Texas Pecan Recipes (Revised) — Key Ideas to Explore

(0 User reviews) 62

In Category - Recipes

Authors: Texas. Department of Agriculture, Brown, Reagan V., 1921-1999 [Author of introduction, etc.] Digital Source: Project Gutenberg Gutenberg Release Year: 2022 First Publication Year: Not confirmed

Key Word: Pecan; Cooking (Pecans) Target Reader: Readers of public-domain and historical texts

Book Edition: Project Gutenberg digital edition Book Language: en

Edition facts

Words 7,539

Reading time 33 min

Text sections 11

For Texas Pecan Recipes (Revised) — Key Ideas to Explore, the stored edition analysis reports 7,539 words, 33 min estimated reading time, and 11 detected text sections.

The text analysis averages about 9.0 words per sentence, while the detected sections provide another way to judge how the source is divided.

Project Gutenberg metadata also associates the work with “Pecan,” connecting these edition facts with the source record’s subject description.

Source: Project Gutenberg record #67651

This editorial note examines the authorial choices in the Texas Department of Agriculture's revised pecan recipe booklet, focusing on diction, dialogue, and description in the introductory and recipe sections.

Editorial Edition Score 4.5/5

★★★★★ ★★★★★

Calculated from edition completeness, EPUB availability, text structure and catalogue metadata. Not a user rating.

How this score is calculated

Description quality20 pts
Title & short description10 pts
Source metadata20 pts
Text length15 pts
Chapters / structure15 pts
EPUB file integrity20 pts

Total of 100 points, scaled to a 2.5-5.0 range. Editions with an empty description or a missing EPUB file are not scored.

Edition quality

File: pg67651

Read the Text

There aren’t many Texans who don’t have a special liking for pecans grown in the state, usually enjoying them straight from the shell. But now, more and more people are incorporating pecans in many different types of recipes. In this booklet we have included recipes for salads, main dishes, desserts, candies, and cookies.

The Texas pecan industry has grown significantly from the days when the nuts were gathered by the family and hauled to town to sell during the season. Today, modern storage facilities and packaging make them available year-round. And if purchasers store pecans properly, they will retain their fresh flavor and quality for very long periods.

We hope that you find new ways to use pecans in cooking and that you insist on Texas pecans when you shop.

Reagan V. Brown Commissioner of Agriculture

Buy Fresh Texas Pecans

The pecan is the state tree, and quite properly it is named. It was a source of food for the Indians as well as the early colonists who found the trees growing on creek and river banks. With new varieties and commercial cultivation, the pecan orchards of Texas provide a steady supply of pecans during the harvesting season from October through December.

During these months, shoppers can find fresh pecans in retail outlets and can also purchase from growers themselves in many areas. Pecans are native to 152 counties in Texas and are grown commercially in the central part of the state, down on the western border, and in the Trans-Pecos.

Check with local farm organizations for names of producers of Texas pecans in your area.

=When stored properly, they retain good taste and high quality.=

Whether you buy a small cellophane package of shelled pecans or a five-pound bag of in-shell pecans, the best place to store them is in the freezer. Pecans can spoil quickly under warm temperatures, but will keep fresh one year at 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pecans do not have to be thawed before being added to a recipe. Even if they are not part of a cooked dish, they will thaw adequately before serving. Also, portions unused can be returned to the freezer without any loss of quality. During the holiday season, keep the pecans refrigerated--even in-shell--until they are ready to be served.

Pecan Cream Cheese Ball 1

Cranberry Salad Delight 3

Cream Cheese-Fruit Salad 3

Turkey-Nut Sandwich Filling 4

Nut Pimiento Sandwich Filling 5

Meat Loaf with Pecan Stuffing 5

Baked Stuffed Pork Chops 7

Nutty Ham and Cheese Grills 7

Brown Rice and Nut Dressing 8

Fluffy Pecan Pound Cake 9

Chocolate Chip Cake 10

Mocha Frosted Drops 11

No-Bake Fudge Cookies 12

Pecan Sugar Cookies 12

Peach Refrigerator Cookies 12

Pecan Cinnamon Cookies 13

Santa’s Thumbprint 14

Best Ever Pecan Candy 15

Martha Washington Candy 15

Texas Pecans Are Full Of Food Energy

They have protein, carbohydrates, calcium, iron, vitamin A, ascorbic acid, and small quantities of thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. And they have polyunsaturated fats.

1/4 lb. grated pimiento cheese 1/4 lb. grated American cheese 1 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1/2 tsp. garlic juice 3/4 C. chopped Texas pecans 1/4 C. paprika

Mix all ingredients except paprika by hand. Shape into log or ball. Roll in paprika on waxed paper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Slice thin. Serve with crackers.

1 (1 lb.) can salmon (2 C.) 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1 T. lemon juice 2 tsp. grated onion 1 tsp. prepared horseradish 1/4 tsp. salt 1/3 tsp. liquid smoke 1/2 C. chopped Texas pecans 3 T. snipped parsley

Drain and flake salmon, removing bones and skin. Combine salmon, cream cheese, lemon juice, onion, horseradish, salt, and liquid smoke. Mix thoroughly. Chill several hours or overnight. Combine 1/2 cup chopped pecans and parsley. Shape salmon mixture into log; roll in nut mixture. Chill well and serve with assorted crackers.

PECAN CREAM CHEESE BALL

2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese 1 (8-1/2 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained 1 C. chopped Texas pecans 1/4 C. chopped green pepper 2 T. chopped onion 1 T. seasoned salt

Soften cream cheese. Gradually stir in pineapple, pecans, green pepper, onion, and salt. Chill well. Form into a ball and roll in chopped pecans. Chill until serving time. Garnish with twist of pineapple slices, maraschino cherries, and parsley. Serve with assorted crackers.

