Name: Sugar & Spice Nuts
Ingredients: 2 C Mixed Nuts; 1 Egg White (beaten); 1/4 C Sugar; 1/4 tsp Salt; 2 1/2 tsp Baking Spice Mix; ((or 2 tsp Cinnamon & 1/2 tsp Nutmeg))

From about mid November until the New Year is the busiest entertaining season of the entire year. The number of parties, events and family gathers are just off the charts. Each event comes with food requirements. Meals. Snacks. Desserts. Gifts. A wise woman (or man) has a couple of quick, easy but universally loved recipes up their sleeve to whip up on a moments notice. This is one of those recipes.

I’m sharing it with you today because Walmart asked all of the Walmart Moms to share some of their favorite entertaining recipes. In the past I’ve shared plenty of entrees, sides, desserts and even dips. . . so I decided to do something a little different. These Sugar & Spiced nuts are good for any time of year but the flavors, with the hint of nutmeg and cinnamon, seem particularly good in the fall and winter.

I love that this recipe works equally well as a game-time munchie, an hors d’oeuvre, a potluck offering, a bake sale contribution or even a gift. That’s one multi-purpose recipe!

Nuts aren’t exactly a cheap ingredient, but since the coating gives this recipe it’s punch you can safely cut a more expensive container “mixed nuts” with a large container of plain peanuts and still get great flavor. Walmart has a huge variety of nuts to choose from–both the Planters mixes back in the snack section, and the various bagged nuts up by the deli. Don’t worry about the rest of the ingredients–they are simple and inexpensive.

Sugar & Spice Nuts

Ingredients

2 C Mixed Nuts
1 Egg White beaten
1/4 C Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
2 1/2 tsp Baking Spice Mix; (or 2 tsp Cinnamon & 1/2 tsp Nutmeg)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Toss nuts with beaten egg white.
Mix sugar, salt and spice together in a small bowl.
Add sugar mixture to nuts and toss until well coated.
Spread in a single layer on an ungreased pan (9X13 baking dish, jelly roll pan etc)
Bake for 30 minutes.
Cool slightly and remove from pan. Large chunks can be broken up when completely cooled.

If you choose to give your Sugar and Spice Nuts as a gift, packaging can make all the difference. For a nifty cone just buy the disposable Wilton Cake Decorating bags at your local Walmart, fill with the Sugar & Spice Nuts, secure with curling ribbon (from the party/wrapping aisle) and slide it into a paper cone made from scrapbook paper (from the craft department).