Sweet and Savory Nuts
For Rosemary Spiced Pecans:
Ingredients:
- Vegetable Oil
- 6 cups whole unsalted pecans
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons ground chipotle powder (or another spice like ancho chili pepper or Spanish paprika)
- 4 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
- Kosher Salt
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil, or cover with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the nuts.
- In another small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder (or other spice) and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the nuts and toss well.
- Add the chopped rosemary and 2 teaspoons of salt and toss again.
- Spread the nuts in one layer on the baking pan. Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 2 more teaspoons of salt and remaining 2 tablespoons of rosemary
- Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning. Serve warm or completely cool in an airtight storage containers at room temperature.
For Vanilla Lavender Cashews:
Ingredients:
- Vegetable Oil
- 6 cups whole unsalted roasted cashews
- ¼ cup lightly brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons ground vanilla beans
- 4 tablespoons minced fresh lavender, divided
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Brush a sheet pan generously with vegetable oil, or cover with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, add the nuts.
- In another small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the brown sugar, honey, and ground vanilla and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the nuts and toss well.
- Add the chopped lavender and toss again.
- Spread the nuts in one layer on the baking pan. Roast the nuts for 25 minutes, stirring twice with a large spatula, until the nuts are glazed and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of lavender
- Toss well and set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking as they cool. Taste for seasoning, add salt if needed. Serve warm or completely cool in an airtight storage containers at room temperature.
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Super Treats: MYO Party Mix and MYO Cupcake Station
When planning your next children’s party, think of fun and creative activities that the kids can do to occupy their time while at the event. I have created two great activities that can be incorporated into any party for children and adults of all ages: an MYO Party Mix Station and an MYO Cupcake Station.
MYO Party Mix Station
Gather your favorite dried food items and place them into separate bowls with small scoopers in each. Using the same exclamation bursts that we used for the table centerpieces, you can make double sided labels to show your guests what is in each bowl. Using a marshmallow and a wooden skewer, attach the burst to the stick with glue or double sided tape and stick the skewer into the marshmallow. Place the marshmallow with the skewer attached into the bowl and fill with the appropriate food item.
The food items I used were:
- Cheerios
- Popcorn
- Pretzels
- Dried Fruit – strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, cranberries, etc
- White Chocolate and Milk Chocolate covered pretzels
- Yogurt Raisins and Golden Raisins
- Nuts – peanuts, walnuts, almonds, pecans
- Plain and Peanut M&M’s
MYO Cupcake Station
Another great food activity is a MYO Cupcake Station. This allows each guest to customize their own delicious dessert. You can purchase cupcakes from your local bakery that have been iced (make sure that they are not already decorated with sprinkles, gel, etc) or you can make them using your favorite cake mix. Display the cupcakes on a separate table with the toppings in small separate bowls and use pastry bags with colored frosting or gels.
The toppings I used were:
- Chocolate and Colored Sprinkles
- Peanut Butter Cups
- Snickers
- Colored Icing Gels
- Cookie Pieces
- Chocolate Crunchies
Children and Adults of ALL ages will love this activity! Even more so, they will love to eat their art project!
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