Maple Pecan Pie

 

Ingredients

Pastry:
1 cup/250 mL all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp/100 mL shortening
1/8 tsp/0.6 mL salt
1/3 cup/80 mL cold water
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins All Natural Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla®

Filling:
3/4 cup/180 mL Homemade Maple Syrup (see recipe below)
1/4 cup/60 mL light corn syrup
2/3 cup/160 mL sugar
1/3 cup/80 mL melted butter
3 eggs
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL salt
1 cup/250 mL chopped pecans

Homemade Maple Syrup:
1 cup/250 mL packed brown sugar
1 cup/250 mL granulated sugar
1 cup/250 mL water
1/8 tsp/0.6 mL salt
1/2 tsp/2.5 mL Watkins Maple Extract

Chocolate Drizzle:
1 tbsp/15 mL baking cocoa
1 tbsp/15 mL powdered sugar
1 tbsp/15 mL shortening

Directions

Pastry: Mix flour, salt and shortening. Stir extract into water; add to flour mixture. Mix until dough forms a ball. Roll dough on floured surface. Put pastry into a 9-inch/23-cm pie pan. Flute edges.

Filling: Heat oven to 350°/180° C. Beat the syrups, sugar, butter, egg and salt in bowl with mixer until smooth. Stir in pecans. Pour into pastry-lined pie pan. Cover edge of crust with foil to prevent excessive browning. Remove during last 15 minutes of baking. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until set. Cool 15 minutes. Drizzle Chocolate Icing (below) over the top.

Syrup: Combine sugars, water and salt in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the maple extract. Cool.

Drizzle: Melt shortening in microwave. Stir in cocoa and sugar until smooth. Cool until it thickens. Drizzle over top of pie.

Miniature Walnut Tarts

 

Pastry

1/2 cup/125 mL butter or margarine, softened

1 package (3 oz/85 g) cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp/15 mL sugar

1-1/3 cups/330 mL all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp/1.2 mL Watkins Organic Ground Nutmeg

Pinch salt

Watkins Cooking Spray

Filling

2 eggs

1/2 cup/125 mL sugar

1/2 cup/125 mL dark corn syrup

1 tbsp/15 mL butter or margarine, melted

1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Pure Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp/2.5 mL vanilla nut extract

1 cup/250 mL finely chopped walnuts

Pastry: Spray miniature muffin cups with Watkins Cooking Spray. Combine butter, cream cheese, and sugar in large bowl; stir until well blended. Add flour and salt; stir until thoroughly combined. Roll dough into 24 1-inch/25-mm balls. Press evenly into bottom and up sides of muffin cups. Dough on sides should extend a little above muffin cups to prevent filling from running over during baking. Refrigerate until needed.

Filling: Beat eggs slightly in medium bowl. Stir in sugar, corn syrup, butter and extracts; mix well. Stir in walnuts. Spoon about 1 tbsp/15 ml mixture into each pastry-lined cup. Bake at 350°F/180ºC. for 15 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove; cool completely on wire rack. If desired, can be sprinkled with powdered sugar. Store in tightly covered container.

Makes 2 dozen, 1 per serving.

Pastry

1/2 cup/125 mL butter or margarine, softened

1 package (3 oz/85 g) cream cheese, softened

1 tbsp/15 mL sugar

1-1/3 cups/330 mL all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp/1.2 mL Watkins Organic Ground Nutmeg

Pinch salt

Watkins Cooking Spray

Filling

2 eggs

1/2 cup/125 mL sugar

1/2 cup/125 mL dark corn syrup

1 tbsp/15 mL butter or margarine, melted

1 tsp/5 mL Watkins Pure Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp/2.5 mL vanilla nut extract

1 cup/250 mL finely chopped walnuts

Pastry: Spray miniature muffin cups with Watkins Cooking Spray. Combine butter, cream cheese, and sugar in large bowl; stir until well blended. Add flour and salt; stir until thoroughly combined. Roll dough into 24 1-inch/25-mm balls. Press evenly into bottom and up sides of muffin cups. Dough on sides should extend a little above muffin cups to prevent filling from running over during baking. Refrigerate until needed.

Filling: Beat eggs slightly in medium bowl. Stir in sugar, corn syrup, butter and extracts; mix well. Stir in walnuts. Spoon about 1 tbsp/15 ml mixture into each pastry-lined cup. Bake at 350°F/180ºC. for 15 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Remove; cool completely on wire rack. If desired, can be sprinkled with powdered sugar. Store in tightly covered container.

