Friday, December 19, 2014

Homemade #Christmas Gifts - Rosemary Nut Mix #Recipe

I am not a crafty person.  I'm creative, in terms of dreaming up intricate plots and developing characters, but the closest I get to designing gorgeous gifts or beautiful centerpieces is adding pictures I love with instructions I know I can't follow to my Pinterest boards.  I'm in awe of people who have that kind of talent.

But I *can* follow simple recipes, and last year my sister-in-law, who always hosts Christmas with a dazzling display of gourmet food and stunning displays, served a nut mix that I just couldn't get enough of.  And hey, it's nuts--a good for you food, packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.  Even with the seasoning, it's a better choice than baked goods filled with refined flour and sugar.

So this year, I asked her for the recipe, and I made huge batches to send to friends and family.  It's both spicy and sweet, and--warning--highly addictive.  I bought cute jars with chalkboard labels to package them in, and I sent them out to the people I won't be able to see over the holidays.  Here's her recipe, in case you want to try it:

Love these cute
chalkboard jars!
2 1/2 cups of assorted unsalted nuts - I used cashews, almonds, walnuts, and pecans

2 T fresh coarsely chopped rosemary - luckily, I have a rosemary plant on my patio!

1/2 t cayenne pepper - use less or leave out if you're adverse to spicy

2 t dark brown sugar

2 t sea salt

1 T melted (unsalted) butter

Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and cook for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  Mix the remaining ingredients.  Toss the nuts with the mixture in a large bowl.

Yes, that easy!  Enjoy :)

And remember - reading is the ultimate stress-reliever, so if you need a good book (at a great price) to help de-stress during the holiday rush, try my new Young Adult Paranormal Romance for 99 cents - relive first love and lose yourself in supernatural secrets and suspense!




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