Day 6: Oh, nuts.

Today's creation comes from the tasty little cookbook entitled Cooking with Beer.  You, too, can probably purchase your own copy of this little booklet, as I nearly had two copies to myself.  Both my good friend Jen, and also my mother, picked up copies for me knowing what this month was all about.
Now my sister lucks out, since she'll get one, too.

So I decided to make the Sweet & Spicy Beer Nuts...

And from the first ingredient, I deviated from the recipe, huh, and I thought I was such the rule follower.
Here's the recipe as they call for it:
2 cups pecan halves
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup beer

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil.
2. Mix pecans, salt, chili powder, olive oil, cumin & red pepper in small bowl.  Spread on prepared baking sheet. Toast 10 minutes or until fragrant.  Cool on baking sheet on wire rack.
3. Combine sugar and beer in small saucepan.  Heat over medium-high heat until the mixture registers 250 degrees F on candy thermometer.  Remove from heat; carefully stir in nuts and any loose spices. Spread sugared nuts on prepared baking sheet, separating clusters.
4. Let cool completely.  Break up any large pieces before serving.


Author's additions/changes/personal flair:
I'm on the thrifty side, so yeah, I used peanuts...you get more nut for your buck.  (That phrase will come back and haunt me, guaranteed.)
I mixed the spices separate, then coated the peanuts in the olive oil and then tossed them with the spice mixture....and being in a Kingstorf kitchen, I used what spices I could find...and so I had to use Mexican style hot chili powder, so that may kick up the spice factor.
Oh, I made a double batch...which means more nuts later, but less beer left over to drink while you're waiting for the beer/sugar mixture to get to the right temp.  

They have been tasty all through the prepping process...I'm sure one they have totally cooled they will be even tastier.