Easy Cinnamon Spiced Pecans

Just a few short years ago, if I ordered a salad at a restaurant and it arrived at the table topped with any kind of nut sprinkled on top, I would immediately pick them out with my fork (or, let's be honest here - my fingers) and pass them over to Hubbers with a grimace and a shudder. Most of the time, unless the other ingredients in the salad were just too hard to pass up, I'd likely avoid ordering it altogether. For most of my life, the only nuts that I've really ever considered palatable, were peanuts and cashews - and that was only if they were plain and straight from the bag or can... definitely NOT mixed into or plastered onto the top of something; especially sweet treats like cake - or cookies - or God forbid... brownies! Eeeeeek!

All of that changed when I received the "wrong" salad at a local restaurant a few years ago. I'd ordered the "blue cheese wedge" salad, but what the waiter brought out to the table and placed in front of me, bore absolutely no resemblance to that classic steakhouse staple.  It did have blue cheese sprinkled on it, but instead of bacon, scallions and a nice thick, creamy blue cheese dressing, there were chopped apples, dried cranberries, a vinaigrette of some sort and much to my shock and horror, (insert "DAT, DAT, DUHHHHN" here)... spiced pecans! Now, the hubby was more than happy to take them off my hands but encouraged (read: pestered) me to at least try one before he did. So, I thought about it for a minute and I figured that it certainly wasn't going to kill me. You never know, right? It wouldn't have been the first time that I'd tried something that I thought I wouldn't like and instead, ended up thoroughly enjoying it.

The conclusion?? Well.... let's just say that I've been a huge fan ever since. :~) So much so, that I find myself mixing up a batch of these little sweet and salty gems on a somewhat regular basis. You see, there's something about roasting or toasting most kinds of nuts, that changes the texture and gives them a sort of melt in your mouth quality. (of course, the sugar and spices don't hurt, either) I'll often toss them into a simple green salad, but I also put them in my Apple Pecan Chicken Salad, tuck lovely little jars of them into holiday gift baskets or just keep them around for snacking. (not that they last very long in this house, though)

Cinnamon Spiced Pecans
(makes about 2 Cups)

• 1/2 of a large bag of Pecan Halves
• 2 Tbls Coconut Oil (or other light oil)
• 1 Tbls (heaping) Light Brown Sugar
• 1 Tsp Ground Allspice
• 1 Tsp Ground Ginger
• 1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Tsp Kosher or Sea Salt
• 1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the oil in a medium-sized mixing bowl. (for this batch, I was in a bit of a hurry and I left the coconut oil in it's "right out of the jar" semi-solid state, but if you choose to use it as your base, you might want to take a minute to melt it slightly in the microwave. It will help coat the nuts more easily)

Add your brown sugar, spices and salt and combine thoroughly with a whisk, spoon, or mix them together with your meticulously clean fingers. You should have a fairly smooth paste-like consistency.

Add the pecan halves and mix them with the sugar, oil and spices until you have them all coated well.

My mixture was a tad lumpy due to the cold coconut oil, but it still worked out fine. I just used my fingers to pack or press it onto some of the pecans to make it stick better.

If your oil is more liquid, a spoon will do the job.

Spread the coated pecans out in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet or pan and toast them in your pre-heated 350°F oven for 3 to 6 minutes. There's no need to take them out and turn them, but you can do it if you don't feel like they are toasting evenly.

A batch of this size usually takes a total of about 5 minutes, but since ovens can differ in temperature, you might need to take them out sooner or leave them in a little longer. Just be sure to remove them as soon as they've turned a slightly darker golden brown and you can see the spice mixture sizzling or bubbling a wee bit.

Remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool thoroughly. (at least 10 minutes) The sugar and spices form a yummy crispy coating as they cool.

You can use them in a light dinner salad (like this Autumn Harvest Salad with Chicken and Sweet Cider Vinaigrette) or for sandwiches in the Apple Pecan Chicken Salad that I mentioned previously. If you aren't in the mood for either of those, you can just put them in an air-tight container and keep them in a cool dry place as a super yummy (and slightly addictive) sweet and salty snack. You might want to make a double (or triple) batch if you happen to have pecan lovers in your house. ;~)

Enjoy!

Mary

Autumn Harvest Salad with Chicken and Sweet Cider Vinaigrette

Autumn Harvest Salad with Chicken Recipe HERE

Sweet Cider Vinaigrette Recipe HERE

Apple Pecan Chicken Salad

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Some News!

