Nuts over Reading!

Nuts and reading--two of our favorite things. You supply the book, we'll supply the nuts. Nut recipes, that is.

All recipes have been tried and perfected by Nuts over Reading volunteers in our Literacy Connexus Test Kitchen.

Union Square Café Bar Nuts

(Recipe from Saveur.com)

1-1/2 cups unsalted cashews

1-1/2 cups unsalted pecans

1-1/2 cups unsalted walnuts

1-1/2 cups unsalted hazelnuts

6 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
1-2 tsp. cayenne
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. coarse salt
3 tbsp. melted butter

Preheat oven to 350°. Put unsalted cashews, pecans, walnuts, and hazelnuts onto a large baking pan.

Toast in oven until golden, about 10 minutes.

Remove from oven. Toss with rosemary leaves, cayenne, brown sugar, coarse salt, and melted butter.

(Click to print recipe)

Maple Pecan Popcorn

(Recipe adapted from Lauren's Latest.com)

8 cups popcorn (already popped)

1 cups pecans (coarsely chopped)

2 Tbsp. coconut oil

1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla

Place popcorn in large bowl. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine chopped pecans, coconut oil, maple syrup and salt. Boil 2 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Drizzle over popcorn and nut mixture, tossing to coat evenly. Spread out on parchment paper to cool 30 minutes. Serve.

(Click to print recipe)

Chocolate-Orange Biscotti with Pecans

(Recipe adapted from epicurious.com)

2 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 large eggs

1 tbsp. orange extract

1 tbsp. grated orange peel

1 cup pecans, lightly toasted, chopped

6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, chopped

Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then orange extract and orange peel. Add flour mixture and beat until blended. Stir in pecans and chocolate. Gather dough together; divide in half. Wrap in plastic and freeze 20 minutes to firm.

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Using floured hands, form each dough piece into 14-inch-long, 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Transfer logs to prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until light golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer parchment with logs to rack. Cool 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

Place 1 log on cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut log on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Stand slices upright on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining log.

Bake biscotti until dry to touch and pale golden, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on rack. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container.)

(Click to print recipe)

Reading to babies starting at birth is a recipe for success.

Lester Meriwether, Executive Director

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The Huffington Post presents 30 essential recipes that every cook should know by the time they turn 30. Sounds easy enough until you consider that, on average, 19% of Texas adults cannot read a newspaper (Texas Interagency Literacy Council Report, 2012) and would be equally lost following a recipe.

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