Walnut Loaf

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup walnuts chopped
pinch salt
1 egg beaten
1 Tbs golden syrup warmed
1 cup milk

Sift flour and baking powder, add sugar and nuts. Make a well in centre
and add beaten egg, milk and warmed golden syrup.
Bake in loaf tin 1 hr. at 400 degs. F.

Crockpot Apricot Nut Bread

3/4 cup dried apricots
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 Tbsp grated orange peel
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Place the apricots on a chopping block. Sprinkle 1 T flour over them.
Dip a knife into the flour and chop the apricots finely. Flour the
knife often to keep the cut up fruit from sticking together. Sift
the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar into a
large bowl. Combine the milk, egg, orange peel, and oil. Stir the
flour mixture and the whole wheat flour. Fold in the cut up apricots,
any flour left on the cutting block and the walnuts. Pour into a
well greased, floured bakin unit. Cover and place on a rack in the slow
cooker, but prop the lid open a fraction with a toothpick or a twist of
foil to let excess steam escape. Cook on High for 4 to 6 hours. Cool
on a rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

DO NOT LIFT THE LID WHILE BAKING THIS BREAD.
- Maggie

Hazelnet Cake (torta di Nociole)

3 cups hazelnuts, shelled
1 cup raw sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
7 ounces unsalted butter
4 eggs, separated
3/4 cup flour

Toast the hazelnuts in a 350F oven, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Cool. Rub them between your hands to remove the skin. Chop them. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and the cocoa and chop again.
Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Beat the sugar and butter for 20 minutes.
Add the egg yolks, still beating. Mix the flour with the hazelnuts,
then fold them into the sugar mixture. Beat the egg whites to stiff
peaks in a separate bowl. Fold the egg whites into the sugar mixture.
Place in a buttered and floured 12 inch cake pan (we used a Bunt cake
pan). Bake for 1 hour at 350F.
Allow to cool before turning out.
Serve with whipped cream.

Maple-Walnut Syrup

1 1/2 cups corn syrup
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups walnut pieces

Combine corn syrup, maple syrup, water and sugar in a saucepot. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer syrup until it begins to thicken, about 15 minutes. Stir in nuts, cook 5 minutes. Ladle hot syrup into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust 2-piece caps. Process 10 minutes in boiling-water canner. Makes about 4 half-pints.
-Miriams Mom

Peanut Macaroons

1 Cup peanuts, unsalted
1 Egg white
Pinch of salt
¾ Cup superfine sugar
½ Teaspoon vanilla extract
Wax paper

Brown the peanuts under the broiler. Crush them. Beat the egg white a pinch of salt. Add the sugar and beat again. Then add the peanuts. Put the wax paper on a baking sheet. Grease it a little. Put small mounds of mixture on the paper. Bake at low heat 250 until the macaroons are golden.

Chocolate Nut Cluster

2/3 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 pound nuts

Soften butter, add sugar, and mix until blended. Stir in melted unsweetened chocolate. (I find that the easiest way is to unwrap the desired number of few squares, arrange them evenly on a small plate, and microwave on the lowest setting until the chocolate turns shiny and is just starting to lose its shape, somewhere around five minutes for the amount called for here, depending on the power of your microwave. That way it gets soft, but doesn't burn and isn't so hot that it'll start coagulating the batter if you add it to something that already has eggs in it. You can start it a little ahead of time because once softened like this, it'll stay soft for quite a while.)

Add eggs and vanilla, blend well, mix in flour. The batter should be quite thick at this point; fold in the nuts (walnuts, pecans, or whatever suits your fancy). Form into largish (just over an inch in diameter) globs and bake at 350 for about twelve minutes, until the surface is no longer shiny. Cool until cookies are crispy before removing from cookie sheet. These don't expand very much while baking, so they may be placed relatively close together on the baking sheet.

Vegetarian Cashew and Carrot Soup

3 tablespoons vegetable stock
1 1/2 pints vegetable stock
1 lb carrots
8 ounces potatoes
1 medium onion
4 ounces cashews
2 1/2 tablespoons coriander

ROUGH CUT carrots, onion and potato (can peel the skin).
In large pot, heat the pot, then add 3 Tablespoons vegetable stock.
ADD carrots, onion and potatoes and stir fry for about 5 minutes (until onion is soft).
Add 1 1/2 pints vegetable stock and cover for 25 minutes.
Place cashews in dry frypan; constantly stirring until slightly brown.
ALLOW soup and cashews to cool and place both through a food processor or blender.

