This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Sunday Dinner
Goat Cheese and Gouda Pimento Cheese
Candied Pecans
Hickory Smoked Pulled Pork
North Carolina Vinegar Sauce
Tangy Apple-Cabbage Slaw w/o Blue Cheese
Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges
Apple Butter Pound Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting
“As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases that you make from the links within my posts and recipe cards with no added cost to you.”
What’s with the Southern-themed Sunday dinner menu this week, you might ask?? Well, other than it being an absolutely gorgeous Fall weekend that made it perfect for smoking 9 1/2 pounds of pork shoulder and 7 1/2 pounds of a whole turkey breast yesterday, I was born in Goldsboro, NC, some 40ish years ago today. So, this is my menu, a tribute to my roots (and my parents, of course). And yes, I am taking pictures, editing, writing, and blogging on my birthday, because I love my little space here😊.
Pecans… Do you say PEE-CANS or PUH-KAHNS?🤔 I know, terribly exciting recipe to share, but they are really an important element to my recipe caché. They are delicious on their own as an addictive snack or well-received when given as a holiday gift. However, I also use them in both sweet and savory dishes, such as ice cream, salads, or as a garnish for almost anything. The real beauty of these pecans is that they can be customized to your taste buds or to whatever you are serving them with. Instead of cinnamon, consider cumin or a chipotle pepper spice blend. What about pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice? The possibilities are endless! As I say, “Make it for you, make it your own”! Happy Sunday!
*Note-I do prefer the silicone mat when baking the pecans because the stickiness of the mat on the baking sheet makes it easier to stir the pecans.
Candied Pecans
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste (optional)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 extra-large egg white
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pound whole or halved pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars, cinnamon, cayenne (if using), and salt until combined. In a separate large bowl, whisk the vanilla and egg white until quite frothy, about 1-2 minutes. Add the pecans to the egg white mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle sugar mixture over pecan mixture and toss until pecans are evenly coated.
- Spread pecans into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake, stirring every 20 minutes (keep pecans in an even layer), until pecans are browned and fragrant, about another 20 minutes. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and allow the pecans to completely cool on the baking sheet until hardened. Break the pecans into pieces and transfer to an airtight container. Pecans can be made up to 2 weeks in advance. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
