Holiday Entertaining | Sweet & Savory Spiced Nuts

If you're like me, you make things so hard sometimes! Like I think the more complicated and time-consuming a project, the more spectacular the results. That's why folks like me often don't entertain. We make a huge project of it so massive that we never want to do THAT again. I'm learning how to scale it back. 

The most important element of a party, no matter the occasion, is the people who gather. The food and drink are secondary. Of course that doesn't mean we have to be ascetics! There's plenty of ways to indulge our appetite more manageably  This last week of the year, we're determined to bring our favorite people together, without losing our minds in the process and these types of delicious snacks, as well as some reliable resources, are our plan of attack. 

Sweet and Savory Spiced Nuts

A crowd-pleasing combination of favorite nuts enrobed in a slightly sweet, slightly spicy glaze with an Asian flare.

Yields 3 cups

2 egg whites

3 tablespoons granulated light brown sugar

1 tablespoon Chinese Five-Spice powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup pecans

1 cup cashews

1 cup Marcona almonds

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat egg whites until thin and frothy. 

Whisk in granulated brown sugar, Chinese Five-Spice powder, and salt.

Fold in pecans, cashews, and Marcona almonds, coating well.

Remove with a slotted spoon to an ungreased baking sheet.

Toast nuts on the middle rack of oven for 10 minutes. Remove, toss and stir nuts, and return to oven for 10 more minutes. Toss and stir once more, and return to oven, watching closely, until nuts are toasted, but not scorched.

Note: Nuts will only begin to become crisp as they are cooling. Color and fragrance are better indicators of toasting.

Remove from oven, separate clumps, allow to cool in pan set over a rack, preferably, or the stove top burner.

This week on Notes from Maggie's Farm, look for quick tips for easy holiday entertaining with recipes like these simple but tasty Sweet & Savory Spiced Nuts, as well as Citrus-Spiced Olives, Balsamic Onion Confit, Pesto-Topped Broiled Oysters and a sparkling Ambrosia Cocktail, Also, consider centering your snacks around a Knockout Cheese & Charcuterie board, and learn how to build one here, just in time to ring in the new year in style.