1 (1 lb.) can pears (reserving 1 C. juice) 1/2 C. water 1 (3 oz.) pkg. lime gelatin 1/4 tsp. lemon flavoring 2 (3 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1-1/2 C. whipped topping mix 1/2 C. drained and chopped maraschino cherries 1/3 C. chopped Texas pecans

Drain pears, reserving 1 cup juice. Add water to juice and heat until boiling. Dissolve gelatin in liquid. Add lemon flavoring. Beat cream cheese into warm mixture. Mash or blend pears and fold into gelatin and cheese mixture until syrupy. Fold in whipped topping, cherries, and pecans. Pour into 8 inch square pan or a mold. Chill until set.

1 (8 oz.) can blueberries 1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple 2 (3 oz.) pkg. raspberry-flavored gelatin 1 C. miniature marshmallows 3/4 C. chopped Texas pecans 1/2 pt. whipped cream

Continue Reading →

The revised edition of Texas Pecan Recipes opens with a direct address from Commissioner Reagan V. Brown, who frames the collection as a response to a growing trend: 'more and more people are incorporating pecans in many different types of recipes.' This statement, rather than a simple assertion of tradition, positions the booklet as a practical guide for contemporary cooks. The commissioner's voice is authoritative yet conversational, using the inclusive 'we' to align the department with the reader's interests. The introduction also grounds the recipes in a specific regional identity, emphasizing Texas-grown pecans and the state's agricultural heritage.

The Commissioner's Persuasive Frame

The booklet's opening pages function as a kind of promotional preface. Commissioner Brown's note—'We hope that you find new ways to use pecans in cooking and that you insist on Texas pecans when you shop'—blends encouragement with a gentle commercial push. The language is deliberately plain, avoiding culinary jargon, which suggests the intended audience is home cooks rather than professional chefs. The historical note that pecans were 'a source of food for the Indians as well as the early colonists' adds a layer of authenticity, but the text quickly pivots to modern convenience: 'modern storage facilities and packaging make them available year-round.' This juxtaposition of past and present is a recurring rhetorical strategy, reinforcing the pecan's enduring value while updating its image.

Recipe Diction: Precision and Variation

The recipe instructions exhibit a consistent pattern of concise, imperative verbs: 'Mix,' 'Cream,' 'Sift,' 'Bake.' However, there are notable variations in specificity. For instance, the Pecan Cinnamon Cookies call for 'ground Texas pecans (enough so dough will hold shape the size of a walnut),' a tactile description that relies on the cook's judgment. In contrast, the Coffee Crescents provide exact measurements and a multi-step process involving a honey-coffee glaze. The use of 'Texas pecans' as a repeated ingredient name—rather than simply 'pecans'—reinforces the regional branding. Some recipes, like Santa's Thumbprint, include yield counts ('Yield: 4 dozen'), while others omit them, suggesting an editorial inconsistency that may reflect the booklet's compilation from multiple sources.

Structural Choices: From Salads to Sweets

The table of contents reveals a deliberate ordering: salads and main dishes precede desserts, candies, and cookies. This structure implies a meal progression, but the inclusion of items like 'Pecan-Cola Salad' and 'Pink Arctic Freeze' hints at mid-century culinary trends. The recipe for 'Texas Beef Nuggets' appears under main dishes, yet its method—combining ground beef with pecans and seasoning—blends snack and entrée categories. The booklet's organization is functional rather than thematic, grouping by course but not by technique or difficulty. Notably, there is no index or cross-referencing, which places the burden on the reader to browse. The final section on storage, placed before the recipes, serves as a practical preface, emphasizing freezer storage and the note that 'pecans do not have to be thawed before being added to a recipe.'

Voice and Regional Identity in the Instructions

The recipe instructions adopt a neutral, instructional tone, but occasional phrases betray a regional or colloquial flavor. For example, the Pecan Crunch Bars direct the cook to 'Press mixture evenly in greased pan (7 x 11 x 1½ inch),' using the exact pan dimensions rather than a generic 'baking dish.' The Coffee Crescents recipe includes the detail 'Dip the cooled cookies in honey mixture and sprinkle with chopped Texas pecans,' emphasizing the pecan as a finishing touch. The absence of headnotes or personal anecdotes keeps the focus on procedure, yet the repeated insistence on 'Texas pecans' functions as a subtle refrain. This consistency in naming, along with the commissioner's opening appeal, creates a cohesive voice that is both instructional and promotional, reflecting the Department of Agriculture's dual mission of education and marketing.

Readers approaching this booklet should note that its value lies not in narrative or character but in the precise, no-frills instructions and the implicit cultural narrative of Texas pecan promotion. The recipes are best used as standalone references; the introductory material provides context but does not affect the cooking methods. For those interested in the evolution of American regional cookery, the booklet offers a snapshot of early 1980s home cooking trends, from gelatin salads to layered bars. The editorial choices—from the commissioner's framing to the recipe format—reveal a deliberate effort to position the pecan as both a traditional and versatile ingredient.

Flipping through Texas Pecan Recipes, I lingered on its gentle, unhurried introduction, where pecan picking felt less like instruction and more like a remembered autumn afternoon. That quiet practicality lingered, somehow, until I reached for my shelf and pulled down The Country Housewife and Lady's Director in the Management of a House, and the Delights and Profits of a Farm — Edition Insights. Both spoke of kitchen thrift with a calm, almost whispered tenderness. It made me smile how our grandmothers’ voices, though centuries apart, still sound exactly alike.