Glazed Nuts for the Holidays

474.  How many parties have you been to where there are bowls of pretzels, chips, salted peanuts, Chex Mix and an occasional specialty chip or pretzel.  Now, to be clear, I love a good pretzel, chip or Chex Mix.  But, this holiday season why don't you deviate from the norm and place bowls of Glazed Nuts around the room.  Or, place a scoop in a cellophane bag and tie with a velvet ribbon to give as a take away.  It's up to you if you would include the recipe or not, "wink, wink".

You can make them salty or sweet. Trust me, once someone takes a taste, shares how great they are, there will be people congregating around the bowl in excited conversations.  As well as hearing, "What spices are on these nuts?" or "You have to give me this recipe!".

I remember being invited to a Christmas party at my friend JoAnn's house.  She got the memo and had these bowls of sweet glazed nuts around on side tables and within reach wherever you found yourself.  And of course, they were the conversation of the night.  

So, in honor of JoAnn and her perfect hosting, I give you my Glazed Nuts recipes.

It is your choice which nuts you use as each nut has its own wonderful flavor and enhances or clashes with the spices added.

And you can create a recipe of your own adding different spices, dried fruits or different salts.

I hope you try one of the recipes and it brings compliments from your guests.  

"Families are like fudge, mostly sweet but filled with nuts."

~ Unknown

"Today's oak tree is just yesterday's nut, that held it's ground."

~ David Icke

Almond Cake with Amaretto Buttercream and Raspberries

426. This Easter we enjoyed a lovely brunch and a variety of delicious treats, along with this Almond Cake with Amaretto Buttercream and Raspberries.  

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The Amaretto was purchased at Trader Joes and brings such a perfect flavor to the batter.

The cake is lovely, moist and aromatic.  Slicing it lengthwise is very easy and the sides are not crisp.

The buttercream is very soft and perfect for spreading.

What an absolutely lovely cake this is, moist with delicate flavor.  Each bite is so very satisfying and  light.  It is not a heavy cake as most scratch cakes can be.  And, I must say, I am most proud of the finished product.

"Cake baking has to be, however innocently, one of the great culinary scams:  it implies effort, it implies domestic prowess; but believe me, it's easy."

~Nigella Lawson