Almond Joy for Basketball Nuts
Right now I'm about done with March Madness, as in my eyes are two basketballs and I'm reciting
beer commercials by heart. Here in the final days of the Final Four there is an ugly turn toward
March Mystery - will I stay sane? Does the game really hold life-altering consequences? Will we ever
watch a movie again?
Well Rock Chalk Jayhawk and all that, but the only game I control is in the kitchen, and that means
whether our beloved Jayhawks win or
So I make Sugar Curried Almonds.
They have easy grab-ability and hit every major snack point: crunchy, salty, sweet, and plentiful.
Nutritious almonds redeem the crystallized crust, and believe me, that's good - because on the
muncher's addiction scale, these toasty little gems rate very, very high.
Time to get nuts! Almonds, curry powder, sugar, salt, egg white.
Toast the almonds on a baking sheet and cool slightly. Transfer to a bowl, and breathe in their
sunburned goodness; now you know the meaning of almond joy.
Whisk the egg white to frothy with a little water, and pour over the cooled almonds.
Add sugar the way Chef Kader, my mentor, would - "like the fallen snow."
A little curry and a little salt...
...and now we stir. And fold, and stir. And fold...
..and stir. Fold and stir until the mixture comes together and completely coats the almonds.
Spread the almonds on a lightly sprayed baking sheet, pressing to make an even layer.
Bake about one hour, occasionally pulling the pan and carefully turning the almonds.
You may leave the kitchen, but it won't be for long. Few aromas are this cunning and
spicy and curling. This is a smell that demands you stand by the oven and wait.
It can linger in your kitchen for days -
- but the snacks won't last quite that long.
Sugar Curried Almonds
1 pound (about 5 cups) whole almonds
1 egg white
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tablespoon salt
Preheat oven to 250 F.
Toast almonds on a baking sheet about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
Cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, whisk egg white with 1 teaspoon water until frothy.
Stir in the almonds and sprinkle with sugar, curry powder and salt. Mix well.
Lightly coat the baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray. Spread the almonds in a
single layer on the sheet. Bake approximately 1 hour or until nuts are dry, stirring
once or twice.
Store at room temperature in an airtight container, up to one month.
Nut note: This recipe is also the perfect cocktail nibble. Put in bowls around your
party and watch them disappear.
recipe adapted from Real Simple
yum. and the carerra marble island? *swoon*!
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Thank you for this recipe! My hubby goes *nuts* (ahem) for Thai Lime & Chili Cashews from Trader Joe's. I'm thinking these might be right up his alley as well.
I really feel for you BTW. My poor sister is married to a Jayhawk and considers herself a basketball widow. I get mine during college football season but I'm not divulging his team~ you may ban me from your blog!
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Yummy! I might have to start watching basketball to justify eating these!
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This is why we never went to a bball game our senior year. You just weren't into it like the rest of the campus! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! Can you believe that win yesterday?? I was on the edge of my seat praying that the Hawks wouldn't screw it up at the end. That game was WAY too close. It didn't help that my husband kept saying that they were going to lose. (He wanted them to win though.) He has to have someone to cheer for since his Marquette Golden Eagles lost to Stanford.
My lucky KU sweatshirt works again! I will be wearing it all week to help KU beat North Carolina next weekend. I'm very nervous about that game. GO HAWKS!
Oh yeah, the nuts look tasty. I have a yummy recipe for Spiced Pecans that my grandmother used to make.
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Not into it? Hello - who moved back to a town flocking with freaking Jayhawks? Whose kid went to the Bill Self Camp? Who shook Darnell's hand and smiled and almost went out for a drink with him, huh? Well, I did shake his hand...he smiled...but no drink, really...I wish. Who?
That's right. This roommate, that's who. Rock Chalk to you, baby!
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