Day 11: Spiced Mixed Nuts

Sometimes you are just looking for that special treat to bring to a party, or to give out as gifts to coworkers or friends as a hostess gifts. These nuts have a fantastic flavour; a little salty, a little sweet, and a mixture of fresh and dried spices for a little kick.  They are super quick to put together and store really well in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. For this recipe we chose our favorite combination of nuts for flavour and texture, but you can choose to add your personal favorites, or using less expensive products.

For 1 pound of finished nuts. (You will probably want to double or triple this recipe so you have lots on hand)

Ingredients:

4 cups of mixed unsalted nuts (we used, cashews, almonds and pecans) 

1 teaspoon corriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin

3 tablespoons butter3 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Put the nuts on a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake until nicely toasted, approximately 10 minutes. 

3. While nuts are toasting, put coriander and cumin in a large fry pan and toast over medium heat until fragrant.

4. Turn the heat to low and add the rest of the ingredients to the pan. Stir constantly until the sugar is fully melted, about 2-3 minutes.

5. Warm a large bowl by running under hot water and drying with a tea towel. Add the warm nuts to the bowl and pour over the topping mixture.

6. Stir until nuts are well coated.  Let nuts cool completely before packaging. 

Note: The warmed bowl makes the coating process easier.