Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt (try sea salt for an added crunch)
1 1/2 teaspoon crumbled rosemary
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups pecan halves
Melt butter in baking pan. Add rosemary, salt, red pepper and pecans. Mix and place in a 350 degree oven. Stir and shake often until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Spread on brown paper and drain 3 minutes. Place on fresh brown paper until cooled.
*Zest*
is the colored portion of the rind with none of the bitter white pith. To remove the zest, use a "cheese" grater, or a zester (a tool designed specifically for the purpose), or a micro planer (a tool originally designed for woodworking that found another use in the kitchen.) A planer is not a tool for sharing between the kitchen and the shop. Buy your own! You can also use a vegetable peeler, and then chop the pieces very fine. Commercial lemon and orange peel generally contain preservatives to help retain color and freshness. If you add your own fresh zest and consume the Sugared & Spiced Nuts within a reasonable length of time, there's no need for added preservatives.