— Written By Tammy Kelly (3 weeks ago) and last updated by Jennifer Stroud

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Lenoir County Farmers Market – Recipe Collection

It was a great day at the Lenoir County Farmers Market in downtown Kinston on November 22.
The market hosted numerous extra vendors and special guests, the Howard Sisters — Vivian Howard and Leraine Howard Tolston — who went Nuts! Each chef shared a favorite recipe using nuts.

Kelly Tyndall, Family and Consumer Science Agent, and I think the holidays are a terrific time to say a big thanks and of course Merry Christmas to many friends, family, and co-workers. Kelly loves Christmas and would gladly celebrate the holiday all year long, so we shared some ways to decorate using your backyard and to gift using your kitchen.

If you missed Super Saturday, here are some of the recipes we shared. Some are a bit healthier than others, but all are fun and will be enjoyed by those special to you!

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V’s Nuts

(Shared by Vivian Howard at Super Saturday; also published in her cookbook This Will Make It Taste Good)

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons cayenne
• 2 tablespoons paprika (smoked optional)
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cups pecan halves or pieces

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form.
3. In a smaller bowl, combine sugar, cayenne, paprika, and salt.
4. Whisk the spice mixture and Worcestershire into the egg whites.
5. Stir in pecans, coating them thoroughly.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment, foil, or a Silpat. Spread nuts in a single layer.
7. Bake 10 minutes, stir, then bake an additional 10–13 minutes until dry and not sticky.
8. Cool on the baking sheet for 1 hour, then store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Ways to Use V’s Nuts

Snack on them, fold into granola, toss in a salad, stir into chicken salad, chop for grilled cheese, blend into soups, sprinkle on sautéed vegetables, top avocado toast or baked sweet potatoes, fold into cookie dough, top ice cream, and more.

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Diane Stroud’s Pecan Pie

(Made by Leraine Howard Tolston for Super Saturday)

Ingredients

• 1 (16-oz) box brown sugar
• 2 sticks butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 5 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups shelled pecans, chopped
• 2 pre-made pie crusts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Melt butter; combine with brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Mix well.
3. Divide pecans between the two crusts.
4. Pour sugar mixture over pecans.
   • (Leraine tip: choose a pie crust containing lard.)
5. Bake 45 minutes. Yields 2 pies.

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Rosemary Roasted Cashews

(An Ina Garten Favorite)

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ pounds cashews
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried)
• ½ teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon melted butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Spread nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine rosemary, cayenne, sugar, salt, and butter in a large bowl.
4. Toss warm nuts with the mixture. Serve warm.

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Homemade Hot Honey

Ingredients

• 1 cup local honey
• 2–3 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes or 1 fresh jalapeño, sliced
• 1–2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Combine honey and pepper flakes (or jalapeño) in a saucepan.
2. Heat over medium until lightly simmering; stir and remove from heat.
3. Let infuse 10–15 minutes.
4. Taste and adjust heat by adding more peppers if needed.
5. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean jar.
6. Stir in vinegar.
7. Store at room temp up to 3 months, or refrigerate 1 week if using fresh jalapeños.

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Peppermint Hot Cocoa Mix

Makes ~12 servings (1 quart)

Ingredients

• 1 cup instant dry milk
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• ¾ cup crushed peppermint candies
• 5 large marshmallows (optional)
  Equipment: 1-quart jar with lid

Assembly

Layer gently in this order:

1. Dry milk
2. Cocoa powder
3. Sugar
4. Salt
5. Chocolate chips
6. Crushed candy
7. Marshmallows

Seal and label.

Instructions to Include

“Whisk together contents of jar in a large bowl.
For each serving, mix 1/3 cup of cocoa mix with 1 cup boiling water or hot milk.
Store sealed up to 6 months.”

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Curried Cashews

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons curry powder
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 6 cups unsalted cashews

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250°F; position racks in upper and lower thirds.
2. Whisk lemon juice, curry, and salt. Toss with cashews.
3. Spread on 2 baking sheets.
4. Bake, stirring every 15 minutes, until dry (about 45 minutes).
5. Cool completely. Store airtight up to 3 weeks.
   Yields 48 servings.

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Mayme’s Cinnamon Sugared Pecans

Ingredients

• 1 lb pecan halves
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Beat egg white and vanilla until foamy.
2. Add pecans in a 2-gallon zip bag; shake to coat.
3. Mix sugars, salt, cinnamon; add to bag and shake.
4. Spread on a greased baking dish.
5. Bake at 250°F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

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Chocolate Bark with Pistachios & Cranberries

Yields 48 servings

Ingredients

• ¾ cup chopped roasted pistachios (3 oz)
• ¾ cup dried cherries or cranberries
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 24 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet or jelly-roll pan with foil.
2. Combine pistachios and dried fruit; divide mixture in half. Add orange zest to one half.
3. Melt 18 oz chocolate using double boiler or microwave.
4. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 6 oz chocolate.
5. Add orange-zest mixture; spread chocolate to ¼-inch thickness.
6. Top with remaining pistachio mixture; press gently.
7. Refrigerate 20 minutes until set.
8. Remove foil, score into lines, and break into chunks.
   Stores 2 weeks in fridge.

