Sweet and Spicy Cocktail Nuts-French Fridays with Dorie

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 !