toss to coat; let sit for 10 minutes. Stir in the celery, bacon, chopped nectarines, half of the chives and half of the pecans.

3. To serve, top the pasta with the remaining chives, pecans and the sliced nectarine.

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Cake

This was such a rich & fabulous cake. A little slice sure goes a long way. Though the instructions look a bit daunting, it really wasn't that hard to make...kinda fun to make actually. Next time I'd like to try toasting the pecans a little before adding to the batter.

Ingredients & Directions:

Filling:
8 1/2 (1-ounce) semi-sweet chocolate squares
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Bourbon
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped

Ganache:
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Melt the chocolate and butter in a small bowl over a double boiler. Remove from heat, and set pot aside leaving the bowl on top of pot.

Whisk egg yolks and half of the sugar in a metal mixing bowl. Place bowl over slightly simmering water, and whisk until yolks reach 140 degrees. Remove bowl from heat and beat egg and sugar mixture with an electric mixer to a ribbon stage. Add the Bourbon to the chocolate mixture, then fold the yolk and sugar mixture into the chocolate mixture. Mix flour with pecans and fold into chocolate mixture.

Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and half of the remaining sugar to form soft peaks, then fold into chocolate mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow cake to cool in pan and then place in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Once it's frozen, remove sides of spring pan. Invert cake onto a wire rack and remove bottom of spring form pan.

Prepare ganache by bringing heavy cream to a boil and pouring cream over chocolate chips in a bowl. Whisk until completely smooth. Set wire rack with cake on top of sheet pan. Pour warm lukewarm ganache over cake, coating cake completely, recoating if necessary. Gently jiggle wire rack to help drain excess ganache. Remove cake from wire rack with spatula and place on a serving plate.

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Pecan Carrot Bundt Cake

I thought this cake recipe was great and so did everyone else that got the privilege of trying it. I will definitely be making this one again. The citrus flavors are the best part and makes it a great cake to enjoy in the summer...though it really could be a great year-round cake.

Recipe from Taste of Home Recipe Book

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
• 2 tablespoons grated orange peel
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 pound carrots, grated
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• FROSTING:
• 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1-1/2 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in lemon and orange peels. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with juices. Stir in carrots, raisins and pecans.
Pour into a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.
For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Frost cake; sprinkle with pecans. Yield: 12-16 servings.