Pralines

My father in-law and I had a friendly competition for the best pralines. I won, courtesy of Paula Deen's Praline Recipe (with a few modifications).

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons dark corn syrup
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Directions

Put the sugars, corn syrup, milk, and butter in a heavy 2-qt saucepan. Over medium heat, stir mixture constantly with a wooden spoon until sugars have dissolved and mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook to a soft ball stage, approximately 236 degrees F on a candy thermometer. (If you do a cold water test, drizzle a drop of candy into a glass of cold water, the ball of candy will flatten between your fingers when you take it out of the water.) Remove from heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.

Add the vanilla and nuts, and beat with a spoon by hand for approximately 2 minutes or until candy is slightly thick and begins to lose its gloss. Quickly drop heaping tablespoons onto waxed paper. If the candy becomes stiff, add a few drops of hot water.

Low Sodium Cinnamon Pecan Rolls

Very very tasty breakfast! This is based on the refrigerator rolls recipe. You can make 1/2 a batch of rolls for dinner, and use the rest of the dough for cinnamon pecan rolls for breakfast! Rolls can be prepared the night before and raised for about 1/2 the time (they will raise a bit more in the fridge), then put in the refrigerator till the morning.

INGREDIANTS

See refrigerator rolls recipe

1 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup softened margarine or unsalted butter

2T light corn syrup

1/4 cup pecan (or nut of your choice)

2T melted unsalted butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 t cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 375 F (if cooking right away, if cooking the next morning, skip)

1. Prepare refrigerator rolls recipe (this uses 1/2 of a batch).

2. Grease a 13"X9" pan

3. In small bowl, combine brown sugar, softened margarine/butter, corn syrup; drop by spoonfuls into the prepared pan; spread evenly. Sprinkle with pecans (or other nuts)

4. In another small bowl, combine cinnamon and sugar

5. Using 1/2 of the refrigerator roll dough, roll out dough into a 20"X12" rectangle; spread with melted butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar

6. Starting with the long side, roll up the dough like a jelly roll (or a cinnamon roll); pinch the edges to seal seams.

7. Cut roll into twenty 1" pieces, place cut side down in the prepared pan, cover and let rise in a warm place until light and doubled in size 30 to 60 minutes (or raise till 1.5 times in size, and store in refridgerator over night).

8. Bake for 25 to 30minutes in preheated oven or until deep golden brown

9. Cool in pan 1 minute, then invert on a large cookie sheet, and enjoy!

NUTRITION

need to figure out.

Alicia's Low Sodium Chocolate Chip Cookies

I created these chocolate chip cookies when I was in middle school I believe (altered from the Tollhouse recipe). Here I've altered them to be low sodium. You can get Ener-G baking soda at Healthy Heart Market

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 t regular baking soda (2.5 t ENER-G baking soda)
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 t almond extract
2 large eggs
12-oz package of chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375° F.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla& almond extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in flour and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

NUTRITION
(these are estimates, the brands of ingredients you use may change the nutrition facts)
Servings per recipe: 30
Amount per serving
Calories: 188
Fat: 10 g
Cholesterol: 8 mg
Sodium: 40 mg (7 mg with Ener-G)
Potassium: 64 mg
Total Carbs: 24.7 g
Dietary fiber: 0.9 g
Protein: 1.7 g