Jan 18
Steps 10,350
I keep nuts in the freezer and a little container of thawed ones on the table beside me. No matter how healthy a nut is, I am totally devoted to pecans. When I was seven years old, we lived on 10 acres and half a dozen pecan trees. Pecans were work, entertainment, food.
We went as a family to the pecan trees. Days before the pecans were ready, Daddy mowed and picked up all fallen limbs. My brother, at least, went with him. Then, one day, after picking up pecans every day, Daddy would hoist my brother up in the tree where he shook the limbs. He was young and light, so more brawn was needed. Daddy took a two by four and put one end under the limb and pushed hard enough to dislodge gallons of pecans. We were all present for this event, armed with empty paint buckets and five gallon buckets. It was always a happy day for us. Yes, it was entertaining. (I forgot to say that Daddy took heavy tarps he had used when he was a painter and spread them on the ground. He had about three. The pecans were easier to pick up. Some bounced off the tarps. We could easily look beyond the tarps for those.)
We loved shelling pecans and eating the meat. Daddy would sell many five gallon buckets of pecans. But, we saved enough for snacks. Mama made old-fashioned fudge and pressed half a pecan in each piece of fudge. I have never used any other nut in baking. I substitute pecans for any nut in a recipe.
Click HERE>> Nuts to Eat. Nuts not to Eat.
Tommy prefers peanuts over any other nut. Of course, peanuts are not really nuts. ( Tommy came in and said pecans are the least distasteful nut if he has to choose something beside peanuts.) I have always loved cashew nuts, but learned early on of the calories, so I limited my consumption. Pistachios have long been a favorite nut, a preference developed before we had pecan trees. Now, I find they are too hard and often hurt my gums. Then, I discovered that I am allergic to cashews! So, no more of those no matter how much I like them.
Today, I have done little. Tommy planted daffodils and a dark pink tulip in the same two pots, washed a lot of dishes in the sink. I did my steps, napped, and ate poorly.
It is supposed to rain and snow tomorrow. So, the forecast is slush? We will see how that works out. We have nowhere to go and no desire to go anywhere so we can watch the snow/rain. I do have calls to make and fires to put out. I will be busy. Will the ice be on top or bottom?
What is your favorite nut?
What is your weather forecast?
Pecans are my favorite and I have a bag at my desk, as a healthy snack option. Pistachio's are my second favorite.
ReplyDeleteOne,
DeletePecans are a good snack since they are not messy or salty. I had somewhere to go on Saturdays. I took pecans, dehydrated bananas and chocolate chips--only ten of each. I dehydrated the banana myself, so no oils or anything.
Hmmmm… I am not really a fan of nuts as a snack. The only time I ever enjoyed them was when a family member sent us a Nuts.com tray for Christmas. I loved those, I think because they were so fresh, although my favorite selection on the tray was the chocolate covered pretzels! If I am baking, and I put nuts in a recipe, I use walnuts or pecans. I also love slivered almonds in my fruitcake, but I think it is the crunch I like. I do grind slivered almonds for the crust when I bake a tart.If I am going to eat a nut as a snack, which is rare, I like cashews, or I get a variety of nuts in the Costco trail mix. (But let’s be honest, I really only eat that for the M&M’s!) Mostly, I only use nuts for baking.
ReplyDelete-Meg B.
Cashews are soooo good, and I am allergic. I don't really like nuts in food, just for a snack. The M&Ms are the best thing in any mix.
DeleteYour nut-picking story sounds like a sweet family memory.
ReplyDeleteI guess walnuts are my favorite because that's what I grew up with. I don't eat them out of hand, but they are the first nut I grab for baking.
Pecans are pretty good--I just made some maple-sugar glazed ones, and they were divine. Problem is I nibbled up the entire half-pound mysef, because no one else likes sugared nuts!
Cashews are great, as are pistachios.
I don't care for almonds. I detest marzipan and don't buy almond extract. I think it's the smell of those things that get to me.
Nothing but cold, cold, and more cold in the forecast. Winter, go away already!
It does bring back fond memories.
DeleteIf anything calls for almond extract, I use vanilla. The smell...yuck.
We had no snow here, no slush, just wet. But, it is all gone, just cold now. I was ready for warm weather. Monday, we are back in 70s. YAY!
Wow, such wonderful memories with the pecan trees. 💕 I keep my nuts in the freezer too, but do have a glass jar on the counter with walnuts, which are good for the brain, that and blueberries I try to eat everyday.
ReplyDeleteBelinda,
DeleteI had not thought about that for many years. The Walnut council works hard. I usually eat blueberries very often, too.