Recipes with pecans

Jeweled candied fruitcake loaded with dates, candied pineapple, whole cherries, and 2 lbs of pecan halves. More fruit and nuts than batter. A stunning holiday gift cake.

These rich chocolate-toffee bars from Mary Lueke of Menasha were our top pick in the bar category.

Peach pecan muffins fold ripe summer peaches and toasted pecans into a cinnamon-spiced batter for tender, fruit-studded breakfast muffins. One bowl, no mixer, ready in 45 minutes from cold oven to cooling rack.

Luxurious amaretto-soaked brownies with chocolate amaretto frosting and white almond icing drizzle. Boozy, pecan-studded dessert bars that need overnight chilling for maximum flavor.

Pecan pudding baked in a custard cup in the microwave: dark corn syrup, egg, and chopped pecans in a buttered cup, dusted with powdered sugar. Pecan pie filling in individual pudding form.

Spinach, blue cheese, pecan, and cranberry wraps: a tangy cream cheese spread studded with blue cheese, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries, rolled with crisp apple and baby spinach. A no-cook salad in a tortilla.

Pecan angel pie folds toasty pecans and graham cracker crumbs into stiff meringue, then bakes into a chewy-crisp dessert topped with whipped cream or ice cream. No flour, no fat in the base, just nuts and crumbs holding sweet meringue together.

Apricot brandy-soaked fruit and warm spices transform this quick bread into a moist, fragrant loaf that's more holiday fruitcake than everyday bread.

Ranger Joe cookies pack everything but the kitchen sink: rolled oats, Rice Krispies, coconut, pecans, and chocolate chips into one chewy, crunchy, candy-bar-of-a-cookie. The classic Texas ranch-house cookie that bakes off four dozen at a time.

Impossible pecan pie makes its own crust as it bakes, no rolling required. Six ingredients blend up in seconds and yield a pecan-studded custard pie in 45 minutes.

Nutty baked bulgur wheat seasoned with dried basil and tossed with toasted pecans. A simple, wholesome vegetarian side dish ready in 30 minutes flat.

Better Than Sex Cake is a rich Bundt cake made with yellow cake mix, vanilla pudding, sour cream, chocolate chips, grated German chocolate, and pecans.

Brandy-spiked pumpkin cheesecake on a buttery pecan crust with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and mace. A rich, spiced holiday dessert worth the overnight chill.

Sauteed soft-shell crab in sizzling butter topped with browned pecans. A Cajun classic with just 4 ingredients and crispy, golden results in under 30 minutes.

Pasta Giovanni tosses fettuccine with garlicky sautéed mushrooms, chopped pecans, parsley, sliced black olives, and pimientos in olive oil, finished with grated Romano. A vegetarian pasta with Mediterranean ingredients and crunchy textural surprise.

Moist, tasty and light. A perfectly delicious cake to finish up the meal without feeling guilty.