citrus and rosemary spiced nuts

one of my (surprisingly few) responsibilities for christmas dinner was spicing and roasting some nuts for everyone to much on while the finishing touches were put on the main show. i rather quickly selected this recipe for the somewhat surprising combination of flavors, and boy and i glad i did! they came out incredible - sweet heat balanced with the citrus and rosemary.  

adapted from www.foodnetwork.com 

ingredients: 

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cups whole raw almonds 

1 3/4 cups whole raw cashews 

1/4 cup pur maple syrup 

1 tbsp light brown sugar 

1 tbsp + 1 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice 

1 tsp ground chipotle powder (or more, if you really want a kick!) 

2 tbsp minced fresh rosemary 

2 tsp salt 

directions: 

cover baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat. 

in a medium bowl, combine almonds and cashews with vegetable oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice, and chipotle powder. toss to coat the nuts evenly. add 1 tbsp of rosemary and 1 tsp of salt then toss again. 

spread the nuts in one layer on the baking sheet and roast at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, stirring twice, until the nuts are golden brown. 

remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining rosemary and salt. set aside at room temperature, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. 

store in airtight container at room temperature. 

homemade nut butter cups

a simple and delicious gift! 

when i first saw a recipe for homemade nut butter cups on the peas and thank you blog (no longer active), i immediately wanted to create some in my own kitchen. i've been making them for the occasional treat, an easy way to impress guests or potluck goers, and nice small gifts ever since. the best part is, i never make them the same twice! 

these treats can be customized for your tastes, and i beg you to explore while making them! the following have been some of my absolute favorite combinations. dark chocolate with sunseed/pepita butter and a little cayenne dusted over the top. dark chocolate with almond butter, topped with slivered almonds and chopped dried tart cherries. dark chocolate with peanut butter and a little (rather dehydrated, so it wasn't too moist) finely grated ginger root dusted on top. i suppose the secret is out - i always choose dark chocolate! 

this recipe will make about 6 cups, but is simple to double, triple, or more! 

ingredients: 

1 cup chocolate chips (milk or dark, whatever you're in the mood for) 

1 tbsp coconut oil 

1/2 cup nut butter of your choice 

1/3 cup powdered sugar (optional) 

toppings such as nuts or dried fruit and/or spices to add a little extra flavor (see intro for ideas) 

directions: 

use a double boiler over medium heat to melt together chocolate and coconut oil. i do this by fitting a glass bowl into a heavy saucepan (just be sure the bowl isn't touching the bottom) and covering the bottom of the pan with about 2 inches of water. 

while chocolate is melting, stir together your nut butter and powdered sugar (if using) until smooth. while adding sweetness, the powdered sugar will thicken your nut butter for an easier-to-eat final product. 

then, you just need to construct the cups and let them chill! i like to set up a baking sheet with baking cups (the silicone ones work amazingly for this!), to work easily from one to the next.

Start by evenly dividing half of your melted chocolate mixture between the cups. next, spoon about a teaspoon of nut butter into the center of each. then cover with the remaining chocolate. sprinkle with chopped nuts, dried fruit, or spices while still fresh. 

place baking sheet into the fridge for at least 2 hours, or until solid. store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. 

spiced maple granola

recipe adapted from American Spoon 

granola from the store can be expensive, and often is really high in sugar and other additives. so for quite some time i've chosen to make mine at home. it is one of those really simple things that so many folks haven't even thought to try. so, i dare you - give it a shot with these exact ingredients. next time, mix it up! as long as you have the right amount of dry ingredients, it really doesn't matter much what you put in. i'm known to open the cupboard and use whatever nuts & dried fruit we have. if i'm feeling extra extravagant, i use cocoa nibs. and i almost never measure the spices -- any warm flavors will work just great! 

ingredients: 

2 cups thick rolled oats 

1 cup rolled barley (or just add another cup of oats!) 

1 cup pepitas 

1 cup pecans 

1 cup unsweetened flake or shredded coconut 

1/4 cup dark brown sugar 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon vietnamese cinnamon 

1 teaspoon ground ginger 

a few shavings of whole nutmeg (or a pinch of ground nutmeg) 

1/2 cup maple syrup (it has to be the real stuff) 

1/4 cup vegetable oil 

a cup or more of dried fruit - cherries and blueberries are my favorite! (optional) 

directions: 

- in a big bowl (or in a stand mixer, which makes this incredibly easy), stir together all of the dry ingredients (except the dried fruit!) to evenly distribute the spices. 

- add the syrup and vegetable oil and give it a good stir until all the oats and nuts are evenly coated. 

- cover two baking sheets in parchment paper, and spread the mixture evenly divided between the two. 

- bake at 225 F for about one hour, or until golden brown, stirring every 15-20 minutes. i often bake mine for just under an hour, stirring after 20 minutes, 20 minutes, then 15. 

- let it cool on the pans, then sprinkle your dried fruit over the top. 

-transfer to a sealed container for storage (after nibbling a few handfuls). the recipe will fit perfectly into a half gallon ball jar! 

see, perfectly!