Nuts About Nuts!

It's the last week of October which means party, party party! which will probably last until early next year. It also means you have to think of what food to bring to these events. Because I love nuts I recommend sweet or savory nuts. They are easy to prepare and to transport unlike cakes which can easily get squished or the quick to spoil macaroni salad. They can be served as appetizers or desserts or dinner/lunch munchies.

Macadamia Brittle With Sea Salt Flakes
1 cup macadamia, toasted, chopped, and cooled
½ teaspoon fleur de sel or any flaked sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon chilled butter, diced
1 cup sugar
¼ cup light corn syrup
½ cup water

• Line a cookie sheet with buttered aluminum foil, set aside. Mix first 4 ingredients, set aside. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir water, corn syrup and sugar until sugar is dissolved. Boil for 12 -15 minutes or until golden in color, swirling the pan occasionally. Remove pan from heat. Stir in nut mixture (it will bubble) and pour immediately into the prepared baking sheet, spread as thin as possible. Let cool, break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.Note: Do not double this recipe. It will be easier to handle one recipe at a time because the mixture sets quickly for you to be able to spread the brittle as thin as possible.

Sugar And Spice Pecans

1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups pecans
1 egg white
½ tablespoon water
½ eablespoon pure vanilla extract

• Pre-heat oven to 200°F. In a gallon ziploc bag, mix sugar and spices, set aside. In a medium bowl, beat egg white with water and vanilla extract until foamy. Add the nuts and mix to coat evenly. Put nuts into the bag and shake to evenly coat with the spiced sugar. Spread nuts in one layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 1 hour, turning nuts every 15 minutes. Let cool, store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Covered Marzipan

8 oz marzipan
100 grams bittersweet chocolate bar, grated

• Form marzipan into shapes. Melt chocolate and dip marzipan shapes. Transfer into an aluminum foil lined surface. Let set for 1 hour at room temperature then transfer into individual foil or paper cups.

Mixed Nuts With Dried Thyme

1 egg white
1 T sugar
2 tsp dried thyme
1½ tsp flaked sea salt
¼ tsp cayenne
2 C almonds, pecans, cashews, or walnuts, or a mixture

• Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil sprayed with oil, set aside. In a large bowl, mix sugar and egg white and beat until foamy. Add salt, cayenne. thyme and nuts. Mix well. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spreading nuts in one layer. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container.