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Sweet Snacks

Cookies, Desserts, Sweet Snacks

Cranberry Orange Shortbread Cookies, with Toasted Almonds

These are not Christmas Cookies. OK, they aren’t Christmas Cookies this year as they were just an experiment to see how they worked out. Every year I do try to add a new cookie type to the Christmas Cookie Madness, but I try them out first before hand. These turned out lovely and I think they work well as a harvest / Thanksgiving-type cookie as well. Lots of orange and cranberry flavor.
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Cookies, Desserts, Sweet Snacks

Maple Pecan Shortbread Bars

Thought I would make another Thanksgiving-appropriate, yet “Handheld” and easy to share trat, in case anyone is looking for ideas for the big Turkey Day coming up in a few weeks. These Maple Pecan Shortbread bars are very much like Pecan Pie (with a whole lot of maple!) yet double as “blondies” in essence. They hold up nicely in the fridge for at least 4-5 days (if they last that long) and can be eaten “on the go” … or stick one in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, top with ice cream, and your back to eating pie. No matter what the question, pie is always the answer.
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Breads, Breakfast/Brunch, Sweet Snacks

Banana Pecan Crunch Muffins

Sunday Morning Breakfast: Seriously the easiest muffins ever. Bananas, pecans, a bit of oatmeal crumble. On the breakfast table, all warm and delightful, in under an hour (under 45 minutes if you hurry a bit).

So, in reference to the photo that looks like claws are coming to steal the muffins: my parents have this decorative metal lobster hanging on the porch railing, with the claws just above railing level. I thought that it was funny in a halloween like way, to have the clws coming up from the deal to steal my Banana Pecan Crunch Muffins. Nom. Happy Halloween. 🙂
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Desserts, Sweet Snacks

“Hasselback-style” Apple Custard Tart

Look! Another apple pie! Are you surprised? There must be about 20 on this here site. I love apple pie.

And I love this whole “hassleback” cut. I usually do it of course with potatoes (like here), but it also works with apples and even cucumbers! I thought it was a lovely presentation with the pie, and the apples peeking out. Also, it’s fall so there are some pretty leaves. Lovely.
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Desserts, Sweet Snacks

Hazelnut-Rosemary Caramel Tart

This is a bit of a twist on a Pecan Pie. It has the same sort of filling (melted butter, eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar), but instead of using pecans, I used toasted hazelnuts and I added a twist: I steeped some fresh rosemary (from my ever dwindling herbs in my porch garden — the next frost and they will all be gone) in the melted butter for 20 minutes, to give it an interesting, and in my opinion, lovely harvest flavor. I suppose that you could use other nuts as well — cashews maybe? — if you weren’t up for using hazelnuts but still wanted something different than your standard pecan pie. Serve at room temp, maybe with a bit of whipped cream to cut the richness.
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