April 14th is National Pecan Day.

Since we got our taxes in the day before, we treated ourself by making this layered Butter Pecan Chocolate Fudge yesterday.

The recipe is below, but first…
 
 
THE HISTORY OF PECANS

Pecans are the only major tree nut indigenous to America, native to the southeastern United States. They are not found naturally (i.e. wild, uncultivated) anywhere else in the world. Even though they can be cultivated elsewhere, American growers produce more than 80% of the world’s pecans (source).

The pecan appeared more than 100 million years ago. Flash-forward 100 million years: Wild pecans were a staple in the diets of Native Americans, who called them pecanes—an Algonquian word that refers to any nut requiring a stone to crack, such as pecans, hickory nuts and walnuts.

The nutritious nut kernels were a major food source for Native Americans in the fall and winter, months when there were no crops to harvest. They also created a nut milk called powcohicora, by fermenting powdered pecans into a drink.

After centuries foraging wild pecans, Native Americans began planting pecan trees (photo #2) and trading the nuts (photo #3) to European explorers.

It takes nearly 10 years for a pecan tree to yield a full output of nuts. But it then produces nuts for 100 years or more.

Pecans are one of our favorite nuts. With their rich, buttery texture, sweet taste (no “bite” as with walnuts) and protein and other nutrition*, we give them two thumbs up.
 
 
RECIPE: BUTTER PECAN CHOCOLATE FUDGE

Thanks to Pampered Chef for this yummy layered recipe of chocolate fudge and butterscotch fudge with pecans (photo #1).

Cut into bite-size pieces, you can have a piece without guilt. The fudge keeps well in an airtight tin.

Ingredients For 60 Bite-Size Pieces

 
Preparation

1. LINE the bottom of a 8-1/2 X 10-inch pan with a piece of parchment paper.

[1] This delicious chocolate fudge has a top layer of butterscotch fudge with pecans (photo courtesy The Pampered Chef).

[2] A groove of pecan trees (photo courtesy Perfect Plants Nursery).

[3] Beautiful pecans. Their shell is one of the prettiest among nuts (photo courtesy Home Depot).

3. RESERVE 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the chopped chocolate for a garnish. In the same saucepan, combine the remaining chocolate and the remaining frosting. Stir over low heat until melted and smooth.

4. CAREFULLY POUR the chocolate mixture over the butterscotch layer in the pan, spreading evenly. Refrigerate 10-15 minutes or until set.

5. INVERT the bar pan onto a cutting board. Carefully peel the parchment paper from the fudge.

6. PLACE the reserved chocolate and oil in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on MEDIUM for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.

7. SPREAD the chocolate evenly over the top of fudge. Refrigerate 15-30 minutes or until firm. Cut into 60 small squares.
 
 
HOW ABOUT SOME CHOCOLATE PECAN BROWNIES?

Here’s the recipe.

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*A one-ounce serving of pecans (approximately 20 halves) contains 196 calories, 20.4 grams total fat (1.8 saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 0 grams sodium, 2.7 grams dietary fiber and over 19 vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin E, calcium, potassium and zinc. They are one of the heart-healthy nuts recommended by the USDA: You can have an ounce a day to keep the doctor away.

[1] Today’s recipe: a Grilled Cheese Caprese sandwich from Marge Perry & David Bonom (photo © Pots and Pans).

[2] Grilled Cheese Caprese without the balsamic drizzle. Here’s the recipe from Cooking Classy (photo © Cooking Classy).

[3] Don’t want to grill it? Here’s the recipe for an “uncooked” Caprese sandwich from Somewhat Simple (photo © Somewhat Simple).

[4] A traditional Caprese salad (photo © Balducci’s).

A couple of years ago we received this recipe for a Caprese Grilled Cheese Sandwich from Pots and Pans kitchenware outlet. We made it, we liked it. But we never published it.

Since April is National Grilled Cheese Month, and April 12th is National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day, it’s time.

Caprese salad is so popular in the U.S.—as are grilled cheese sandwiches—that the idea was just waiting for food writers Marge Perry & David Bonom to put them together.

They used the balsamic vinegar of a Caprese salad to create a drizzle for the sandwich. You can purchase balsamic glaze if you don’t want to spend 10 minutes making it from scratch. If you make it, don’t use the pricey balsamic; any supermarket balsamic will do here.

Marge and David used Martin’s Potato Bread, but we had a baguette on hand and used that. You can use whatever bread you like.

They also added slices of provolone cheese to the sandwich, to add flavor complexity. If you don’t want it, leave it out.

Or, substitute another cheese of choice. It won’t be a classic Caprese, but have fun with it.
 
 
RECIPE: GRILLED CHEESE CAPRESE WITH BALSAMIC SYRUP

Ingredients For 4 Sandwiches

 
For The Balsamic Glaze

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. BRUSH the tomato slices with the oil and arrange them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast the tomatoes until they are very soft and just hold their shape, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven. Meanwhile, make the balsamic glaze:

3. COMBINE the vinegar and sugar in a 1.5-quart saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy consistency, about 10-12 minutes.

4. PLACE 4 slices of the bread on a work surface. Top each with 2 ounces of the mozzarella. Place 2 tomato slices on top, then 4 basil leaves, followed by 2 slices of provolone cheese. Place the remaining slice of bread on each sandwich.

5. SPREAD the outside of each sandwich with 2 teaspoons of the butter. Heat a large 12.5-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2 sandwiches, and cover the pan with a lid or large piece of aluminum foil. Cook until the sandwiches are golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 3-4 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining sandwiches.

6. TO SERVE: cut each sandwich in half diagonally and drizzle with balsamic syrup.
 
 
WANT TO CREATE YOUR OWN SIGNATURE GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH?

Here’s a guide to create your own unique grilled cheese sandwich.

Also check out these grilled cheese tips.
 
 
CAPRESE SALAD RECIPES

We first encountered petite stuffed bagels at a trade show, some 10 years ago.

Made by a Canadian company, they were a delight for the eyes. They were not the traditional two halves of a bagel with cream cheese, but a dome shape with cream cheese piped inside.

They tasted the same as a traditional bagel and cream cheese, with a bonus: the dome was more tender, less laboriously chewy than a New York-style bagel.

Sold frozen, we waited for them to come to the U.S. Alas, they never did.

In 2014, Bantam Bagels opened up a shop in Greenwich Village, selling the same idea freshly baked. It expanded to a nationally-distributed frozen business.

A couple of years ago, Nancy’s Petite Stuffed Bagels debuted, also frozen.

Now, King Arthur Flour has teamed with Milk Bar pastry chef Christina Tosi to create a kit version of her Bagel Bombs. King Arthur Flour calls them Stuffed Bagel Buns.

The dome bagels in the kit are stuffed with a cheddar and cream cheese filling and sprinkled with everything bagel topping.

The kit contains everything you need to make them at home. Along with the recipe, you’ll get:

 
The kit is $48.65; you can order it here.

You can check out the recipe for free.
 
>>> THE HISTORY OF BAGELS <<<

King Arthur Flour’s “Stuffed Bagel Buns,” available in a baking kit (photos courtesy King Arthur Flour).