Aww Nuts, Donna Wants a Turn

Yup, it’s me, Donna, taking a break from all my busy stuff.  I made some yummy nuts today and I wanted to share the recipes with the gals…so you guys can just sit back and wait for Russ to return…

Every year I like to make two kinds of nuts.  One is sugar walnuts.  Here’s the recipe…very simple

Two egg whites, slightly beaten
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 lb. walnuts

Beat the egg whites until foamy.  Mix cinnamon and sugar together and add to egg whites.  They should be about this consistency. 

Stir in the walnuts, making sure they are well coated with the sugar and egg mixture.


Spread nuts on a well –greased cookie sheet and bake for 25 minutes at 275F.  Check nuts after about 15 minutes to make sure they aren’t burning.  They are ready to stir when they are looking dry and crunchy on top and are somewhat white.  After about 25 minutes, stir the nuts well and repeat the baking process.  Nuts should be very dry with the syrup all baked and crunchy.


Scrape the nuts off onto waxed paper to cool.  Do this right away or they will be cemented onto the cookie sheet!  Don’t worry about the stuff left on the cookie sheet, a little hot water will dissolve it right off.  Cool the nuts completely and store in an airtight container….or if you have an experience like I did today…toss them in the garbage!!

Actually the recipe and all the steps listed here are fine and my first batch turned out yummy.  HOWEVER, for my second batch I used nuts purchased at the store in those little plastic bags.  It was the Fred Meyer brand and so I thought they would be good.  I thought they smelled a little “off” when I opened the bag but I figured it was just me and spent all the time and effort making these anyway.  When I was done I tasted one.  YUK YUK YUK!!  They tasted like old chemicals.  I think it may just be because my first batch was made with fresh nuts I bought (of all places) at my hair dressers.  One of the gals who works there brings in nuts that her church sells as a fund raiser.  The church owns the tress, harvests and dries the nuts and sells them for $7. per pound.  You have never tasted better nuts.  No nasty preservative taste or smell.  The nuts are sweet and not at all bitter, like some walnuts can be.  So I sent Russ to take back the Fred Meyer nuts and go out to the hair salon and get some more nuts there.  I even bagged up the nuts I had already made and sent them back to Fred Meyer too.  When even Russ won’t eat them, you know they’re bad!!!

Here’s what Russ had to say about his adventures in walnuts.



Next I did Burnt Peanuts and those are easy and tasty too.

2 cups RAW Spanish peanuts (NO substitutions)
1 Cup white sugar
1/2 Cup water
1 tsp. red food coloring (optional)

Bring sugar, water and food coloring to boil over medium heat.  Add the peanuts and cook, stirring often, for 12-15 minutes.  Don't burn them!  All syrup should be absorbed and the nuts should look kinda dry.  Spread nuts on well- greased cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 300F, stirring every 10 minutes.  Turn onto waxed paper to cool and store in air tight container.  YUMMY!




Sooo, that’s it from me…back to my kitchen I go!!