Honey Glazed Nuts

Turn a bag of plain old walnuts or almonds into extra special honey glazed nuts

As always, the Christmas season arrives, and the pace inside our household quickens. With four children excited for presents and school vacation, there is a constant air of excitement. Add a set of parents staying for a few days and friends and family visiting for the holiday, and you have a full house. While both my husband and I enjoy cooking, we also enjoy spending time with our family and friends.

To allow us maximum time visiting without resorting to boxed and store-bought food, we did a lot of cooking in the week before Christmas. I spent an afternoon and evening with my dear friend, Doris, making biscotti and fingerprint cookies. Both of these keep very well and make for simple breakfast treats and bite-sized snacks. At home we made meatballs, pans of spinach squares, and honey glazed nuts.

The nuts were the simplest item to make. In addition to being easy to make, they keep well, and can be served at any time of day. Need to round out the selection of items at lunch? Place a bowl of nuts in the mix. Houseguests hungry in the mid-afternoon? Again, a bowl of nuts is the answer.

The only trick to this recipe is determining how long to let the honey boil. Sadly, I don’t have a definite answer. It takes a little bit of trial and error. Let it boil, stirring constantly, for 3-5 minutes. If the nuts are still sticky after cooling, return them to the pot (or the microwave) for a little more cooking. As long as you keep a watchful eye, they won’t burn and the stickiness will be reduced.

This recipe definitely is a simple solution, as it requires very little time, though it does need a little bit of practice to get the recipe just right. If you want a recipe with a bit of a kick and just a teeny bit more work, these Bourbon & Brown Sugar Mixed Nuts are amazing.