Cooking pecans featured on show

Information on using organic sweeteners in recipes and making a professional Roman Shade will be the featured topics on “Creative Living” at noon Tuesday and at 2 p.m Saturday.

Marie Oser is the spokesperson for Wholesome Sweeteners Inc. in Sugar Land, Texas, and she will demonstrate using various organic sweeteners in recipes. She’ll also explain the Fair Trade Agreement the company uses.

Terrell Sundermann will point out the differences between a standard Roman shade and a professional Roman shade and then demonstrate how to make a Roman shade that can be mounted to the window or wall. Her company is Terrell Designs in Englewood, Colo.

Information on cooking with pecans, creating embellished fabric bags and making Three-Minutes Bananas Foster will be the featured topics on “Creative Living” at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and noon Thursday.

Food communications specialist Ann Cox will demonstrate some of her favorite entree and dessert recipes that feature pecans. She represents the Texas Pecan Growers Association in College Station, Texas.

Lana Bennett of Singer Sewing Co. suggests we consider using left-over fabric to create fabric bags for gift wrapping, traveling, shopping and much more — and she’ll also demonstrate making embellished fabric bags. She’s from Lavergne, Tenn.

Cookbook author Janel Franklin will share her personal recipe for Three-Minutes Bananas Foster from one of her newest cookbooks. Her company is Jan-Su Publications, and she lives in Tahoka, Texas.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

• 5 slices fresh whole wheat bread

• 2 1/2 cups soy milk

• 1 1/2 cups Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Fair Trade Sucanat

• 1/4 cup pecan or other nut butter

• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch

• 1/16 teaspoon clove powder

• 1/4 cup agar flakes (or 1 tablespoon agar powder)

• 1 1/2 cups water

Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. (This should yield 4 cups.) In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, Sucanat, pecan butter, cocoa powder, arrowroot and cloves, and mix well. In a small mixing bowl, combine the agar with the water and let sit for one minute. Then add to soy milk mixture. Mix well and pour over the bread cubes. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 4 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 6-cup baking dish. After the 4-hour resting time, stir bread mixture with a wooden spoon, and pour into the baking dish. Cover and bake for 40 minutes.

This dessert can be served hot out of the oven. However, it is best to let cool for at least 30 minutes to set up before serving. Serve with hazelnut or regular whipped cream.

“Creative Living” is produced and hosted by Sheryl Borden. The show is carried by more than 118 PBS stations in the United States, Canada, Guam and Puerto Rico and is distributed by Westlink, Albuquerque.