I’ve been told that a recipe would not be inappropriate as a contribution to the Advent Blog, especially in this happy season of fellowship and gift-giving. So what follows is a pretty swell recipe for rosemary-roasted nuts that is regularly requested by my friends.

I’m almost certain that if the Wise Men from the East could do it all over again, these nuts would be included with the gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Credit should be given to Ina Garten (the “Barefoot Contessa”) as the original recipe is hers with a few tweaks of my own.

Ingredients

1-1/4 pounds unsalted, raw mixed nuts (e.g. cashews, pecans, walnuts, peanuts)

2 TBS finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1/2 tsp cayenne

2 TBS brown sugar

2 tsp kosher salt

1 TBS melted butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread the raw nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes total (stir halfway through at 5 mins. to evenly brown).

While nuts are roasting, combine the rosemary, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, salt and butter in a large bowl – the mixture should look like wet sand.

Remove the nuts from the oven and immediately toss in the bowl with the rosemary/sugar mixture until the nuts are completely coated (the heat will melt the mixture). Spread on the baking sheet in a single layer to cool.

Shared by Don Piper