Honey Pecan Stuffed Snow Peas

I know you may be thinking “she’s crazy for stuffing those tiny little pods”, but they are always a hit a party.

When I started catering 20 years ago it seemed like everything idea I came up with involved a lot of time and handling of food. But, I have to say, those are usually the appetizers people go crazy for. Anyone can throw out a cheese tray or deli tray so I tend to like appetizers that people know you went to a little extra trouble making. I usually cringe when someone calls me and ask me if I do “trays”. What comes to mind when I think “trays” are piles of cheese or little hoagie sandwiches with those frilly little picks sticking out of the top.

I’ve stuffed black olives with pepperoni and then piped in a flavored cream cheese, I have stuffed rigatoni bites, and the Parmesan Bacon Wraps I make are to die for and they take a couple of hours almost in the oven.

This is a great little recipe I first tried about 10 years ago from “Come On In” cookbook. A few years ago I was catering a wedding and I had the menu all prepared for 75 guest. I had planned on doing these snow peas. Normally I would have done 150, which would have been 2 per person. Well, the guest list kept growing and growing and finally ended up at 225. So the night before the wedding I’m sitting (by myself) stuffing 450 snow peas. I think it took me about 4 hours just to do the peas. After that, I never put them on the menu for 50 or more people — they just takes way too long to do these for large parties.

When my daughter was still living at home and she would go grocery shopping with me (and if I was shopping for a catering job) she would say “mom, you always buy in multiples”. I did, 4-6 lb. butter, 6 boxes broccoli, boxes of phyllo etc. I’m sure when people see me hand picking and counting my snow peas they think I’m either crazy or anal about my food. I just want the larger peas to stuff and I don’t want to get more than I really need or get the broken ones.

You shouldn’t let these stuffed peas scare you though because for a small party of 30-to even 40 they don’t take all that long.

After blanching for about 20 seconds, these are drying out waiting to be filled.

Pipe in a little filling.

Press some of the roasted nuts into each pea pod.

These are really pretty all lined up like little soldiers on a narrow tray. I do these year round but they make a perfect appetizer for a spring show, luncheon or wedding.

Honey Pecan Stuffed Snow Peas

Ingredients

1 c. pecans chopped fine
2 Tbsp. butter melted
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
4 tsp. honey mustard
2 tsp. brown sugar
salt to taste
dash of cayenne pepper to taste
50-75 snow peas

Instructions

You can either roast the pecans in the oven or microwave until lightly golden brown. I use the microwave and use a small baking stone. Put the melted butter with the pecan pieces and sprinkle with the salt and cayenne pepper. In microwave they will need about 2 minutes, in oven at 300° about 5-10 minutes.
Blanch the snow peas in boiling water for about 20 seconds. Drain and rinse in cold water and then put in ice water for a couple of minutes to stop cooking process. Lay out on paper towels to dry.