Well, that's just nuts!

My neighbor gave me another huge bag of plain almonds :) so I've been researching different recipes for flavoring them up.  Tonight I came across on that allowed for sweet and spice! The specialty spices have the links to the store, make sure you tell them Ms Fish sent you!

1 T Butter
1/4 c Sugar
2 T Corn Syrup
1/2 t McCormick Molasses Bacon Grillmates
1/2 t Garlic powder
1/4 t Applewood Smoke Powder (Spice Agent)
1/4 t Bold Smoked Salt (Spice Agent)
2 cups nuts (I used Almonds of course)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Meanwhile gather all of the ingredients...this goes quick, hence the lack of pictures!  Put all in a heavy sauce pot (except the nuts) and bring to a boil.  Dump in the 2 cups of nuts and stir to mix then put on a silpat mat on a cookie sheet and put in the oven!

Bake 12-15 minutes stirring once.  Once the timer goes off pull the silpat mat off the sheet an put on a wire rack for the nuts to cool, at least 45 minutes.

Then you can break apart the chunks and enjoy!

Nuts about bacon!

It's been a while since I created something, so tonight I was thinking about bacon, and nuts.  I've done bacon popcorn so why not bacon almonds?

I started with plain almonds

a bit of chopped bacon

and a cookie sheet covered with a silpat mat

I rendered the bacon down, and got it almost completely done before I added some brown sugar, smoked sea salt, sweet smoked paprika and a bit of garlic powder and of course the almonds!

I mixed it up all good and spread it out on the mat

and put it in the oven at 300, for 20 minutes (stirring every 5)

Once they are done, let them cool, and put in an airtight container, and enjoy!

I'm in a nutty mood

What a fun and hectic holiday it was!  Much too hectic for me to take pictures or blog...sorry bout that! 

Today I find myself craving nuts. Almonds specifically, and thanks to my Neighbor (2lbs of natural almonds) I can do something about it!  I'm not big on sweet nuts, maybe when I was younger...I digress.  Finding a recipe that was savory vs sweet was a bit of a trial, but I think I found one.  True to how I cook, I altered the recipe to include my favorite spices from The Spice Agent.  If you go and visit them, and buy, make sure you tell them I sent you!

Crisp Spiced Almonds

    1 large egg white

    3/4 teaspoons extra bold smoked salt

    3/8 cup sugar

    1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

    1/2 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika

    1/2 tablespoon smoked hot paprika

    3/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper

    4 cups Natural Almonds

    3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Directions:

1.       Preheat oven to 330F.

2.       Beat white with salt until foamy and gradually beat in sugar, Worcestershire Sauce, paprika and cayenne.

3.       Stir in nuts and butter, combining well, and spread in a large, shallow roasting pan.

4.       Bake in middle of oven, stirring every 10 minutes, until crisp and golden, about 30-40 minutes.

5.       Spread on foil (or a silicone mat) and cool.

6.       Break up nut clusters. Eat, and enjoy!

May be made 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.