What's Cooking?
SWEET 'N' HOT MIXED NUTS
Ingredients:
4 C assorted nuts (I love walnuts, pecans, almonds, and cashews)
1/3 C honey
1/3 C light corn syrup
1/2 C sugar
Salt
1 1/2 t ground cumin
1 1/2 t chili powder (I love the Hot Mexican chili powder; Penzey's is a great source)
1/2 t cayenne pepper (if you're feeling very adventuresome, you can add crushed red pepper too!)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
I recommend that you line your baking pan (or cookie pan, the kind with a substantial lip)
with aluminum foil. It will make your life infinitely easier. Add the nuts, spreading them
into a single layer. Pop into the oven and bake for 3 to 5 minutes. Drizzle the nuts with
a mixture of honey and corn syrup. Coat well. Continue baking for 10-12 minutes until most
of the liquid has evaporated. You'll want to stir often during this process. (Life will be
easier if you spray your spatula with a little Pam.) Make sure to scrape up the burned bits.
In a large bowl, mix the sugar, salt, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper. Add the
nuts and mix well. Transfer to a clean baking sheet (remember to line it first; your
cleanup will be much easier) and let cool. Break apart any nuts that stick together.
This will crisp up as it cools.
Store in an airtight container.
(A tip of the hat to Oprah's website.)