Howdy folks!

- With some new Autumn inspired dishes and some good old fashioned comfort foods. Who knows... Maybe even something sweet to serve during the holidays! -

I didn't cook as often during my time away from the blog, but when I did, I tried my best to really make it count. Hope you'll enjoy what I've got coming up!

See you real soon!!!

Make Your Own Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino!

Howdy, everyone! Yep... I'm back. This first "post heart attack" offering isn't exactly a grand one, but in the immortal words of (Richard Dreyfuss as) Dr. Marvin... "baby steps, Bob."

I'm posting this a little late, but since yesterday was National Coffee Day (Sept 29, 2013), I figured it was "better late than never" and thought I'd share my version of a Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino! Enjoy!

I started drinking coffee on a regular basis in my late 20's, but I know a few folks who developed a taste for it when they were still fairly young children... usually thanks to some eccentric, distant relative or friend of the family who thought it'd be a real hoot to turn junior (or junior miss) into the energizer bunny (right before bedtime, usually) by providing them with a little sip or ten of their coffee. It might have taken me a bit longer than some to fully appreciate the taste ~ not to mention the energy-boosting benefit ~ of a really good cup o' Joe, but I have very fond memories of the wonderful aroma that came wafting from the kitchen as my parent's coffee perked away on the stovetop every morning. Especially on bitter cold Winter mornings, when you could actually see your breath in the bedrooms upstairs. Yup. You read that right. You see, the house that I grew up in was built in 1869 and the only heat that the second story ever got was the little bit that drifted up the stairway or up through the floorboards. Brrrr! The Hubbs and I are back in that house now and we've made a lot of changes ...and yes, one of them was to run the heat upstairs.

But, as usual, I digress. We're here to talk about my favorite iced coffee drink ~ the always scrumptious Mocha Frappuccino! It's so easy to make at home that there's simply no plausible reason to have to go back to that fancy coffee shop and pay a small fortune for it, ever again. I mean, who really remembers which size is which, anyway? Tall, grande, venti, tiny, curly, moe... and now trenta? Huh? Oh well, as you'll see very shortly in the photos below, I can't say that I never go and buy a frappuccino, because it's pretty obvious that I sometimes keep the cups, wash them and reuse them a couple of times. Hey now... don't you go getting all Judge Judy on me. After all, where's the harm in a gal looking like she's got money to burn, even when she doesn't? ;) Besides, I can't help it if when I order a mocha frappuccino, they always give me a monogrammed cup. *wink *wink

Mocha Frappuccino

• 8oz Strong Brewed Coffee of your choice
• 1 Tbls Chocolate Syrup (heaping)
• 4oz Milk - Non-Fat, Low-Fat, Reduced-Fat or Whole will all work
• A tall glass (or if you're lucky enough to have a monogrammed cup, you may use that)
• Whipped Cream
• A Long Straw

Fill a tall (16oz) glass with ice cubes.

Brew the coffee in whichever manner you choose. As you can see, I used my Keurig and brewed a cup of my favorite K-Cup coffee, Donut Shop. In the coffee shops they use espresso in most of their coffee drinks, so whatever brewing method you use, it's best to have a full-bodied or bold coffee for this beverage.

Pour in the chocolate syrup. I basically eyeball it, but I think I can safely say that it works out to be a good heaping tablespoon. You can always add more after the fact, if you feel it needs it.

Pouring a thin liquid-y syrup (like Hershey's) over ice won't cause it to seize up or keep it from dissolving, so it blends in quite well when the hot coffee is poured over the top. I would not suggest using the "hot fudge" style ice cream toppings that come in a jar, though. They're far too thick and will not dissolve completely. If anything, they're more likely to seize up or solidify when they hit the ice. There are other syrups available out there, like the Torani brand that coffee shops often use and those are great, if you can get them.

I didn't allow my coffee to cool at all because I wanted to make sure that the chocolate syrup dissolved quickly and completely. If you are using coffee that was brewed earlier in the day and then refrigerated for a while, I would suggest that you add the cold syrup to the cold coffee and heat it for about 30 to 45 seconds in the microwave. Give it a good stir and then proceed on to the next step.

Pour the hot/warm coffee over the ice and syrup, leaving between 2 to 3 inches at the top for the milk and whipped cream to be added.

