Spiced walnuts a perfect addition to holiday festivities
KITCHEN SCOOP By Alicia Ross
This time of year, what we need besides more hours in the day is flexibility and options in our recipes. Today’s recipe for Pumpkin Spiced Walnuts gives us just that. Straight out of the oven, this is a nutty, delicious snack. Paired with semi-soft cheese, wheat crackers and pear slices, it is a yummy appetizer. Packed in a decorative glass jar and tied with a ribbon, it is a hostess gift.
Chop them and sprinkle over a crisp green salad, a baked sweet potato or baked fish or chicken, and suddenly you have the flavor boost you need. Chop them and stir them into a chocolate chip cookie batter, sprinkle them over pumpkin bisque or dress up a scoop of ice cream with holiday flair. These are just a few ways I’ve used Pumpkin Spiced Walnuts, and I’m sure you can come up with many more.
This simple recipe can wear many hats and is so easy to make that I know you will turn to it time and again, just like I have done. Happy holidays and enjoy!
Pumpkin Spiced Walnuts
Yield: makes 2 cups
Start to finish: less than 30 minutes
2 cups walnuts, not toasted (large pieces or halves)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sugar, divided use
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (or coarsely ground sea salt)
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract 2 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 350 degrees. Spread walnuts in a single layer in a shallow baking pan sprayed with cooking oil. Bake, uncovered, 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. (Leave oven on.)
While nuts toast, stir together in a small bowl 1 tablespoon sugar, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
In a 2-cup glass measure, combine vanilla with remaining 1 teaspoon sugar and butter. Microwave, covered with a paper towel, on high, 30 to 45 seconds, until butter melts and mixture boils. Remove from microwave and stir well.
Drizzle butter mixture over walnuts and toss to coat. Sprinkle spice mixture over walnuts and toss to coat. Return walnuts to oven and bake 2 more minutes. Remove from oven and transfer the nuts to wax paper or parchment paper to cool, for at least 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Approximate values per tablespoon: 52 calories (78 percent from fat), 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 2 mg cholesterol, 1 g protein, 1.5 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g dietary fiber, 35 mg sodium.
Alicia Ross is the co-author of “Desperation Dinners!” (Workman, 1997), “Desperation Entertaining!” (Workman, 2002) and “Cheap. Fast. Good!” (Workman, 2006). Contact her at Kitchen Scoop, c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106, or send email to tellus@kitchenscoop.com. Or visit the Kitchen Scoop website at:
www.kitchenscoop.com.