Country Chef Reader

Sweet and savory Spicy Orange Glazed Pecans will add a different kind of crunch to your holiday fare. Tiny decorative boxes or jars filled with these delightful morsels make great stocking stuffers, and they're a nice twist served as a not-too-filling appetizer.

Spicy Orange Glazed Pecans
4 cups raw pecan halves
3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 large egg white
Zest of two oranges
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons mild chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or Triple Sec (optional)

Preheat oven to 225°. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

Combine pecans, orange juice and egg white; toss until nuts are well coated. Add orange zest, sugar, salt, chili powder, cayenne and Grand Marnier (optional); toss until well mixed.

Spread pecans on baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes; stirring every 10 minutes, or until pecans begin to appear dry and stop sticking together. Cool completely before removing from pan; break apart and store in airtight container. Yield: 4 cups

Cook's Note: Glazed nuts can also be made in a cast iron frying pan (as shown). This method works very well and takes less time. The key is to keep the heat as low as possible (some burners are just too hot even on lowest setting) and stir constantly as they can burn or scorch in a blink.
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