Garden Tool Set: Pecans

Showing posts with label Pecans. Show all posts

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Pecan Season is COMING! Are You Prepared?

Good Day!

I would love to talk about a nut cracker that is going to make your life so much easier. Pecan season is really just around the corner. In the past, have you been cracking all of those pecans by hand? I did for a long time. Sometimes my hands would hurt so badly that I wondered if the effort was worth it.

I like to make all sorts of candies, pies, and breads during Fall. Giving these things are such a thoughtful gift from the heart, especially knowing that you took the time to gather all of the ones that have fallen from your trees, crack and shell them and then put them into those goodies. I also love to put away and freeze my excess pecans for year round pecan treats. For such large quantities, had cracking is a drawn out and ,honestly, painful process. So, are you ready to hear about this great product we have available?

Let me introduce you to the Kinetic Kracker ELECTRIC pecan cracker.

I got to try this sweet baby out a few days ago. The cracking and shelling time was drastically reduced while the nut cracker did all the hard work for me and best of all my hands didn't hurt at all. After I had my pecans cracked, I just easily peeled away the rest of the shell and gently pulled all the nut meat out. No tugging and fighting with it either! This Kinetic Kracker made that possible with nearly every pecan. I did come across just a few that were't cracked enough, so I just turned the Kinetic Kracker back on and gave them another go!

Did I mention that it was super easy to use? Plug into the wall, flip the on switch and start putting your pecans in the shoot one at a time. It does make a loud *POP* if you do not have a pecan in the shoot, but that is a helpful reminder not to run it without pecans in the shoot. You could wear down the aluminum cup if you do, but even that is a simple fix since we offer replacement aluminum cups. Here is a video of one of our employees demonstrating the Kinetic Kracker so you can see for yourself how easy it is to use.

The Kinetic Kracker is AMERICAN HANDMADE from sturdy materials. A wooden box encloses the 26 RPM motor. What does this mean for you? The ability to crack 1,560 pecans per HOUR! WOW! That is a lot. We also have a steel anvil and aluminum cup system that gives the electric pecan cracker the ability be precise in the amount of pressure applied. No smushed and pulverized pecans thanks to that great engineering.

When I was testing out our Kinetic Kracker, I commented on how I would love to use it for my walnuts and other hard shell nuts. Unfortunately, that is not something you want to do. The kinetic action and aftershock will pulverize your hard shell nuts.....no one wants that mess!

Order Now and Be Ready!

You will want to get your own electric pecan cracker ordered as soon as possible. We manufacture our Kinetic Krackers with the highest quality. We want to give you a product that will last for decades to come, but that also means that the ones we have handcrafted and in stock ready to ship may go quickly. They also make wonderful gifts. In fact, many of our customers are so happy with theirs that they come back and order for loved ones. Another bonus we have for you, the box your new electric nut cracker ships in doubles as a wonderful storage container. The boxes were specially designed to cradle your Kinetic Kracker so it will be safe while it ships and as you store it. We are very proud of our electric pecan cracker and happy we could share it with you!

You can buy your very own Kinetic Kracker electric pecan cracker at

www.lawn-gardening-tools.com
or
www.GardenHarvesters.com

Pecan Pie ~ with a twist!

Pecan Pie In A Truffle

Excuse the Christmas Trees. Sometimes the kids get excited

Fall is fast approaching which means Pecans (and other nuts) are going to be falling soon. Fall means THANKSGIVING! Now, I know you don't want to think that far ahead, but I like "Thanksgiving" foods all the time. One of my favorites is Pecan Pie. I just love a gooey and sweet pecan pie. I can just taste it now, can't you? As a rule of tradition in our family, we try a "new" dish or desert every year. This year I have a spin on the traditional pecan pie.

Pecan Pie Truffles!