Give it a good stir before adding the milk, to further ensure that the chocolate syrup and coffee are well blended. I use an iced tea spoon. If you don't have any of those, you can use a basic table or butter knife, a serving spoon, or any longer utensil to stir yours.

If the mixture is blended well, it will already start to look a bit lighter in color and seem a bit more creamy.

Add the 4oz of your desired milk and stir again to combine. I used 2% (or reduced fat) milk, because that's what we always have on hand.

I found the measurements that I gave above, to create a drink that is equal in flavor to the frappuccinos that I get at Starbucks and other coffee shops, so I'm satisfied with the way these turn out each time. Of course, if you taste it and find that it's less chocolaty or doesn't seem to have enough coffee flavor, you can add more of whichever ingredient(s) will make it more to your taste.

Shake your whipped cream well and squirt a good sized dollop on top of your drink.

Add the domed cup top (if you have one) and then add your straw.

Drink up and Enjoy!!

A shot of Kahlua or Irish Cream or a Chocolate Liqueur (or any combination of these three) would make this a delightful adult beverage!


Don't Forget To Follow Me On Social Media! I Post Blog Updates, Ideas For Kitchen "How To's", Restaurant Recommendations And Reviews... And Always Lots Of Photos!

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We will never send any advertising or provide your email address to any other blogs or businesses.

Don't forget that you can print this (or any) recipe using the "Print Friendly" button at the foot of each post. It's a great little feature that allows you to save any recipe as a PDF, email a recipe to yourself (or a friend) and remove any pictures (or any text that isn't relevant to the recipe) before printing! That can save on ink and paper. Who doesn't want to save a little cash when you can?!

You NEVER Know... A (Hopefully) Short Blog Break

This identical post is appearing on both of my blogs, so for those of you who subscribe to both, I apologize for the duplication.

Hello all,

Just wanted to get a short note out, to explain what's been going on in my world and to let you know that I'll be here on a somewhat limited or spoadic basis, at least for a little while, anyway. It's hard to be specific about potential posting dates, but I hope it won't be too long before I'm able to get back to the blog on a more full time basis. So, what's the big hold-up?

Well, much to my surprise, (and shock) a little over a week ago, I had (and am now recuperating from) a pretty serious heart attack. Honestly, folks... I never saw it coming and I had no idea that I was even remotely "in the risk zone", until it happened.

I've since learned that both men and women, (but especially women) who have Lupus and are over the age of 40, have a 60% higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Scary stuff...

The Hubbers and I were out shopping at the local outlet stores, for some last minute attire and accessories for our daughter's upcoming (August) wedding in Virginia. It was unbearably hot (as it has been for most of the summer here in the Northeast) and I was feeling quite unwell, from what I assumed was a combination of how brutally high temperatures and humidity affect my Lupus and what I believed at the time, was a really bad case of heartburn, that I'd been battling on and off for the last couple of days. We decided to head home, but once we were in the car and on our way, that little intuitive voice in my head told me that something was horribly wrong and I told my Hubby that he needed to drive me straight to the Emergency Room instead.

After arriving at out local hospital's ER and once it was determined that I was indeed in the midst of a major cardiac episode, I was taken upstairs to the Cardiac Catheterization Lab where over the next 2 hours, three arterial wire mesh stents were placed, during a procedure called an angioplasty. After three days in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, I was discharged home and ordered by my doctors to rest extensively and lay pretty low, so that my body has an opportunity to heal from this unexpected and frankly, terrifying attack. I honestly feel like I've been hit head on by a Mack truck and I believe this will be a long recovery for me.

On a slightly more positive note, my doctors were somewhat astounded by how little permenant damage there seems to have been to my heart, given that I had what was apparently, a major heart attack.

I'll try to post updates as often as I'm feeling up to it throughout the coming weeks, as I slowly but surely heal and get myself back on track. I am one incredibly lucky woman and I can't even begin to say how grateful I am to the doctors, nurses, aids and other staff at our local hospital, for literally saving my life.

And as for my husband, my daughter and other family members and friends.... well, let's just say that without their love and constant attention, I would have never made it through all of this with the kind of strength that I needed to push through the pain and work toward getting home and on my way to recovery. They have been taking exceptional care of me here at home and I am truly blessed.

Take good care of yourselves and of each other, my friends. You never know what might be around the corner.....