Showing posts with label cashews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cashews. Show all posts

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Cinnamon Sugared Nuts - Oh My!

Hey, do you know what will be here in just a few weeks?  Two big events.  The first is the Super Bowl and the second is Valentine's Day.  It's time to start thinking about that Super Bowl party and what you will serve or take to share.  And what about that special someone, your Valentine?  Or in our case, many Valentines?  What will you do for them?  Well, I have an answer for you that is soooooo good and easy to make.

First, lets talk about nuts.  Do you like them?  We happen to LOVE them (maybe a little too much).  Did you know that eating a handful of nuts every day can help you live longer?  It's true!  Really.  Check this link - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/20/foods-that-help-you-live-longer_n_4612048.html.  Studies show that eating 1/4 to 1/3 cup of nuts a day can increase your longevity.  I am not sure they are talking about THESE nuts in particular, but they are so good and surely they count a little.  Never mind the sugar and cinnamon coating.  Cinnamon is good for you at least.

I made these nuts at Christmastime for stocking stuffers and I almost forgot to take a picture of them.  This is what I had left when I remembered, so use your imagination just a bit.  I always make candies, cookies, carmel corn, and nuts to put in decorative bags to give as extras for everyone.  These are SO dangerously good and are always such a hit.

You know when you are walking through a shopping mall and smell those German roasted nuts that they sell at kiosks?  The ones that smell like heaven?  That's what these are like.  Oh Em Gee.  Delicious.  And, slightly dangerous because it is impossible to control the consumption of said nuts.  But, they would be perfect for a Super Bowl party and for Valentine gift giving.  Here is what you need:

5 cups pecan halves
1 cup almonds or cashews (I used cashews - delish)
2 egg whites
2 TBSP water
2 cups granulated sugar
2 and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit

Line 2 large baking sheets (with sides) with parchment paper and spray with non stick cooking spray.  (You will understand why this is necessary after making them.  Don't skip this step.)

Mix nuts in a large bowl and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and water on medium high until stiff peaks form - about 4/5 minutes.  Add the sugar, cinnamon, and salt, stirring until well combined.  Put the nuts in the egg white mixture and stir to coat completely.  Spread nuts over the baking sheets and bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Allow to cool completely and enjoy - that translates to try not to eat them all at once.  Seriously.

You can store these at room temperature for a few weeks covered.  Like there will be any left in a few weeks.  That's funny.

You might want to make a test batch before the Super Bowl or Valentine's Day just so you will know how good they are.  Next blog post, I will show you a perfectly beautiful container you can make to put these in for gift giving.  Everyone will be so impressed and grateful for all your culinary and craft skills.  Y'all come back now.  You won't want to miss the tutorial.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

I always loved Christmas time when we would have a bowl full of mixed nuts in the shell and we would spend time around the table with a nutcracker, eating the nuts.  I liked them all, especially filberts better known as hazel nuts.  donna

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Baked Pear Spinach Salad With Mascarpone, Cashews, And Champagne Vinegar Dressing



Here it is Tuesday, October 22nd already.  How did this happen?  Where is it going?  Why am I not ready for cold weather or the fact that I had to put on closed shoes on Sunday because it suddenly got cool?  Bye bye sandals until next spring.  Sigh.  It makes me so very sad when sandals have to go.  My feet are not very happy.  I'll be waiting until the first warm day to drag them back out.  Believe me.

One of the really nice things about fall though is the abundance of tree fruit like apples and pears.  YUM!  I like apples, but I LOVE pears.  Dan is not a fan.  He doesn't like the texture which to me is unfortunate, but to each his own.

My daughter and I were talking about pears last week and she mentioned she had baked some.  Baked pears?  Why had I never thought of that.  When I got home, I headed straight to the world wide web and researched some baked pear recipes.  This is one I created by combining several things together for this fabulously delicious salad for dinner.  (The dressing recipe is my own.)  Are they good?  Let me count the ways.  My, oh my.  Here is what you will need:

Pears - as many as you want to bake (I used Bartlett)
1/2 to 1 stick butter
1 container Mascarpone cheese
Cashews, rough chopped (I used about a cup)
Home made Champagne Vinegar Dressing - recipe below

To check if pears are ripe, push around the stem to see if it's soft.  If so, they are good to go.  You want ripe pears for baking.

First, if you have never baked pears, this is how I did mine.  I used Bartlett pears and cut the pears in half, scooping out the core in each half.  I used a teaspoon to core the pears.  You can bake 2 halves, or as many as you want.  I did 3 pears the first time which was 6 halves.  Sunday, I did 5 pears for 10 halves.  I melted a half stick of butter in a baking dish for the 6 halves and a whole stick for the 10 halves.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Put the butter in an appropriate sized baking dish and melt the butter in the oven.  As soon as the butter is melted, remove the baking pan from the oven and coat the pears in the melted butter.  I rolled them on the skin side, then placed them cut side down in the butter.  Bake for about 45 minutes until they are fork tender.  Sunday, I baked these and this is how they look when they come out of the oven.  Heavenly.
Now, turn the pears over to expose the cut and cored side.  Place large dollops of mascarpone cheese in each pear half and stick them back in the oven for about a minute or two until the cheese melts.  Don't let it all run out of the pears.  It's the really good part.
If you are not familiar with Mascarpone cheese, it is an Italian cheese that sort of has the consistency of cream cheese but tastes like whipped cream.  Double yum.

I decided I wanted salty and sweet to go with the fresh spinach, and I had a can of cashew halves on hand.  I rough chopped them and sprinkled them over the melted mascarpone cheese.  I put several hands full of fresh baby spinach on salad plates and put a pear in the middle of the spinach.  I sprinkled more chopped cashews on the spinach.  Now to make the dressing.  I don't always measure when making dressing, but this is pretty close and you may want to adjust it to fit your taste.  It is sooooooo good, especially the tanginess with the sweet and salty.  Yummo.

Champagne Vinegar Dressing

Finely mince about 1/4 of a small shallot, super fine.

Using a large clove of garlic, make a paste out of it by putting about 1 to 2 teaspoons of salt on a cutting board and mashing the garlic with the flat side of the knife.  Work the knife back and forth, pressing and mashing until you have a paste made from the garlic clove.

In a bowl, pour about 1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil in and add the shallot and garlic paste.  Add about a tablespoon of Dijon mustard. (two big squeezes) Add the juice of one lemon and two big splashes of champagne vinegar (probably about 2 TBSP).  Add one small pinch of salt if needed and fresh cracked black pepper.  Whisk until combined and drizzle over the spinach and the pear.  Serve.  Consume.  Just try to savor each bite.  Delicious.  (The dressing is so good I could probably drink it with a straw.)

This is such a pretty salad to present with whatever entree you are serving.  Perhaps you will just want to eat the salad with some good crusty bread.  Or, maybe you would prefer the baked pear without the spinach and dressing and consider it dessert.  It all works and it is wonderful any way to choose to eat it.  Truly.  They also keep nicely in the refrigerator (covered) and can be eaten the next day.  I ate mine cold and it was delish!

Sometimes things just come together in an oh so right way.  If you like pears, this is a great way to enjoy them.  Yes indeedy.

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

Pears have been cultivated and enjoyed for thousands of years.  Homer referred to them as a "gift from the gods" in the Odyssey.  healthdiaries.com

pear