FROM COUCH TO KITCHEN:
COOKING SHOWS, FLAVORFUL GEORGIA PECANS INSPIRE KID CHEFS

Cooking is cool. At least that’s what more and more kids are saying as they discover the adventures of the kitchen—albeit from the comfort of their couch. Television food shows are turning today’s youngsters on to cooking—and eating—in a way that no generation before has experienced. Not only do these culinary action shows expose kids to cuisines from around the world, they also demonstrate how versatile everyday ingredients can be. In doing so, they encourage kitchen creativity.

As cooking has gained a new respectability, so have time-honored regional foods, such as Georgia pecans. A staple in the kitchen and a star in sophisticated or simple dishes, the accommodating pecan is every cook’s all-purpose partner in creating great recipes. Just like those on TV.

Consider the inventiveness of 10-year-old Henry Chambers from Salt Lake City, who created his own recipe for Granola Pecan Grabbers after viewing a program on no-bake desserts. Taking the traditional melted-marshmallow technique for making classic Rice Krispie treats, Henry substituted his favorite cereal and nut to make bars, then partially dipped them in chocolate. “Our family loves pecans in everything…we make a trail mix with pecans, granola, and chocolate chips, so I knew they would taste good together,” the young cook says, “ but I wanted to shape the mixture into a cookie that was easier to eat. I got the idea to make it a no-bake cookie bar from a food show that I watched.”

Henry also created a salad of zucchini ribbons, Parmesan cheese and pecans for his mom on her birthday. “She always ends up with a lot of zucchini from her garden,” he remarks, “and she wanted some different ways of serving them.” Henry saw a TV chef use zucchini raw in a dish and decided to follow his example. “But adding the pecans was my idea,” he adds proudly.

Like a scoop of crunchy, ready-to-use pecans, television food shows are inspiring lots of kid’s cooking ideas these days, according to Barbara Chrapowitzky, a teacher of high school Family and Consumer Science (what was once called Home Economics) for more than twenty years in East Greenbush, New York. “In the past, everything depended on what I brought to class. But now, my students request things, or they bring in tapes of shows with recipes that interest them. There’s so much more teaching material available because of television food shows.”

TV can also give kids a better appreciation for wholesome meal making, especially when it comes to turning nutritional theories into everyday practices. One of Chrapowitzky’s students, Christine Murphy, recalls how she and her classmates were inspired by a favorite food show to make their own cake mix from scratch, instead of using a boxed one, which would have contained trans fats, artificial flavors, and preservatives. “Our cake was definitely healthier and it tasted really good,” explains Christine, who is also an avid TV-food watching fan. “We were able to make variations, like adding chopped pecans and fruit to make it special and a bit healthier.”

According to the Georgia Pecan Commission, Georgia pecans are an ideal good-for-you ingredient, with less than 3 grams of saturated fat—and no trans fats—in one half-cup scoop. The richness of pecans comes instead from a nutritious supply of monounsaturated fat, including oleic acid, which is reported to help prevent heart disease. Pecans are also a significant source of Vitamin E, a highly active anti-oxidant that works against disease-causing agents in the body. With so much goodness, the crunchy Southern nut exemplifies one of the basic guidelines that kids learn about healthy choices: Natural, unprocessed foods are best for the body.

And, as it happens, such foods are also the foundation of great cooking.

Aspiring chef Josh Coletto knows this lesson well. Having watched food programs since he was seven years old, and taken in-school cooking classes for the past five years, the 18-year-old says he has learned a lot about what goes into making world class food. His recipe for Fruit-and-Pecan Stuffed Pork Loin is proof, for it combines skillful cooking with first-rate ingredients to make a dish that has timeless appeal. “It’s really popular in my family,” Josh states, “I make it for special events and holidays.”

Choosing the best ingredients available is where all good cooking starts, and Georgia pecans are always premium quality. Harvested each fall, supplies of pecans from Georgia are available at local markets year round. When stored properly in airtight containers in the refrigerator, these nuts are guaranteed to add texture, an earthy, almost-sweet flavor and a satisfying richness to any dish—sweet or savory, cooked or raw. Such versatility is great asset in the kitchen, especially for young cooks such as Josh, who exclaims, “I’ll try anything!”

It’s little wonder that this young man is headed to culinary school after graduation, with the aim of making food his profession. “That’s one of the best effects of the network food programs,” Chrapowitzky comments, citing the respect for cooking that culinary shows have instilled in kids. “Old home ec attitudes have given way to a new celebrity status about cooking…it’s not just for homemakers anymore, it’s entertainment, it’s creative…and it’s an exciting vocation.”
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Side Bar:

Ten Times Better
10 kid-friendly ways to create with Georgia Pecans

· Add chopped pecans to favorite muffin or cupcake mixes.
· Mix a handful of pecans into hot or cold cereal.
· Stir chopped pecans into pancakes or waffle batters.
· Use whole toasted pecans to top green salads after tossing with salad dressing.
· Add fruit, pecans, and a dash of vanilla extract to brighten the flavor and texture of plain yogurt
· Finely chop pecans to use as a crust for homemade chicken strips or cutlets.
· Stir pecans and cut-up grapes into chicken salad.
· Toast pecans in a skillet with sweet or hot spices to create an instant snack.
· Toast pecan halves, dip halfway in melted chocolate and use to garnish baked goods or ice cream.
· Mix coarsely chopped pecans with breadcrumbs to make a crunchy topping for macaroni and cheese casseroles.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission


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KID CHEF INSPIRED RECIPES
FROM
THE GEORGIA PECAN COMMISSION

Granola-Pecan Grabbers
If you don’t have time to dip these bars in chocolate, junior chef Henry Chambers suggests adding some mini chocolate chips to the pecan granola mixture.

Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 5 minutes

Makes sixteen 1-inch-thick bars
20 large marshmallows
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups low fat granola
1 cup chopped Georgia pecans
3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted (optional)

1. Melt butter in medium pot over low heat. Add marshmallows and heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from heat and stir in granola and pecans, mixing well.
2. Transfer mixture to lightly buttered 9 x 5 loaf pan. Press firmly and evenly into pan and set aside to cool.
3. Invert pan to remove “block” of granola. Cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 8 bars. Serve as is, or, if desired, insert extra-long toothpicks as handles and dip partway in chocolate.

Nutrition information per bar (with chocolate)—calories: 192; protein: 3g ; carbs: 26g; saturated fat: 2g; monounsaturated fat: 5g; polyunsaturated fat: 1g; cholesterol: 4mg; fiber: 2g; sodium: 53 mg.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission


 

Junior Chef Henry’s Zucchini Salad with Parmesan and Pecans
For more color, yellow summer squash can be used to replace one of the zucchini called for in this recipe. For best results, serve this salad within an hour of making it; if left to stand longer it may become watery, depending on the freshness of the vegetables.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 0


Serves 4
3 small zucchini (about 12 ounces)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 roasted red pepper, cut into thin strips (optional)
3 tablespoons of your favorite vinaigrette
1/2 cup toasted Georgia pecan halves
1/2 cup Parmesan shavings

1. Cut off the ends of the zucchini. With a vegetable peeler, create thin strips of zucchini by peeling from top to bottom, stopping when you reach the pulpy center.
2. In a salad bowl, mix zucchini with red onion, red pepper, and vinaigrette. Just before serving, gently toss in the pecans and Parmesan.

Nutrition information per serving-- calories: 121; protein: 6g; carbs: 5g; saturated fat: 3g; monounsaturated fat: 2g; polyunsaturated fat: 3g; cholesterol: 9mg; fiber: 1g; sodium: 314 mg.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission


 

Georgia Pecan Pear Coffee Cake
Tender pieces of pear and crunchy pecans top this updated classic recipe made with yogurt instead of the usual sour cream.

Prep time: 20 minutes Baking time: 40 minutes

Serves 12
To dust the pan:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Cake:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (1 cup) vanilla low fat yogurt

Topping:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
4 teaspoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, firm but not too cold
3/4 cup chopped Georgia pecans
1 firm-ripe pear, peeled, cored, and diced

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Generously butter the inside of a 9- or 10-inch tube pan. To dust the pan, combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle liberally to coat the bottom and sides.
2. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until lightened slightly. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scrapping down bowl between additions. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture, alternating with dollops of yogurt. Spread batter in prepared pan.
3. To make topping, in a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, 3 teaspoons flour, cinnamon, and salt. Finely chop the butter and add to mixture. With fingertips, pinch ingredients together to form a crumbly blended mixture. Add pecans and mix briefly. Mix pear pieces with remaining teaspoon flour.
4. Sprinkle pear over top of cake. Sprinkle pecan mixture on top. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until browned and bake through. Cool cake in pan, then turn out to serve.

Nutrition information per serving-- calories: 350; protein: 5g; carbs: 47g; saturated fat: 7g; monounsaturated fat: 6g; polyunsaturated fat: 2g; cholesterol: 79mg; fiber: 2g; sodium: 188 mg.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission


 

Josh’s Fruit-And-Pecan Stuffed Pork Roast
Ask your butcher to butterfly the pork loin to make prep easier and quicker. For convenience, the fruit and pecan filling can be made several hours ahead.

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Serves 8
1/4 pound dried apricot halves, chopped
1/4 pound dried figs, chopped
1/3 cup craisins
1 cup chicken broth, low sodium
1/2 cup apple juice
4 fresh sage leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup chopped toasted Georgia pecans
3 pounds boneless pork loin, butterflied
Vegetable oil
Fresh minced herbs, such as parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme

1. In a saucepan, combine apricots, figs, and craisins over medium heat. Stir in
chicken broth and apple juice. Add sage, butter, lemon juice, garlic, and ginger; season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until the fruits are reconstituted and softened and the liquid is reduced by half—about 20 minutes. Transfer the fruit
mixture to a bowl and add the chopped pecans.
2. Heat grill over high heat; preheat oven to 375°F. Spread fruit and pecan mixture all over inside of pork loin. Roll up meat to enclose filling; tie up with butchers twine that has been presoaked in water (to avoid burning on grill). Rub the pork all over with oil, the herbs, salt and pepper. Sear pork over hot grill on all sides, then transfer to a large baking pan.
3. Roast pork until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast registers 160 degrees F—about 45 minutes. Transfer pork roast to a cutting board; let stand 10 minutes before carving into pinwheels. Serve with pan juices.

Nutrition information per serving-- calories: 544; protein: 51g; carbs: 27g; saturated fat: 8g; monounsaturated fat: 12g; polyunsaturated fat: 3g; cholesterol: 154mg; fiber: 3g; sodium: 160 mg.

Source: Georgia Pecan Commission


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