- mickeydownunder

Green Apple and Celery Salad With Walnuts and Mustard Vinaigrette

VINAIGRETTE
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
5 teaspoons honey
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
SALAD
1 bunch celery & leaves
2 large granny smith apples, peeled, quartered, cored, each quarter cut into 2 wedges, then thinly sliced crosswise into triangle
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

Whisk first 3 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
Trim celery leaves and chop enough to measure 1 cup. Thinly slice stalks on deep diagonal. Place celery pieces in bowl of cold water. (Vinaigrette, celery leaves, and celery pieces can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.).
Drain celery; pat dry with paper towels. Combine celery, celery leaves, apples, and walnuts in large bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss to coat. Season salad to taste with salt and pepper.

Pecan Shortbread

1/2 lb butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup pecan pieces

Cream the butter and sugar in a standing mixer.
Slowly add flour, then salt.
Fold in pecan pieces.
Roll dough into ball shape, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
On floured surface, roll dough out to 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut into desired shapes (squares and triangles are my favorite, but a round cookie cutter can be used).
Transfer cut out dough to ungreased cookie sheet.
Prick with fork and chill again for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Chestnut Soup With Bacon - Velouté De Chataignes Et Bacon

7 ounces cooked and peeled whole chestnuts
1 stalk celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1 small onion, peeled & finely chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and chopped
2 pints ham or vegetable stock
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pint creme fraiche or single pouring cream

For the croutons
4 ounces lardons or bacon, cubed
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
4 ounces day-old white bread, cut into small cubes
4 tablespoons olive oil

To make the soup, you simply place all the ingredients, except the crème fraiche or cream, in a large saucepan.
Season lightly with salt and pepper, bring up to simmering point, then put a lid on and simmer very gently for 45 minutes.
While that is happening, you can prepare the croutons.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the bacon gently for 5 minutes, then turn the heat up to its highest setting, add the cubes of bread, together with the thyme, and toss them around (keeping them constantly on the move) until they, and the bacon, have turned a deep golden brown colour and become very crisp and crunchy.
Take them out & leave them to cool on some absorbent kitchen paper.
As soon as the soup is ready, add the crème fraiche or cream & mix well - allow it to cool slightly, and then transfer it to a blender and purée until smooth. (You may need to do this in more than one batch, in which case, it is a good idea to have a bowl to put the soup in as it is ready.).
Re-heat the soup in the pan, season to taste and serve in warmed soup bowls, with the croutons, bacon and thyme sprinkled over.

Chestnut Dessert

2 pounds chestnuts
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 or 5 apples
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons apricot jelly

Blanch and peel the chestnuts and cook until soft, then rub through a sieve. Make a syrup of the sugar and water, add vanilla and chestnuts and stir until the mixture is smooth. Place in a ring on plate. Cook the apples until soft, mash them, add butter, cinnamon, and apricot jelly. Put this mixture in the center of the chestnut ring and garnish with preserved fruits.

Butternut Cake

1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
3 cups flour, Sifted
3 teaspoons butternut flavoring
icing, ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup butter
1 (16 ounce) box powdered sugar
2 teaspoons butternut flavoring
1 cup nuts, Chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans of butter.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Mix soda and salt into buttermilk until foamy.
Add alternately with flour.
Add 3 teaspoons flavoring.
Pour into prepared pans and bake until done, 20 to 25 minutes.
For icing.
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Add box of powdered sugar and beat well.
Add butternut flavoring and blend.
Stir in chopped pecans.
Spread thinly between layers and cover cake completely with icing.

Apple Pecan Pie

Crust:
2 C. flour
1 C. Crisco
1 tsp. salt
5 T. water

Mix together with fork. Roll out and put in a 9-inch pie pan.

Filling:
1 C. pecans, chopped
2 T. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
¾ C. dark syrup
½ C. thick applesauce
cinnamon to taste

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs. Add pecans, syrup, applesauce, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour mixture filling into crust.

Put crust on top of mixture and seal edges of bottom and top crust. Bake until crust is golden brown.