Walnut Recipes~Give me your Best ones!

[jenrose]

I have 2 Gallon Ziplock bags full of walnuts in my freezer that are just in my way. I can only just snack on so many of them before I am just sick of them......so I need some good recipes that will use up some of these walnuts. I even still have 1/2 a milk crate full of ones that need cracked.

Can you tell I am sick of walnuts

So Please give me some new ideas of ways to use these up. I need the freezer space for more icecream . We have been breaking record high temps here and it's killing me!

[isis]

Toss in a handful of walnuts to your salad. I usually toss lettuce, baby spinich, tomatos, cucumbers, nuts, cranberries, shredded cheese with raspberry vinagrette. Sometimes I add in cooked chicken.

Deli Chicken Salad -
This is always a big hit at parties, served with a variety of crackers. You could always modify for a smaller batch and serve on toasted bread.
I use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, just pull all the meat off and pulse a few spins in the food processor. Add mayo, chopped celery, 1 small chopped green apple and 1/2 C chopped walnuts.

Sweet Potato Casserole (cooks.com)
6 med. sweet potatoes (3 1/2 lbs.)
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. honey
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 c. pineapple juice
1/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

Cook sweet potatoes in boiling water for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender. Peel and cut into 1/2" slices. Arrange slices in a lightly greased 12"x8"x2" baking dish; set aside.
Combine brown sugar and next 7 ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Pour over the sweet potatoes, sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Spicy Maple Walnuts (I believe this came from Rachael Ray)
1/4 C Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/4 tsp Cayanne Pepper
1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
3 TBSP Maple Sugar (pure)
2 Cups Walnuts

-In a small bowl, mix together sugar, salt, pepper, cayanne pepper, cinnamon and ginger. set aside. Pour maple sugar in a large bowl and set aside.
-In a large nonstick skillet, toast walnuts over medium-high heat, stirring or shaking pan until they are hot, about 5 minutes.
-Immediately add the nuts to the maple syrup and toss to coat. Stir in spice mixture until nuts are evenly coated.
-spread walnuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Cool completely before serving. Store in airtight container.


You could also add walnuts to chocolate chip cookies, brownies, banana bread. HTH, thats all I could come up with for now :)

[queenofthehivemomof5]

I use walnuts in my homemade pesto instead of pine nuts because I cannot find pine nuts where I live in large quantities and they are more expensive than walnuts.

[isis]

Forgot this one. Another bit hit. I usually make this when the kids need fair donations for the sweets booth and I also sent it for Teacher Appreciation week, for thier sweet treats day --
Rocky Road Brownies
Bake a box of brownies according to directions. Once cooled, spread a tub of chocolate icing on top. Add mini-marshmallows and chopped walnuts. When I send to school fairs, I place each brownie in a baking cup and stick in a celephane baggie.
Also, before spreading icing, it helps to precut the brownies, otherwise its kind of a mess.

[Sculpture Widow]

Originally Posted by queenofthehivemomof5 I use walnuts in my homemade pesto instead of pine nuts because I cannot find pine nuts where I live in large quantities and they are more expensive than walnuts.

I assume you're speaking of english walnuts and not black walnuts. :-)

yes, I also use walnuts substituted for pine nuts in quite a few recipes.
I have pasta dish that is always well liked:
saute one good sized chopped onion (pretty finely), & 4-5 cloves garlic (minced) in good amount of olive oil until tender (I like to do it until getting caramelized).
Add about 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (or pine nuts) and 1/2 cup soaked raisins to onion/garlic mixture. keep cooking until walnuts are nice and toasty. salt a little.
toss onion/garlic/nut/raisin mixture with penne pasta & steamed broccoli.
Stir in extra olive oil and LOTS parmesean!!!
you can adjust these ingredients to your taste......i never measure anything & it always comes out great.
I would fix this tonight but i'm out of garlic & don't want to go to the store! :-)