Seasonal Recipe Box: Any Time of Year

Maple-roasted Nuts

Other than my very favorite use of maple syrup -- which is stirred into yogurt with a splash of vanilla extract -- this is one of my favorite ways to use the syrup.

Ingredients:

• about 1 cup walnuts or pecans
• 2-3 Tablespoons maple syrup

Procedure:

Place nuts in a colander and shake to remove any powdery bits that might burn. Transfer nuts to a cast-iron skillet and roast over medium-high heat until they begin to change color and smell fragrant (just a few minutes). Pour maple syrup over nuts in hot pan and stir and shake for a minute until all nuts are coated and syrup has evaporated. Pour nuts onto wooden cutting board and immediately fill skillet with water and place in sink. Use a spatula or other tool to scrape nuts off of cutting board and keep them moving for a minute or so while they cool (otherwise they'll stick to the cutting board). Transfer nuts to a bowl and put cutting board under hot water (to prevent sugar from sticking to board & becoming hard to clean!). Eat and enjoy as a snack, or serve with fruit, or put on a salad.