Cooking Light (November 2015)
Every host needs a few simple snack ideas in their back pocket, to pull out when guests are coming over for a meal.
Our friends Chris and Marshall are geniuses at this. They can build the most beautiful charcuterie plates that are truly stunning. Shaved, smoked meats. Fragrant cheeses. Little nibbles that are irresistible. We're always incredibly impressed by their snack game.
When it comes to party appetizers, we're typically fans of purchasing snacks that can be served as-is, or with minimal preparation. The Barefoot Contessa -- our (and everyone's) spirit animal when it comes to entertaining -- has loads of good suggestions for these, in her books and television series.
For this year's Fakesgiving, we opted for a snack recipe that did require some work but could be done days before the guests arrived: Brown Sugar-Spiced Nut Mix.
Set your bookmarks and ready your Pinterest buttons: This nut mix is the perfect snack for any holiday party.
This nut mix is easy to prepare, and with a variety of nuts, seeds and spices, it's super delicious. It's both sweet and salty, and the cardamom adds an exotic flavor that really stands out nicely.
If we were going to riff on this recipe, we might add golden raisins to give it a bit of a texture differentiation. But that would be a quibble. These Brown Sugar-Spiced Nuts are a treat.
Trust us: You need them in your life this holiday season.
Brown Sugar-Spiced Nut Mix
Cooking Light (November 2015)
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(This photo: Brian Woodcock/Cooking Light; Styling: Paige Hicks)
Yield: Serves 12 (serving size: 2 tablespoons)
Total time: 30 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 egg white
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup raw pecan halves
1/2 cup raw whole almonds
1/3 cup raw shelled pumpkin seeds
Cooking spray
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Combine egg white, oil, and Worcestershire in a large bowl; stir with a whisk until mixture is frothy. Add nuts, pumpkin seeds, and sugar mixture, stirring well to coat.
3. Spread nut mixture on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven; stir nuts to break apart. Return pan to oven. Reduce oven temperature to 300°. Bake 10 minutes. Remove nuts; cool 5 minutes. Stir to break apart nuts.
