RECIPE: SWEET AND SPICY MIXED NUTS

Perfect for any party; these nuts are addictive. Southerners always have nuts around for the holidays and some of them aren’t family… I always make a big batch and break them out for get-togethers or package them in pretty containers to give as gifts.

SWEET & SPICY MIXED NUTS

Skill Level: Easy

Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 cups

INGREDIENTS

4 cups mixed nuts; I like pecans halves, walnut halves and whole almonds but use any

2 teaspoons melted butter      

2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon dark brown sugar

1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Pinch black pepper

¼ t cayenne pepper

 DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Spread the nuts out in one even layer on a sheet pan. Put them in the preheated oven for 3 minutes or until lightly toasted. Watch carefully because they burn easily. Put the butter and maple syrup in a large saucepan over low heat to melt the butter. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and add the toasted nuts. Toss to coat. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper. Turn the nuts out on the prepared pan and bake for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the oven. Toss the nuts around a bit with a spatula and allow to cool. They will keep for a few weeks in an airtight container.

RECIPES: MY MOM'S TOTALLY ADDICTIVE HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE COOKIES

One of my favorite holiday traditions with my mom was starting our holiday baking the day after Thanksgiving. We always made spiced fruit cake cookies but we'd have to buy the ingredients over a few weeks so we could afford them. I remember the anticipation of watching the shelf fill up with the candied fruit: pineapple, cherries (yes, even the green ones) and how excited I was when we finally got the last ingredient. I still love those cookies... and they hold so many memories for me. 

I know. You hate fruitcake. I'm pretty sure I don't like most of them but I promise you these gorgeous little fruitcake gems are so addictive and delicious, you will not want to wait a whole year to make them again. These are the same mugs we used for Christmas Eve cocoa way back then.

MOM'S HOLIDAY FRUITCAKE COOKIES

Makes about 6 dozen depending on how large you make them.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound candied red cherries

1 pound candied pineapple

1 pound candied green cherries

6 cups pecans, roughly chopped

1 pound dates, chopped

2 tablespoons dark run (optional- but you need to up the orange juice if you omit)

3 cups plus 1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup Crisco shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

slight pinch kosher salt

3 teaspoons baking soda

3 tablespoons milk

4 eggs (room temperature)

1 tablespoon orange juice

1 teaspoon nutmeg

INSTRUCTIONS

The day before: chop the dates into small pieces and put them in a glass bowl. Add rum. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit overnight to absorb the rum. You can leave this step out if you want but I find it makes the dates more delicious and the cookies have more flavor.  

Preheat oven to 375. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper. Get out 2-3 cooling racks.

Dice the candied fruit into small pieces and place in a very large bowl; I use the top of my cake carrier. Roughly chop the pecans and add to the fruit. Add the dates. Add one cup of the flour. Toss well to coat all of the pieces and break them up so they are not sticking together.

Next, whisk the baking soda into the milk and let it dissolve.

Mix the Crisco into the fruit. Add the remaining ingredients: sugar, remaining flour, salt, nutmeg, eggs, orange juice and milk with baking soda into the mixture.  Mix together with your hands but just until you no longer see the flour. Try not to over mix. The batter will be very dense. Use a small ice cream scoop or two teaspoons to drop the cookies onto the prepared pans, about 1 inch apart. 

Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on the wire cooling racks.

RECIPE: STRAWBERRY PEAR SANGRIA

Are you entertaining a crowd this weekend? Here's a recipe that is not only delicious, it is inexpensive to serve for a large party. And it tastes as good as it looks! I had this as a cocktail at Ray's Boathouse in Seattle; a wonderful waterfront seafood restaurant. I've tweaked the original to make it for a crowd and included a some pomegranate and a little club soda. Scroll down to get a seasonal variation for holiday sangria. Perfect for a holiday open house or large gathering.

While traditionally made with red wine Sangria can be made with any variation of fruit and wine including sparkling white wine, Prosecco, or Cava. Change the fruit and the wine choice to the season. 

STRAWBERRY PEAR SANGRIA

Serves 6-8

1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced

1 teaspoon sugar

1 each lemon, lime, and orange, cut into thin slices

1 pear, sliced

2 cups Pear Vodka (Absolut or Grey Goose)

1 bottle White Wine (use something crisp)

1/2 cup Pomegranate juice (I often use Pama Liqueur instead if I have it)

Club Soda

Muddle the strawberry and the citrus fruit with the sugar in a large pitcher to release the juices. Add the remaining ingredients. You can serve this immediately but it's even better if it has a chance to sit for 4 hours or more. I like to chill it for at least 2 hours before serving but you can serve it over ice. Top with club soda to taste at serving.   

SEASONAL VARIATION: HOLIDAY SANGRIA

Add some cranberries in place of the lemon and white cranberry juice cocktail in place of the pomegranate juice. A splash of Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur is a nice touch but not required. I often add a sprig of rosemary and let that infuse for a few minutes only because the taste is strong. Garnish with cranberries on a skewer.