That is right! Little bite sized morsels of pie goodness. These are a favorite with my son. He does not care for pie crust, but loves the pies I make. I will often find the top part of the crust left discarded like the his bread crust. So, to save some time by not making crust, why not just dip that filling in chocolate and enjoy? Sounds like a win for everyone! So push up your sleeves and lets enjoy some pecan pie without heating up the kitchen.

Ingredient List:
2 dozen truffles

2 ½ cups of pecans, toasted and finely chopped

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 cup dark brown sugar, packed

½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
7oz dark chocolate (can substitute for milk chocolate if you prefer)

READY! SET! ENJOY!

Stir together pecans, graham crack crumbs, brown sugar, and salt in a medium bowl until well blended. Add in maple syrup and vanilla and stir thoroughly. I like to dig my hands in to ensure it is fully mixed.
In your hands, for a walnut sized ball with the mixture. Place each one on a wax covered cookie sheet and freeze for 2 hours. (I know! The agony!)
In the top of a double boiler, melt your chocolate. If you don't have a double boiler, place a stainless steel bowl over another pot of simmering water. you can use the microwave as well, but it make take longer since the chocolate will start to harden once it starts cooling.
Dip your frozen chocolate balls into the melted chocolate, then place back on your cookie sheet with wax sheet or parchment paper.
Let sit for 15 minutes or until firm. (The hardest part!) If you want your to have a special topping like ours, now is the time before they cool. Otherwise, the toppings won't stick.
ENJOY! (The best part!)

While preparing my truffles, I have a few gadgets that help me out. I am fortunate to live in the South, so I have pecan trees in my yard. When it is time to gather them, I use my Nut Wizard to gather and crack them with a Duke Pecan Cracker. I chop my pecans with this handy little Nut Chopper. For the graham crackers I use a general Food Chopper. It comes in handy for anything from herbs, to vegetables, to even chocolate. For the graham crackers, I break them up and place in a bowl, then I stick the food chopper right in there and chop away. I like to also break my chocolate up to help it melt quicker. I place it on my chopping board and chop it up with the same food chopper.

All of these products can we found on our website at

www.lawn-gardening-tools.com

How Do You Gather Your Nuts?

Nut Wizard

As the time draws near to start your nut gathering, do you start dreading the idea of bending over and stooping to gather all your yummy nuts? We here at Southern Garden Tools don't like that idea either! We like to help make things easier and more efficient for you. So today I will introduce you to your new best nut gathering friend. Meet the Nut Wizard! Now that introductions are out of the way, let's get down to business. Before I start telling you how much I love the Nut Wizard and how many times my back has said thank you, here is a short video.

Isn't that neat? It is so super simple to use. We have Nut Wizards available in a variety of sizes for a variety of nuts and even pine cones. Mini Nut Wizards are perfect for little beechnuts or even .22 and larger brass casings from fired gun rounds. Small Nut Wizards are great for pecans, hickory nuts, acorns, and even crab apples. I use the Medium Nut Wizard to gobble up English walnuts, chestnuts and even golf balls or shotgun shells. The Large Nut Wizard is extremely versatile when it picks up black walnuts, apples, pears, or even tennis balls. We even offer a Pine Cone Wizard that can grab up all those pesky pine cones in mere minutes.

I love the design of the Nut Wizard. It features metal wires which spread to capture your nuts, fruits, casings, and balls. Once inside, they are trapped so they stay put until you are ready to empty the basket. Thanks to this metal wire design, when you are ready to empty, simply attach a nut dumper (included with the Nut Wizard) onto any 5 gallon bucket, place the wire basket on the dumper, and give a slight turn to the right. Everything will cascade right out into your bucket. Truthfully, I have also seen them attached to trash cans and other buckets. I even attached one to an old kitty litter bucket last week when I was showing my Mother-in-Law how it works. Now, what about your back? I know, I promised a thankful back. The Nut Wizard has a 4 foot handle! Stand comfortably while the rolling wire basket does all the hard work.