Makes 2 dozen, 1 per serving.

www.trustednaturalhomeproducts.com

Slow-cooker Herbed Chicken Recipe

 

                                                Photo:  Taste of Home

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Watkins Organic Paprika

1/2 teaspoon Watkins Organic Garlic Powder

1/2 teaspoon Watkins Organic Seasonings with Salt

1/2 teaspoon Watkins Organic Thyme

1/2 teaspoon Watkins Organic Basil

1/2 teaspoon Watkins Black Pepper

Watkins Chicken Soup and Gravy Base, to taste

1/2 teaspoon browning sauce, optional

4 bone-in chicken breast halves (8 ounces each)

1/2 cup chicken broth

In a small bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients and, if desired, browning sauce; rub over chicken. Place in a 5-qt. slow cooker; add broth. Cover and cook on low until chicken is tender, 4-5 hours.

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Chocolate Cinnamon Cupcakes

 Chocolate Cinnamon Cupcakes

2 2/3 cups/640 mL all-purpose flour

1 tsp/5 mL baking powder

1 1/2 cups/350 mL baking cocoa

1 tbsp/15 mL Watkins Pure Ground Cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp/7.5 mL Watkins Organic Mediterranean Sea Salt, ground

1 tsp/5 mL baking soda

3 1/2 cups/820 mL sugar

1 1/4 cups/300 mL freshly brewed coffee, cooled to room temperature

1 1/4 cups/300 mL buttermilk

3/4 cup/180 mL cooking oil

1 tbsp/15 mL Watkins All Natural Original Gourmet Baking Vanilla

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 1/4 cups/300 mL mini chocolate chips, lightly dusted with flour*

In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking cocoa, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Combine sugar, coffee, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, eggs, and egg yolks in another large bowl. Beat until the egg mixture is blended. Add dry ingredients and beat on medium speed until well blended, about 4 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips.

Heat oven to 325°F/165°C. Spoon batter into cupcake papers, filling about 2/3 full. Bake until the center of the cupcake is firm to the touch; about 26-28 minutes. Makes 3-4 dozen cupcakes or about 90 mini cupcakes (bake 20-22 minutes). If desired, frost with a simple vanilla butter cream frosting with chocolate swirl topping. Decorate with Watkins Decorating Sprinkles or Sugars.

*Dusting chocolate chips lightly with flour, helps the chocolate chips from going to the bottom of the bowl

Chocolate Truffles

 

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate (6 squares)*

4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 of 250 g pkg.)

1-1/2 cups icing/powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon Watkins Baking Vanilla

1 tsp Watkins Extract of choice (see

ideas below)

Cocoa, Icing/Powdered Sugar, Chocolate, Nuts, Coconut etc to roll truffles in. 

Melt 6 oz chocolate in microwave on high for 60 seconds. Stir and continue cooking on high for another 30 seconds or until chocolate is completely melted.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and continue beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate, vanilla and extract. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.

Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll in cocoa, colored sugar, finely chopped nuts, coconut etc. or dip in melted

chocolate. Store in refrigerator. Makes about 3 dozen truffles.    Can be frozen.

Tips: 

◊ 6 squares of semi-sweet chocolate may be substituted with 1 c of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

◊ Use one of the following Watkins Extracts: Raspberry, Butter, Peppermint, Orange,

◊ Almond (roll in finely chopped roasted almonds),

◊ Maple (roll in chocolate sprinkles),

◊ Butter Pecan (roll in chopped roasted pecans)

◊ Use white chocolate or white chocolate chips in place of semi-sweet.

Shop for extracts at www.trustednaturalhomeproducts.com

Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

 Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

3 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt, optional

1/2 cup raisins

1 tsp. Watkins Vanilla Extract

Watkins Ground Cinnamon

In a saucepan, combine milk, rice, sugar and salt if desired; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour into a greased 1 1/2 qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.  Add raising and vanilla; cover and bake for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Serve warm or chilled. Store in the refrigerator.

Air Fryer Pickles

Air Fryer Pickles

32 dill pickle slices

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons dill pickle juice

1/2 teaspoon Watkins Organic Cayenne Pepper

1/2 teaspoon Watkins Organic Garlic Powder

2 cups panko (Japanese) bread crumbs

2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill

Watkins Cooking Spray

Ranch salad dressing, optional

Preheat air fryer to 400°. Let pickles stand on a paper towel until liquid is almost absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, combine flour and salt. In another shallow bowl, whisk eggs, pickle juice, cayenne and garlic powder. Combine panko and dill in a third shallow bowl.

Dip pickles in flour mixture to coat both sides; shake off excess. Dip in egg mixture, then in crumb mixture, patting to help coating adhere. Spritz pickles and fryer basket with cooking spray. In batches, place pickles in a single layer in basket and cook until golden brown and crispy, 7-10 minutes. Turn pickles; spritz with additional cooking spray. Continue cooking until golden brown and crispy, 7-10 minutes. Serve immediately. If desired, serve with ranch dressing.