Yes, I titled this toasted nuts, cause that’s what this post is about. I tried to make this elegant, really I have. However every time I say toasted nuts, the middle school girl in me comes out for a visit and giggles. Enough with the school hallway chit chat.

I wanted to share this recipe with you because it’s quick and delicious. These are my favorite attributes in a recipe, plus it will impress your guests. I had these nuts for the first time when I was a teenager. Now before we take this conversation down the wrong path, it was at my boyfriends grandmas house. William and I were dating and like any teenager we’d swing by his Grandma Brinson’s house for a visit. She always had something delicious for us to eat. We lived in suburban Maryland and hanging out with Grandma B was fun and we stayed out of trouble (except those times when William would cut school to hang out with her).

Grandma B was a straight-forward woman, who made entertaining look easy and stress free. Just like ice skating looks so easy, then you try it and you look like a hot mess. Grandma B was stylish and even though we were slacker teenagers she always had some fancy platter that I wanted to study and obsess over the design, from the fancy silver to the trendy ceramic plates with gold paint dripping with 1960s style. She was one of the first people I noted with flawless taste. Granted it was from a generation different than mine, but lovely none the less. Walking into her house was like walking into a time capsule. Decked to the nines in swanky 60s patterns in goldish yellow and pea green she had attended to every detail. Her house was a split level and the upstairs was formal and put together, and the downstairs was a party den. I envisioned grown up parties that kids were banned from taking place in her downstairs bar-kitchen area. I don’t know if it was the full length, green linoleum bar counter or the double ovens in 60’s green. A few years ago, we saw an ice bucket from Grandma B’s house show up on Mad Men. She would have been able to hang with Don Draper, no doubt.

Here’s Grandma B’s recipe for toasted nuts or spiced nuts. While they might not be fancy looking, they will be the one empty bowl at your next gathering. Hope you’re a prepared host and have some refills ready!

Spiced Pecans Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp water
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp each cinnamon, all spice, ground cloves
• 1 pound pecan halves

Directions

1. Mix together all ingredients, except pecans. Use a really large bowl!
2. Add pecans, and stir to coat nuts throughly.
3. Spread on greased cookie sheet. I use a silpat liner, or you can use parchment for easier clean up.
4. Bake at 250 degrees for one hour.