Now, If I may, I would like to quote a little Shakespeare, "Is A Nut Wizard By Any Other Name Just As Sweet?" Oh, that isn't correct is it? Well, you understand what I was trying to say and to answer that question, No, it just isn't. The Nut Wizard goes by many other names:nut picker, nut roller, nut picker-upper, basket nut tool, nut grabber, yard roller......you get the idea. In all of that, there is only one name to remember and that is the Nut Wizard.

Ready To Gather Nuts and Apples?

Hurry on over to 855Sheller.com. We have all the Nut Wizards you could ever want! Don't break your back this year when gathering time is here. Do you need help cracking your bounty? We can help you with that also. We offer the Master Cracker Black Walnut Cracker. Is it perfect for all size nuts and so is the Get Crackin' Hard Shell Cracker! One of our favorites is the Kinetic Kracker electric pecan cracker which makes easy work of pecan cracking. We have you covered for all your nut cracking needs.

Pecans, Walnuts, Hazelnuts, Chestnuts, Filbert

Nuts are the topic of the day. What do you use to crack your nuts? Here at Southern Garden Tools, we have a variety of nut crackers that we love. I will tell you about each one in a series of blog posts and what makes them each special. I would love to hear about which ones you like and if you have used ours.

The Master Cracker

Master Cracker

I tested out the Master Cracker here in the shop one day last week, nearly all day. I put it together (very simple) as if I had just received it on my front doorstep, then proceeded to round up all the nuts I wanted to test out. I was eager to see if it really does what it promises. Our makers of the Master Cracker proudly boast minimal shell shatter. This is important in nut cracking for a variety of reasons. Shell shatter can just make a mess of the nutmeat and you won't get those intact halves like you may desire or you are digging to separate shell and nutmeat. Shell Shatter can also be slightly dangerous. Why on Earth would you want to have a nut cracker that recommends protective eye wear when you use it? Who wants to worry about thinking you have all the shell debris cleaned up only to walk across the room and step on broken shell that literally flew way over there? Personally, that is not something I want to deal with when I just want to enjoy some pecans or walnuts from the trees in my yard.

Don't let this be you when cracking your nuts!

So, I bet you can't wait to hear my final verdict. The Master Cracker delivers on it's promise. I tried a variety of soft and hard shell nuts only to be delighted as the shells just cracked off the nut and didn't explode all around it. I sat back and marveled at the ease of use and promised kept while I munched on those freshly shelled pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, and chestnuts.

Now that I have assured you the Master Cracker keeps its promise, I want to tell you some of the details of the quality American craftsmanship. First off, this nut cracker is attached to a wide sturdy wooden base. This helps the nut cracker to maintain stability while you crack. It has deep oval cracking cups that cradle your desired nut firmly and snugly into place. The cracking cup paired with an adjustable tension spring is where your drastic decrease in shell shatter comes from. This design makes getting your scrumptious nutmeat out a breeze. No more need for nut picks or pliers, just a gentle tug of the nutmeat. Even better, 2 different cracking cups are included. The ability to change those out makes for transition from big walnuts to little hazelnuts a breeze. The makers of the Master Cracker have given the handle a rubber coated grip. The thoughtfulness in this means you can crack and shell nuts to your hearts content without a painfully sore hand. I know I have had tender palms after cracking pecans, then sore fingers after fighting to get my nutmeat out. The makers of the Master Cracker made that a thing of the past! To show you how buying a genuine American made Master Cracker compares to a cheaper version, have a look at this video recorded by one of our employees.

What are you waiting for! Jump on over to 855sheller.com so you can buy your very own Maser Cracker Black Walnut Cracker! Don't let nut season sneak up on you without one.

Let's Get Crackin'

Are You Ready To Get Crackin'?

We ARE!
Here at Southern Garden Tools, we eagerly await nut season every year! We are big fans of a little nutcracker aptly named
Get Crackin'.