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Texas Fire Crackers

Ingredients

• 1 lb oyster crackers
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 (1-oz) Ranch dressing mix packet
• 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions

1. Mix all spices with oil.
2. Place crackers in a 2-gallon zip bag; pour mixture over.
3. Shake well to coat.
4. Let sit overnight, shaking occasionally.

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Southwestern Soup Mix (Gift Jar)

Dry Layer Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ⅓ cup dried black beans
• ½ cup pearl barley
• ⅓ cup dried kidney beans
• ⅓ cup dried great northern beans

Layer into a clean 2-cup jar or bag.

Cooking Instructions to Attach

Sauté 1 diced onion, 1 diced celery stalk, and 1 diced carrot in 1 tbsp olive oil for 5 minutes.
Add 9 cups water, 4 cups broth, and the soup mix.
Simmer 1¾–2½ hours until beans are tender, adding water as needed.
Season with ¾ tsp salt.

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Infused Vinegars

Rosemary, Oregano & Marjoram Vinegar

Ingredients

• 6 cups distilled white vinegar
• 9 sprigs each: oregano, rosemary, marjoram
• Additional herbs for decoration (optional)

Instructions

(Sanitizing, filling, storage, and straining steps kept exactly as written—formatted clearly.)

Text preserved but reorganized for readability:

1. Wash 3 pint-size heatproof jars and lids.
2. Place jars in a water bath; boil 10 minutes. Leave jars and lids in hot water.
3. Rinse herbs well.
4. Remove jars; divide herbs among jars.
5. Heat vinegar to 190°F and divide among jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace.
6. Dry lids and seal jars.
7. Store in a cool, dark place 3–4 weeks.
8. Strain through cheesecloth until clear; return to jars or decorative bottles.
9. Refrigerate up to 1 year.

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Cilantro, Chile & Garlic Vinegar

Ingredients

• 6 cups distilled white vinegar
• 6 cloves garlic, halved
• 3 small chile peppers, halved
• 12 sprigs fresh cilantro

Instructions

(Identical sanitizing, filling, and straining instructions as above; content kept intact.)

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S’mores Chocolate Bark

Yields 36 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
• ¾ cup graham cracker pieces
• ¾ cup mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Melt chocolate (microwave or double boiler).
3. Combine graham crackers and marshmallows; stir half into chocolate.
4. Spread into a 9-inch square; top with remaining mix.
5. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
6. Cut into 1½-inch pieces.
   Stores 2 weeks refrigerated.

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Spicy Company Pecans

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 4 tsp Tabasco
• 2 tsp Worcestershire
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 6 cups pecan halves

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F, racks in top and middle positions.
2. Mix butter, Tabasco, Worcestershire, salt, and garlic powder.
3. Toss with pecans; spread on 2 baking sheets.
4. Bake 12–15 minutes, rotating pans halfway.
5. Cool on paper-towel-lined pan.
6. Package 1½ cups per craft bag.

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Easy Pecan Pie Bites

Yields 6 dozen

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped pecans
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ cup dark corn syrup
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 5 packages frozen mini phyllo shells

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Toast pecans 8–10 minutes.
3. Combine sugar and corn syrup; add pecans, eggs, butter, vanilla, and salt.
4. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon into each shell.
5. Bake 20–22 minutes.
6. Cool completely; store airtight up to 3 days.

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Caramelized Onion & Bacon Jam

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb bacon, finely chopped
• 3 large onions, chopped
• 1 medium leek, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

1. Cook bacon 30 minutes until crisp; remove, leaving 2 tbsp fat.
2. Add onions, leek, garlic, and salt; cook 50 minutes until caramelized.
3. Add vinegar, sugar, oregano, nutmeg, bacon, and pepper.
4. Cook 15 minutes.
5. Pulse in food processor; transfer to jars.
   Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

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Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix

Ingredients

• 2 cups hot chocolate powder
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch cayenne (optional)
• 2–3 cinnamon sticks (optional)

Instructions

1. Mix powders in a jar.
2. Add cinnamon sticks if desired.
3. To serve: heat 1 cup milk and add 2 tablespoons mix.

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Holiday Chocolate Bark

Ingredients

• 1 lb white chocolate
• 3 oz red candy melts

Instructions

1. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment.
2. Melt white chocolate; spread in pan.
3. Melt red candy melts; drop spoonfuls over white chocolate and swirl.
4. Refrigerate 20 minutes; break into pieces.

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Believe It or Not Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Makes six 4-oz jars

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips
• 2–4 tbsp whole milk

Instructions

1. Heat-treat flour at 300°F for 10 minutes (or microwave until 160°F). Cool.
2. Mix flour, salt, and sugars in mixer.
3. Add butter and vanilla; mix until dry dough forms.
4. Add chocolate chips.
5. Add milk 1 tbsp at a time to reach desired consistency.
6. Portion into jars.

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Captain Crunch Candy Bars

Ingredients

• 3 cups Cap’n Crunch cereal
• 1 1/2 cups crushed pretzel sticks
• 3/4 cup cocktail peanuts
• 1 (11-oz) bag caramel candies
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 cup melted semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Grease a 9×9-inch pan and line with parchment.
2. Combine cereal, pretzels, and peanuts.
3. Melt caramels, peanut butter, and cream (15–16 minutes).
4. Stir into cereal mixture; press into pan. Chill 1 hour.
5. Cut into 12 bars.
6. Drizzle with melted chocolate; let set.