A Tough Nut to Kill (Nut House Mystery Series) (28 page)

Recipes

Miss Amelia Hastings of the Nut House always puts at least a dash of Garrison Brothers Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey in her recipes because she thinks Garrison Brothers brings tears to the eyes of a real Texan.

You can use any bourbon that reminds you of home. Or leave out the whiskey entirely.

Or if you’re having a bad day, leave out the rest of the ingredients and just drink the bourbon.

MISS AMELIA’S SPECIAL PECAN PIE

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tbsp. melted butter

1/2 cup light Karo syrup

3 eggs, beaten

4 tbsp. bourbon

2 cups pecan halves

1 9-inch unbaked deep-dish piecrust

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the white sugar, brown sugar, and butter together. Stir in the Karo syrup, eggs, and bourbon. Fold in the pecans and pour the mix into a piecrust.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350 and bake until the pie is set in the middle—about 35 minutes more. Use a knife to test if the center is pretty well set.

Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Serve with a side of pecan ice cream, or a shot of bourbon.

CECIL DARLING’S CANDIED NUTS

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

6 tbsp. milk

2 cups pecan halves

2 tsp. bourbon

Combine the first four ingredients in a saucepan. Cook at medium heat until the mixture reaches the softball stage.

Add the pecan halves and bourbon. Stir to coat the pecans with the mix.

Spread on wax paper to cool then separate the pieces.

Store in a covered container.

ETHELRED’S RUNNER-UP
ORANGE PECAN TEA BREAD

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

3 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. salad oil

1/2 cup milk

4 tsp. grated orange peel

3/4 cup orange juice

4 tbsp. bourbon

1 egg, beaten

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan or 2 smaller pans.

Measure all the ingredients into a bowl.

Beat all together, scraping constantly.

Pour into the pan or pans. Bake 65 minutes or until a knife in the center comes out clean.

Cool before slicing.

Spread with butter or cream cheese or homemade jams.

Freezes well.

OUTHOUSE MOONS

1 cup soft butter or margarine

1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar

2 cups flour

3 tbsp. bourbon

2 cups finely chopped pecans

Extra confectioners’ sugar for rolling cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the butter and confectioners’ sugar together until smooth.

Add the flour, bourbon, and pecans.

Mix well.

Shape into 2-inch quarter-moon crescents and place on a cookie sheet.

Bake 10–15 minutes.

Keep a close eye on these. They should be set, but not too brown.

When cool, roll in extra confectioners’ sugar.

BLANCHARD’S BOURBON BALLS

1 cup vanilla wafer crumbs

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 tbsp. cocoa

2 shot glasses full of bourbon

1 1/2 tbsp. light Karo syrup

Extra confectioners’ sugar or granulated sugar for rolling cookies

Mix the vanilla wafer crumbs, pecans, confectioners’ sugar, and cocoa together.

In a separate bowl, mix the bourbon and Karo syrup. Add to the crumb mix.

Form into small balls and roll in extra confectioners’ sugar or granulated sugar.

Store in an airtight container.

FINULA’S FRIED DRIED PIES

Makes 8 large fried dried pies or more smaller ones.

DOUGH

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp. baking powder

3 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

4 tbsp. shortening

2 eggs, beaten

1 13 1/2-oz. can evaporated milk

THE NIGHT BEFORE:

Combine the sugar, baking powder, flour, and salt in a bowl.

Cut in the shortening.

Work in the beaten eggs.

Add the evaporated milk.

Mix well and allow to sit in the refrigerator overnight.

FILLING

Make the next day so the filling will be warm but not hot.

2 4.5-oz. package dried apples

1/2 cup bourbon

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tbsp. brown sugar