Thank you to Helen Fields for contributing to the blog today!  She is here to help us celebrate “National Pecan Day.”

“Happy Pecan Day!

If you lived in Texas you might also say, “happy state tree day”. Pecan trees, in the same genus as hickory, grow abundantly from Mexico northeastward through Texas. They don’t stop there. Pecans grow in other southeastern states that can provide the necessary long, warm growing season.

In my area of north central Texas native pecan trees grow freely in fields, along river bottoms, and beside roadways. In late fall and early winter it’s not unusual to see folks bending at the waist gathering free pecans along the roads. If they’re lucky they will have found a tree that produced a rich flavored, hard-shelled pecan. It may take a hammer to crack the shell, but the flavor should be deep and buttery. No two native pecan trees are ever the same; shape, size, taste, texture, and shelling difficulty of the nut will be determined by the first crop. Most pecans produced commercially are from grafted, paper-shell varieties.

Enough tree facts already! Let’s get to the good stuff … eating pecans.

Pecans are eaten straight from the shell; they’re roasted; used in desserts; added to savory dishes; and even made into liqueur. In moderation, this versatile nut with its rich buttery flavor is good for you too.

Choosing a pecan recipe was difficult for me. Pecans are my favorite nut meat. I would go so far as to say I LOVE PECANS! In fact, I don’t allow myself to eat them straight out of hand because I find it difficult to stop eating them once started. Whew, I feel better after I got that off my chest!

Instead of offering up a dessert or savory recipe I’m sharing something that can be used in many ways.

This delicious Honey Orange Pecan Butter can be served on hot breads, slathered under the skin of chicken before baking, top a hot baked sweet potato, or stuffed inside a pork roast; just to name a few.

I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.”

Honey Orange Pecan Butter

1/2 cup salted butter; softened

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon orange zest

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup roasted, salted pecans; finely chopped

Place all ingredients into a medium sized bowl and stir together until well blended.  Put mixture into air-tight container and store in refrigerator.  Allow to soften slightly before using.  Makes about 1-1/4 cups.