Delicious accidental discovery

While making various pie gifts in recent days, I have had some crust dough left over as pecan pie requires no top. In my family, we always use this leftover goodness to make pie crackers (literally, pie crust crackers). Yesterday, I also had a bit of leftover pecan pie filling -no pecans, just the sugary syrup- so I spread it on top of the pie crackers and baked until the glaze looked like hardened shellac. Let me tell you that this was a fortuitous occurrence, and I will now intentionally make these treats. They would be superb as an accompaniment to a dish of rum raisin ice cream or really any ice cream that has vanilla, pecans, cinnamon, etc in it but they are really good on their own too!

Ooh, nelly, do y’all think I got my beta-carotene tonight?! This carrot-raisin salad

Ooh, nelly, do y’all think I got my beta-carotene tonight?!

This carrot-raisin salad is so good, and SO easy. If y’all like Middle Eastern food, look into Claudia Roden’s book, The New Book of Middle Eastern Food. She is a prolific cookbook author -I’m sure they’re all good- and we use this one regularly. In it she provides recipes that hail from one country or area but then also offers ways to alter it based on another country or tradition’s preparation. It’s interesting to see which spices, cooking methods and such are particular to which regions. I’ll post the recipe in a sec.

The sweet potatoes are simply roasted with honey, EVOO, s & p, and on the fish is a peach-ginger salsa that was lovely. I’m very much enjoying another bottle of the Qupé Chard-Viognier and a quiet night reading. Just read some very depressing news so now am off to Bossypants!

Throwing my hat in the ring, round 2

http://www.food52.com/contests/242_your_best_street_food#submit

See “Centraal Sandwich”