FRESH CHERRYGAL CAROLINA PECANS * IN THE SHELL * ONE POUND IN THE SHELL. They're back! Fall 2010 Pecans are dropping now! No chemicals, no pesticides, just warm Carolina sunshine and nature's watering can. CherryGal Pecans are succulent and sweet! Cleaned and inspected by hand. CherryGal's Pecans have been rated "ABSOLUTELY AWESOME" by my customers. So get your order in now to be sure to have fresh pecans for pies this holiday season (See the easy recipe for CherryGal Honey Pecan Pie below). Fresh pecans in the shell last a long time if kept in a cool dry environment. Crack 'em when you need them to dazzle guests or for that best recipe! Harvest has not yet begun so keep an eye on this page because once they come in and start selling, when they are gone, they are gone until next Fall.

Pecans are one of the healthiest nuts you can eat!  Excellent sources of protein and contain energy producing nutrients – carbohydrates.  The fat found in pecans is mostly polyunsaturated and contains no cholesterol. Pecans add fiber to your diet and contain iron, calcium, vitamins A, B, and C, potassium and phosphorous. A recent study was done of of Americans eating a self selected diet, but adding ¾ cup of pecan meat every day as a compulsory part of the food intake, increasing the fat content over matched controls. But those eating pecan experienced no weight gain, in spite of the fat content of the pecans, and their LDL or 'bad' choleserol levels dipped by 6%. Pecans have quite a high vitamin E content - about 0.45%. They have a very high oil content, with 67 grams of fats per 100 grams. Of that, about two thirds is monounsaturated, most of the rest polyunsaturated. Pecans have a very small amount (about 0.7 grams) of linolenic acid, an omega - 3 fatty acid. Their protein content is relatively low, at around 7 grams/100 gram serving. One of the absolute BEST baking and cooking nuts, pecans are wonderful straight out of the shell, added to salads, or sweetened or spiced as a snack. Adding ten large pecan halves to your meal in whatever form will add 65 nutritious calories to your diet!

CRACKING TIP: My pecans are "papershell" pecans - easy to crack and extract whole halves from. Just takes a little practice. Give a pecan a horizontal crack, then two lateral cracks, one on either side of the midline. Then voila! Be sure to remove the reddish brown interior that sits inside the ridges of the meat - it is bitter. And don't throw away those shells! They make a great mulch for your flowerbeds or addition to your compost heap!

CHERRYGAL BANANA PECAN MUFFINS (Makes 12 Large exceptionally fine muffins)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare muffin tin.

In a medium-size bowl mash 3 large ripe bananas. Add the zest of one lemon, 2 beaten eggs, 2/3 C sugar, 1/4 C plain yogurt (Green style is best), 3 T melted butter. Mix by hand until well-mixed. ADD: 1-3/4C sifted unbleached all purpose flour, 2-1/4 t. double acting baking powder, 1/2 t. salt, dash of grated nutmeg and 1 C broken pecan pieces. Fold in JUST until all dry ingredients are moistened and mixed. Then spoon into muffin cups until 2/3 full. Bake 30 min or until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Let cool 5 min in pan, then run a knife around the edge of each muffin and gently remove to cool on wire rack.

CHERRYGAL HONEY PECAN PIE: A favorite recipe utilizing favorite CherryGal offerings!

Ingredients:

1 cup PURE RAW 100% NORTH CAROLINA HONEY (Sold separately in Wildflower, the rare varieties of Sourwood, Cotton and Gallberry) 
3 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon NIELSEN MASSEY PURE MADAGASCAR BOURBON VANILLA EXTRACT (Sold separately in 2 oz and the economical 32 oz sizes) 
1 cup chopped FRESH CHERRYGAL CAROLINA PECANS
1 pinch ground nutmeg

Directions: In a saucepan bring the honey to a boil. Quickly beat the eggs into the honey. Add butter, vanilla, nuts, and nutmeg. Pour into a prepared pie shell.
Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 25 minutes or until set.