This summer, when I was participating in some local area craft shows, I met a woman known as “The Nut Lady”.  While some might call her a little nuts (pun intended!) for traveling so far to sell her pecans, we Illinois folks are sure glad she does.  I am now hooked on her fresh pecans, and I am sharing the wealth of flavor by making spiced pecans for friends and neighbors this Christmas- Nut Lady style!

Ingredients:

• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1tsp salt
• 1 lb pecans

Beat egg white and 1tsp of water together until stiff.  (Isn’t my sous chef a cutie pie?)

Here is what the egg whites look like when they are stiff

Add 1 cup of sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1 tsp salt to the egg whites and stir gently until mixed.  Add 1lb of pecans and stir until coated.  Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees for one hour stirring every 15 minutes.

The next hour of waiting is the hardest part but you will thank me for it! 

When your pecans are done let them cool completely before storing in an air tight container.  Make sure to save yourself some!