You can crack all nuts, big and small, with the Get Crackin'. I tested out many different sizes of nuts here in the office. I had little acorns, pecans, and big walnuts. I didn't have a problem cracking any of them. I just placed the nut in the groove, pulled the lever down, and had a nicely cracked nut. I did have to practice a little bit to get the proper placement of my nut down, but it didn't take long before I was cracking away. I was even more thrilled when I realized that I didn't need any nutpicks either! I could gently pull the shell off of my nut and enjoy yummy nutmeat. If any nuts decided to be pesky and give me a problem, I just gave another quick pass through my trusty Get Crackin'. The lever-fulcrum action allows precision pressure control which minimizes shell shatter and increases the larger amounts of nutmeat you can enjoy from your trees.

Something else that I really love about the Get Crackin' is that even though it is lightweight, it is built strong. It is made from a light weight steel, so picking it up to carry or store won't strain you at all. Since Get Crackin' is made with steel, it will not break easily. You will never have to worry about a nut being too hard shelled or too big for your nutcracker.The Get Crackin' allows peace of mind that you won't ever have to stop in the middle of cracking your nuts because it broke. This is a nutcracker that you can pass down for generations to come. How wonderful that you can enjoy the Get Crackin' and as you show your children or grandchildren how to use it, you know that one day you can pass it down to them.

Speaking of future generations, I am so very pleased to say that you also don't have to worry about little fingers accidentally getting cracked in the Get Crackin'. As a Mother myself, I worry about things like that. My sweet little ones always want to help out when it is nut cracking time. They know if they can help, they can enjoy the fruits of their labor even faster. The same design that allows the Get Crackin' to protect those little nuts, like acorns and hazelnuts, from getting smashed also protects little fingers. That means so much to me and I know it will mean a lot to you as well. Now, you can share time with them and encourage healthy eating. That sounds like a total win to me!

Are you ready to have your very own Get Crackin' Black Walnut Cracker shipped right to your front door? Check us out at www.blackwalnutcracker.com or www.gardenharvesters.com Don't let nut season sneak up on you!

Heart Healthy Pecans

Pecan trees are a species of Hickory that are native to Mexico as well as south-central and south-eastern United States. Pecans are not truly nuts, but are actually considered a drupe, which is a fruit with a single pit and surrounded by a husk. When it is time, the husk splits open, revealing the pecan, which will then fall to the ground for you to gather and crack open to enjoy the buttery flavor of the seed inside.

Pecans provide a multitude of health benefits. Ranked among the nuts highest in antioxidants, pecans will aid in subduing blood lipids and coronary heart diseases. Pecans are very heart-healthy thanks to their unsaturated fat content. Each one has 60% mono-saturated and 30% polyunsaturated fat, which means that only 10% of a pecan has saturated fat. Naturally sodium-free and fiber-rich will make your heart thank you when you add pecans to your diet.

Pecans contain over 19 vitamins and minerals including, but not limited to:

Vitamin A
Vitamin E
Vitamins from the B group
Magnesium
Folic Acid
Calcium
Potassium
Zinc
Phosphorus

Do you have pecan trees in your yard? Lucky you if so! How do you gather them? I love to use my Nut Wizard. It rolls right over my pecans and grabs them up in the wire basket. The Nut Wizard leaves behind sticks, leaves, and grass when it gobbles your pecans.

There are many ways to crack your pecans. We have a few that we particularly love. The traditional Duke's Pecan Cracker will be a favorite for generations to come. Wonderful when you just want a handful of nuts at a time.

Our Kinetic Kracker electric pecan cracker can easily crack up to 1,560 pecans per hour! Perfect when you have a bucketful of pecans that you would like to crack for pies and candies, or just to put away for later.

When you have large amounts of pecans, or you would like to crack pecan for others, the Pecan Cracking Machine fits the bill. It is able to crack 35lbs of pecans, English walnuts, and peanuts per hour. Portable and perfect to set up at a farmer's market or in your barn to crack a large amount of pecans each season.

You can find all of these rollers and crackers, plus so much more, on our websites.

www.Gardenharvesters.com

www.lawn-gardening-tools.com

www.855sheller.com

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