Spicy!

Pecans that is.

4 ounces raw pecans
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon Butter*

Melt the butter and stir in the sugar and cayenne pepper. Stir in the pecans and coat as evenly as you can. Spread pecans on a baking tray with parchment paper (or one of the silicone baking tray liners--what I use).

Bake at 300 for 20 minutes or a little longer (like 2-3 minutes more) for a firm coating. (What I usually do is turn off the oven at 19-20 minutes and just let the pecans sit in the oven as it cools.)

Super yummy... Serve as part of a salad or just a yummy candy bowl treat. (I usually make a big green salad with cranberries, tomatoes, peppers, and a balsamic vinegar dressing.)


*I've made these vegan with Canola Oil and they weren't bad. I DO NOT recommend using olive oil to make these. A friend suggested I try a heart healthy margarine and I might the next time I make them vegan. If you try this and make it vegan, let me know what you use.

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For the dressing I usually mix
~ 2-3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar,
~1/3 cup olive oil,
a little garlic,
~2 tablespoons a little mustard (honey mustard preferably or honey and mustard) (or a good dijon),
a little red pepper flakes (1/4 teaspoon) (not cayenne!),
a few shakes of salt* and pepper.
Whisk it up and let it set for a couple of hours

(I rarely measure any more.)

*Call me a snob, but I prefer sea salt, especially in this recipe.