For those of you who do not inbibe for whatever reason, or you have guests coming who won’t be drinking, make this one up and all will be well.
- 6 parts pineapple juice
- 2 parts coconut cream (not milk)
- 2 parts fresh half and half cream
- 1 part white cranberry juice
Pour all the ingredients into a shaker filled with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled martini glass and add a wedge of fresh pineapple for garnish.
Brown Sugar Pound Cake
This is a lovely cake to offer.
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups white sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1 HEAPING cup sour cream
- 2 tsp. almond extract
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 3 cups flour
- 2 1/4 cups chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream really well the butter and sugars. This should be light and fluffy. Add the eggs, beating after each one, then add the sour cream and extract.
Sift together the flour and baking soda, and slowly beat into the wet mixture. Stir in the chopped pecans. Pour into oiled bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Insert a toothpick to ensure it is cooked through.
Place on rack to cool completely and remove from pan. If not eating immediately, wrap in plastic wrap and then tin foil and freeze. When ready to eat, either ice it or simply dust with icing sugar.
Pecan Shortbread Cookies
I posted this last year but it is a real keeper for holiday baking. Here it is again.
Makes 2 doz. cookies
- 1 cup flour
- pinch of ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup room temperature butter
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp. pure clear vanilla
- 1/2-3/4 up toasted and chopped pecans
Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together the flour, cinnamon and salt and set aside. In the mixer beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until very fluffy ( about 4 minutes). Stir in flour then the pecans to make a stiff dough.
On a floured surface, roll the dough into a log about ten inches long. Wrap tightly in parchment paper and refrigerate until firm. (three hours or better yet, overnight).
Unwrap dough and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Bake until edges start to brown. This should be about 12-15 minutes. Check, if they are starting to turn brown around the edges, remove from the oven. Do not burn. Cool and transfer to a rack.