I hope everyone had an awesome Thanksgiving!  We had a great big feast at our home with friends and I cooked up a storm.  It was an easy-going casual affair and I knew that our company would all be arriving at different times.  I decided to serve some light snacking for people while they were waiting for the feast to begin but I didn’t want to serve appetizers that might interfere with appetites or stomach capacity.  Herb-roasted sweet and savory nuts and hot, spicy apple cider fit the bill perfectly!

Herb-Roasted Sweet and Savory Nuts

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 tablespoons melted salted butter

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon seasalt

1/4 cup sugar

4 tablespoons chopped rosemary, thyme and tarragon

4 cups mixed raw, unsalted nuts

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Mix together the oil, melted butter, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and herbs. Add the nuts to the bowl and stir until well combined. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Roast the nuts for 20 minutes and stir them. Roast for another 15 minutes–watch the nuts closely because they can burn quickly!  Once the nuts are golden brown, take them out and toss them with the salt and sugar.  Serve at room temperature.

Hot and Spicy Apple Cider

1 gallon apple cider

Mulling spice mix:

4 cinnamon sticks

4 peppercorns

4 cardamom pods

6 whole cloves

8 allspice berries

Lemon zest