Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with family & friends! It's hard to believe how quickly the holiday came & went ... and that a new year is only days away. It's no secret we love this time of year, and we also love whipping up family recipes together in the kitchen. We certainly are feeling jolly & round from all the yummy food we've been enjoying; but like they say, "'tis the season!" This one is an oldie but goodie (and healthy!), and since we had lots of requests, we are so excited to share with yall. The perfect balance of heat & tartness ... these chili-toasted pecans & dried cherries are a great snack for not only the holidays but all through the year. And the recipe comes together quickly (with minimal cleanup). Who doesn't love that?!
Warning: These always go quickly in our house, so I recommend whipping up a double batch (separately) and combining. We store ours in zip lock bags to keep it crispy & fresh! Enjoy!
xo,
Natalie & Ashley
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2 cups pecans halves
1.5 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
3/4 cups dried cherries (or you can do a combo of raisins & cherries)
Directions
Preheat oven to 325. In a large bowl, combine oil & hot hepper sauce. Add pecans. Toss well to coat.
In a small bowl, combine chili powder, pepper, salt, cumin & oregano. Add pecans; toss well to coat. Place pecans in a single layer in a baking pan.
Bake for 12 - 15 minutes or until toasted. Stir every 5 minutes. Remove from oven & stir in dried cherries. Serve warm or cooled to room temperature.