All I can say is thank goodness for something simple this first week of December. Remember my pledge a few posts ago about honing my organizational skills ? I'm off to a good start, now just have to work on my prioritization-ha. Over at
French Fridays with Dorie, one of the four recipes selected this month is the Sweet and Spicy Cocktail Nuts. Dorie mentions that nuts are probably the favorite nibbles to have along with your drink in France, followed by olives. I have this French thing going on this month so making these is perfect timing. The nuts are in a holding pattern for the oven while my Pain au Chocolat is proofing. Have I told you I'm on vacation? I love it because it gives me unlimited time in my kitchen to bake my heart out. Some people think lying on a beach in the Caribbean would be a good choice-so call me a little crazy that I find having the time to create and bake is how I choose to spend my vacation time. And it pleases my soul. I find that the time in the kitchen is my Zen moment-I'm there fully present, not worrying about anything just watching the little miracles of baking coming together. Knowing that letting go of worries and to do lists frees up my spirit so that it goes into what I'm creating-know what I mean ? Remember the scene in
Like Water for Chocolate 
where Pedro has given Tita some roses ? The wicked mother has ordered the roses destroyed. Instead Tita uses them in the Quail with Rose Petal Sauce ? That scene where she is channeling all of her love and energy into that sauce is always in the back of my mind when I get into my creative zone in the kitchen. I love that movie and I love the book-hint another great Christmas present for the chef/baker in your life !
Back to the nuts-the only thing I changed in this recipe was instead of adding cayenne pepper, I substituted red pepper flakes because J likes his snacks sweet and really really spicy! This makes a nice little hostess or neighbor gift for the holidays. Wrapped up in cellophane with a little bow-easy, sweet and from the heart. Head over to
French Fridays with Dorie and see everyone else's links and what they did for this first Friday in December. Bon Appetit !
11 comments:
Love your little gift bags of nuts! Little bags of love!!! We loved these at my house too.
I have been looking for things to fill in the spaves of those gift baskets. This is a wonderful idea Sandi!!
Love the packaging - especially the tag! :) Glad you loved the nuts. I'm definitely making them again!
Cute bags! These look awesome.
The gift bag idea is a great thought! And I am so jealous... I would love to have a vacation at home to spend in the kitchen.
Thanks to you all for the sweet comments. And Cher I am loving every minute in the kitchen-I'm normally working right up to the holidays so this is a real treat !
A chef I worked for recommended Like Water for Chocolate to me when it started showing in the U.S. and I fell in love with it immediately.
I can relate to your desire to spend the vacation in the kitchen (I always need that kind of vacation after the going-somewhere-else-for-fun vacation).
In a day or two I'll make the nuts (yes, they have to be spicy!)
I love Like Water for Chocolate - it's been some time since I've seen it. Maybe I'll rent it again soon.
Love the goodie bags!
Your nuts look great and so prettily wrapped. I loved Like Water for Chocolate and the whole idea that we can infuse our cooking and baking with love.
Yes, I love sweet and hot together...gets me dreaming about these nuts which I will be making soon. Nice post.
Thank you all for your lovely comments. Don't you just love all the packaging ideas out there-I just spent 2 hrs trying to decide on ribbon and cellophane bags !! These are definitely great little gifts.
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