This year there was a bumper crop of pecans. We picked 10 sheetrock buckets full, or close to 200 lbs. That's a lot of nuts, but it barely made a dent. Next we had adventures taking them around to the various places where you can get your nuts cracked. Some places are better than others. Generally, you pay 25 - 40 cents a pound. Then, you get to have fun picking out all the nut meats, which takes two people about an hour and a half to do a grocery bag full. It's a project, but fun. Now we have more nuts than will fit in the freezer! Luckily, there's lots of recipes on the internet for spiced pecans. Here's a yummy sample:
2 1/2 cups shelled pecans
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
Toss all together and spread out on a baking sheet. bake at 325 for 30 mins. or so, stirring every so often. these are super yummy! serve as a snack or use in salads.
photos and recipe by Rebecca Wood