CANDIED ALMONDS & CASHEWS WITH SEA SALT

IT'S TIME FOR THE SECRET RECIPE CLUB REVEAL AGAIN!!! FOR THE SECRET RECIPE CLUB, EVERYONE IS GIVEN THE NAME OF A BLOG (SECRETLY) AND YOU CHOOSE ONE RECIPE TO MAKE FROM THAT BLOG. THEN, EVERYONE POSTS AT THE SAME TIME ON THE SAME GIVEN DAY....TODAY!!!! IT IS FUN TO DISCOVER WHO HAD YOUR BLOG AND TO REVEAL THE ONE YOU WERE SECRETLY BAKING/COOKING FROM ALL ALONG!

THIS MONTH, I RECEIVED THE GINGERSNAP GIRL.  GLORIA HAS A BEAUTIFUL BLOG WITH MANY WONDERFUL TREATS TO CHOOSE FROM! I DECIDED TO GO WITH THE CANDIED NUTS BECAUSE WHO DOENS'T LOVE CANDIED NUTS! SHE USED PECANS WHICH I LOVE, BUT I ONLY HAD ALMONDS AND CASHEWS ON HAND SO I WENT WITH THEM.  JUST LIKE THE ONES YOU SMELL AT THE FAIRS!

Salted Candied Pecans
FROM GINGER SNAP GIRL VIA Steak N Potatoes Kinda Gurl

1 cup whole unsalted raw pecan halves (I used 1 cup cashews and 1 cup almonds)
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Add pecans, sugar and water to a medium to large heavy bottomed bottom pan over medium heat.  When sugar dissolves, begin stirring.  Continue cooking, stirring often, until sugar becomes crystallized (looks like raw brown sugar). 

Turn heat to medium low and allow the crystallized sugar to melt and lightly brown on the bottom of the pan.  Use a heat proof rubber spatula to spoon the liquid over the pecans to coat them.  Once pecans are coated (quite a bit of crystallized sugar will remain), sprinkle on salt and cinnamon and stir a few times to evenly distribute. 

Transfer nuts in a single layer to a silpat (or parchment paper) lined baking sheet and allow to completely cool.  
 

MAKE THESE AT YOUR OWN RISK....YOU MAY END UP EATING THE WHOLE BATCH!!!

 

1.  HEAT 4 TABLESPOONS BUTTER IN A LARGE PAN UNTIL MELTED.
2.  WHISK IN A COMBINED MIXTURE OF 2T. BROWN SUGAR, 2T. WATER AND A TINY SPLASH OF PURE MAPLE SYRUP (OPTIONAL). BRING TO A BOIL.
3.  POUR IN 2 CUPS OF NUTS (I USED A COMBO OF PECANS, CASHEWS AND ALMONDS)
COOK 2 MINUTES STIRRING UNTIL WELL COATED.
4.  USING A SLOTTED SPOON, TRANSFER THE NUTS TO A LARGE BOWL FILLED WITH 2C. SUGAR AND 1 TSP. CINNAMON. MIX WELL.
5.  LAY NUTS ON A NONSTICK FOIL LINED SHEET IN ONE LAYER.   
6.  BAKE AT 300 FOR 30 MINUTES STIRRING AFTER 15 MINUTES.  LET COOL COMPLETELY!
ADAPTED FROM LOVECOOKEAT.COM

GLAZED NUTS

YUP! YOU KNOW THE KIND! THE ONES YOU SMELL ROASTING AT ALL THE FAIRS! I AM SO EXCITED BECAUSE TODAY IS MY FIRST "FAN FAVORITES" POST!!!! THIS RECIPE WAS SENT TO ME BY KATHIE AND BOY IS IT A WINNER! TASTES EXACTLY LIKE THE TREATS HUBBY & I ENJOYED ON VACATION LAST WEEK! THANK YOU KATHIE!!!!

CINNAMON ROASTED NUTS

(Like at fairs)

1 quart of whole pecans, almonds or walnuts

1 Egg White

1/2 c. Granulated Sugar

1 tsp. Cinnamon

Beat egg white until blended but still maintain a liquid form

Mix the nuts with the egg white coating thoroughly (I put this in a Tupperware container with a lid & shake well)

In separate container with a lid, mix sugar & cinnamon

Place nuts that have been coated in egg white into the cinnamon/sugar mixture and toss to coat evenly.

Spread onto parchment lined cookie sheets in a single layer

Bake at 300 for 25 minutes

Cool on the cookie sheets

Separate the nuts....they will be in a big cluster.

Store in airtight container

GREAT FOR THE HOLIDAYS AS GIFTS !!

SINFUL TOFFEE TURTLES

SINFUL TOFFEE TURTLES
1 stick butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Caramel Bits, 4 ounces (or regular caramels)
1 1/2 T. heavy cream

1 bag Heath toffee bits or chocolate toffee bits (both work great)
Pecan Halves-one per cookie
Small amount of melted chocolate disks or chips for drizzling!

Preheat oven to 350 and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Beat butter and sugar till creamy. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Once combined well, gradually add flour, salt and cocoa. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in fridge at least 2 hours. You need this dough to be very cold!

Once chilled, break off large Tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Roll each ball into the toffee bits. Place on cookie sheet and use back of a small measuring spoon to press an indent in the center. This step is like making a thumbprint cookie. Bake in the oven for approx 10-12 minutes. (Don't worry if they spread at this point because you will fix centers!) Remove and press the centers down with the measuring spoon again to fix the indent.

While cookies cool, melt caramels and cream in microwave and stir smooth. Let cool a few minutes and carefully spoon some into the center of each cookie. Top each caramel center with a pecan halve. Once set, melt chocolate in microwave and drizzle over the tops!