These nuts make a lovely, crunchy addition to salads with your favorite vinaigrette and a sprinkling of blue cheese. On their own, they are an addictive sweet and savory snack. I have given them as a hostess gift on several occasions, and one year I filled holiday tins and gave them to neighbors and co-workers as a Christmas gift.
Whatever you choose to do with these spicy glazed pecans, they will quickly disappear and everyone will be sorry when the bowl is empty.
Spicy Glazed Pecans
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tbl. water
- 1 1/2 tsp. salt
- 5/8 tsp. cayenne
- 4 cups pecan halves
Cover a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil and then butter the foil. Combine first 4 ingredients in heavy medium-sized saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil 2 minutes. Add pecans and stir until pecans are coated with mixture, about 1 minute. Transfer pecans to prepared sheet, spreading evenly.
Bake at 350o until pecans are just beginning to brown, about 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer to cookie sheet lined with waxed paper and separate pecans with fork. Cool completely.
(Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Store in airtight container.)
Source: Adapted from a Bon Appétit recipe
I know it’s redundant, but I am an Italian foodie. My two sisters and I grew up in a thoroughly Italian household with a Sicilian mom and a Neopolitan dad—both equally good cooks. My dad and uncle owned a small Italian restaurant together, and it was the place to go for great home style Italian food, including wonderful homemade pizza. My dad has passed on; but, to this day, even if my 80-plus-year-old mom doesn’t know you’re coming, she’ll pull a 5-course meal out of the fridge in no time flat.
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This is my go-to recipe for glazed nuts. I have made this and since I love cinnamon so much, I added it to this recipe. They don’t last long so I have to divide the glazed nuts and hide some so they’re not totally devoured as snacks. My dinner guests are impressed when I add these to salads.