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Are you a “nutty” person? As it gets closer to Christmas or holiday celebrations I start stocking up on various kinds of nuts. Actually, I started several months ago and have a special place in my freezer in a box labeled “NUTS.” (That’s really good, Alice!) Shelled nuts may be stored in the freezer for as long as a year in a tightly covered container. Be sure to put them in the fridge after they’ve been opened if you’re not going to use them fairly soon or they may become rancid, especially if they’re kept in a warm place.

While we’re on the subject of nuts, there has been a study that indicates that peanuts and peanut butter have a good effect on your cholesterol levels. Peanut butter is high in monounsaturated fatty acid and may have a positive effect on lowering your LDL (lousy or bad) cholesterol levels while helping maintain the good HDL levels when eaten as part of a low cholesterol diet. As you no doubt have heard or read, almonds are one of the best nuts to eat to help cholesterol from becoming sticky and clogging your arteries. But please, if you’re not sure if you should be eating nuts, talk to your doctor or dietician.

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I like to make different flavored nuts, like sweet and salty, sugared, etc. The following recipes are some that I have made to use as gifts or to put on a candy tray during the holidays.

I make this recipe for a friend who is diabetic.

SWEET AND CRUNCHY NUTS

3/4 c. pecan halves

3/4 c. walnut halves

1/2 c. whole blanched almonds

1 egg white, lightly beaten

1/3 c. no calorie sweetener, granulated

2 t. ground cinnamon

Spray a 15x10-inch pan (jelly roll pan) with cooking spray.

Combine nuts in a medium mixing bowl; add egg white, toss to coat (a rubber spatula works well).

Combine granulated sweetener and cinnamon; sprinkle over nuts, toss to coat.

Spread mixture evenly onto sprayed pan. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes or until nuts are toasted, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool on waxed paper. Break apart if need be. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 2 cups.

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I usually make peanut brittle but since I found this recipe I make it for special gifts. It’s a bit spendy, but then your family and friends are worth it, right!

MIXED NUT BRITTLE

3 T. plus 1-1/2 t. butter (no substitutes)

1-1/2 c. sugar

1 c. water

1 c. light corn syrup

1-10 oz. can mixed nuts (without peanuts)

1 t. vanilla

1-1/2 t. baking soda

Grease a cookie sheet with the 1-1/2 t. butter, set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 270 degrees (soft-crack stage), stirring occasionally. Add nuts, cook and stir until mixture reaches 300 degrees (hard crack stage).

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and rest of butter (3 T.); add baking soda and stir fast.

Quickly pour onto buttered cookie sheet. Spread with a buttered metal spatula (or the back of a large metal spoon) to 1/4-inch thickness.

Cool before breaking into pieces. Makes about 1-3/4 pound.

NOTE: Perhaps you make your peanut brittle in the microwave. I would think this recipe would work for you using the recipe for nut brittle that you use. I’m not sure as I make it as above.

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If you like “bite” in your snacks, you would like this. It makes a big batch, too.

SWEET AND SPICY NUTS

1 c. sugar

1 t. salt

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. coarsely ground black pepper

1 large egg white

6 c. unsalted nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, almonds, and/or cashews or whatever combination you like

Grease two 15x10-inch pans. (If you don’t have two pans, use a 9x13.)

In a small bowl, stir first six ingredients together, mixing well.

In a large bowl, beat egg white with a wire whisk until foamy. Stir nuts into egg white. Add sugar mixture; toss until nuts are thoroughly coated.

Divide nut mixture between pans, spreading evenly. Bake nuts 25-27 minutes at 325 degrees or until golden brown and dry, stirring twice while baking.

With pancake turner, transfer nuts to waxed paper; spread in single layer to cool. Store nuts in tightly covered container at room temperature up to one month.

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This is my favorite nut snack recipe and it’s not as spendy to make as some of the others. I may have given it before, but if I didn’t, you will like it––trust me!

ALICE’S SUGARED PEANUTS

1 c. water

2 c. sugar

4 c. unsalted dry roasted peanuts

In a medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil. Add peanuts; bring to a boil, stirring. Turn heat to medium-low; stir often so mixture doesn’t burn. Cook and stir until all syrup is gone and nuts look sugary.

This will take about 40-45 minutes. I know that’s a long time but I usually make two batches at a time, in different saucepans, stirring one and then the other.

Turn out onto greased 15x10-inch jelly roll pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes.

Store in tightly covered container. It will keep 3-4 weeks. Makes 4 cups.

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This nut recipe uses spices that really make it a nice change from sweet or salty snacking nuts.

ROASTED SPICED PECANS

2 t. cinnamon

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. ginger

1 t. salt

1 t. sugar

1 stick (1/2 c.) butter, melted

1 lb. pecan halves

Combine the first five ingredients in a bowl.

Stir half the mixture into the melted butter. Toss nuts with the spiced butter and put them on a cookie sheet.

Roast in 275 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until nicely browned.

Remove from oven and toss them with the rest of the spice mixture. Spread on paper toweling to drain and cool completely. Put into pretty jars. Makes 4 cups.

NOTE: The half pint jelly jars with the raised design on them make a nice way to package them if they’re being used for a gift. Also, you can find pretty small tins that are inexpensive, especially at the dollar stores.

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Thought for the day: Did you know a hummingbird nest is about the size of a walnut?

NOTE: We’re not doing lights this year but our youngest son doesn’t fall far from his father’s decorating talent. His yard is beautiful. If you’d like a look, go south of Highway 8 on Olinda Trail to 288th, turn right to Lakelawn Drive, left on Lakelawn and follow it about a mile until you see the lights (almost to the dead end). There are a lot of homes decorated in that area so it’s worth the ride. He “lights” from 5-10 p.m.

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