Recipes: Spiced Pecans, Bacon-Wrapped Dates and Nut Cookies

Planning A Reception

Aramark Executive Chef Louis Ferretti

Things To Consider

Length of Party—1 -1/2 to 2 hours, choose 3 hot and 3 cold hors d'oeuvres. 3 to 4 hours, choose 4 to 5 hot and 3 to 4 cold hors d'oeuvres. Choose selections from our menu that work with your party guidelines. It is not meant to be made in its entirety.

Time of Day—If the reception is scheduled in the afternoon, choose a lighter style of food. If in the evening with no dinner, choose more substantial foods.

Taste Preferences of Guests—Have a balance of meat, vegetable, cheese and seafood menu items. Be sure that the food selections vary in texture, color and temperature.

Spiced Pecans

1 pound pecan halves
4 cups boiling water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Blanch the pecans in the boiling water in a bowl for 1 minute; drain.

Toss the hot pecans with the sugar and oil in a bowl. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the pecans are dry, stirring occasionally. Transfer the pecans to a bowl; sprinkle with the salt, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne. Let stand until cool. Store in an airtight container.

Makes one pound

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

50 pitted whole dates
50 whole almonds, toasted
1 pound lean bacon, cut into thirds

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Stuff each date with an almond. Wrap each date with bacon; secure with wooden pick. Arrange on a baking sheet.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the bacon is crisp; drain.

Makes fifty appetizers.

Great recipe to prepare in advance and freeze. Bake frozen dates in 400-degree oven until bacon is crisp.

Crescent Nut Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine, softened (2 sticks)
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
1/4 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cream the butter and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl occasionally. Beat in the vanilla until smooth. Add the flour, nuts and salt, stirring until the dough forms a ball.

Shape by tablespoonfuls into 2-inch long crescents. Arrange 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set but not brown. Sprinkle the warm cookies with confectioners' sugar. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Makes four dozen cookies.

Provided by Aramark from: Entertaining with The Home-Field Advantage
Designed and Produced by Favorite Recipes Press
Food Photography by Mike Rutherford
Aramark Corporation
Released 1996
Reprinted with permission.

This page originally published as a FoodDay article in 1997.