Each year between late November and the end of December, it seems like we live in a constant state of movement. We’re either preparing for, attending or cleaning up after a gathering of some sort. Sometimes they’re planned, sometimes they aren’t. Thanksgiving and Christmas aside, we have three birthdays in my household between the 7th and 14th of December. Needless to say, come the end of December, we’re ready for a break.
New Years Eve has always represented the end of something old and the beginning of something new, a time for reflection and a time for planning.
And, thank goodness, the time for a break!
More stuff for mom to clean up.
We’ve always been a ‘low-key’ New Years Eve kinds of family, at least we have been since we passed our early 20s. No big parties for us, just kid-friendly gatherings with friends, amazing pick-up food, good conversation – and if we’re lucky – making it to the ball drop. My best New Year’s Eve memories are with the ladies I consider to be the best friends a girl could ever have and their families. And, did I mention the food?
I truly love food. My husband will often follow comments regarding food with ‘but, I don’t love food the way you do.’ The man could eat chicken nuggets every day for the rest of his life and die happy. Not me. I need variety, I need flavor. Variety and the chance to try something new are my favorite things about attending potluck type gatherings. Not only tasting something new, but serving something new too.
If you’re hosting a dinner party, it’s probably not a good idea to make an untested recipe. If it fails, so does your dinner party. With a potluck though, there are plenty of dishes to go around. You can be riskier with that you choose to prepare, you can go out on a limb. A well appointed potluck is like an adventure in food. A very tasty adventure!
Spiced Pecans…Mmmm!
When I’m looking for great potluck recipes, I often turn to cookbooks. Despite the overwhelming number of recipes available on the internet, there’s something about holding a cookbook in your hand that I’ll just never get away from. I have a bookshelf full of the upstairs, including several from Emeril Lagasse. Emeril offers an excellent selection of ‘potluck worth’ tasty treats in Emeril’s Potluck – Comfort Food with a Kicked-Up Attitude. I was immediately drawn to the Spiced Nuts. I choose to make mine with straight pecans rather than mixed nuts. They are going to be amazing on a salad later today!
Emeril’s Spiced Nuts aren’t all cinnamon and brown sugar, like many spiced nuts are. No, these nuts truly pack a flavor all their own. Incorporating spices like cumin and cayenne pepper, these nuts are definitely kicked up. The best part, at least for me and my busy schedule, is that these keep for up to 2 weeks. And, they are quick! Super quick, really. Less than 15 minutes start to finish, and a few minutes to cool. You could easily prepare a large batch to do double duty as snacks at your Christmas gathering and a tasty New Year’s Eve potluck dish. You can check out the recipe for Emeril’s Spiced Nuts below.
In addition to the Spiced Nuts, Emeril’s Potluck has nearly 300 pages bursting with potluck-ready food, perfect for any gathering all year long! You can purchase your own copy of Emeril’s Potluck by clicking here. I won’t give up my copy of Emeril’s Potluck, but I do have a second cookbook to giveaway to one lucky winner! There are two requirements you must fulfill to enter this giveaway.
1. Join in the conversation during the live #SundaySupper chat on twitter 7-8pm Eastern Time today (Sunday, December 30th). Your tweet(s) must contain the #SundaySupper hashtag.
2. Leave a comment below on what is your favorite Emeril recipe or something of his you’d like to try. You must include your Twitter handle. Comment must be posted by 9pm Eastern time today (Sunday, December 30th).
The recipes featured this week during the chat will be from Emeril’s Potluck and Emeril’s Kicked Up Sandwiches, both excellent choices when it comes to food with flavor. Visit these #SundaySupper team members to see what other Emeril and Emeril inspired recipes we’re sharing today…
Sunday Supper NYE Potluck Drinks:
- Champagne Punch by girlichef
- Champagne Punch by Daily Dish Recipes
- Champagne Punch by Midlife Roadtrip
- Champagne Punch by Family Foodie
- Chi Chi Cocktails by The Messy Baker Blog
Sunday Supper NYE Potluck Starters:
- Spiced Nuts by The Cookie A Day Challenge
- Spiced Nuts by Small Wallet Big Appetite
- Spiced Nuts by Home Cooking Memories
- Spiced Nuts by Mama.Mommy.Mom
- Prosciutto Breadsticks & Spiced Nuts by Galactosemia in PDX
Sunday Supper NYE Potluck Dishes and Sandwiches:
- Sopressata and Genoa Salami Calzones by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
- Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by The Meltaways
- Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy by Craving’s of a Lunatic
- Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by Supper for a Steal
- Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by Diabetic Foodie
- Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
- Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich by In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene
- Columbia Street Grinder by The Foodie Army Wife
- Columbia Street Grinder by The Weekend Gourmet
- Columbia Street Grinder by She likes ruffles, he likes truffles
- Columbia Street Grinder by Momma’s Meals
- Emeril’s Columbia Street Grinder Kicked Up a Notch New Orleans Style by The Catholic Foodie
- Eggplant Muffuletta by Mom’s Test Kitchen
- A Vegetarian Take on Emeril’s Kicked Up Sandwiches Tonkatsu Sandwich by Ninja Baking
- New Orleans Style Garlic BBQ Shrimp by Comfy Cuisine
Sunday Supper NYE Desserts:
- New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce by Magnolia Days
- New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding with 2 Sauces by Juanita’s Cocina
- Angel Cake Sandwiches by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
- Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze by Damn Delicious
Twenty-five of these bloggers will be giving away a cookbook! Yes – That’s 25 chances to win!
Here’s the recipe for Emeril’s Spiced Nuts:
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 cups unsalted mixed nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and almonds
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Mix spices and reserve.
- Heat the nuts in a dry skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to toast, about 4 minutes.
- Add the butter and cook, stirring, until the nuts begin to darken, about 1 minute.
- Add the spices, the sugar, 1 tablespoon of water and the salt and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the nuts are glazed, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the nuts from the heat and transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, separating them with a fork.
- Let the nuts stand until cooked and the sugar has hardened, about 10 minutes.
- Store in an airtight container.
**Disclosure: Mama.Mommy.Mom. received a copy of Emeril’s Potluck in conjunction with this event. Opinions shared above are those of Mama.Mommy.Mom. and have not been influenced by any other form of compensation.**
%20at%20MamaMommyMom.com)
Pingback: New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding With Whiskey Sauce Recipe #SundaySupper
Pingback: Champagne Punch
Pingback: Sunday Supper
Pingback: Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy for #SundaySupper New Year’s Eve Potluck with @Emeril — Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Pingback: Three-Cheese Veggie Sandwich for #SundaySupper « Diabetic Foodie
Pingback: Columbia Street Grinder by Emeril Lagasse for #SundaySupper | She likes ruffles, he likes truffles
Pingback: Sopressata & Genoa Salami Calzones #SundaySupper - The Girl in the Little Red KitchenThe Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
These nuts look fabulous! Thank you for sharing your fabulous recipes with us during 2012. Your support, encouragement and friendship has meant so much to me. Cheers to many more #SundaySupper Events in 2013.
Pingback: New Orleans-Style Bread Pudding (with Whiskey Sauce and Eggnog Sauce) ~ #SundaySupper New Year’s Potluck with Emeril! | Juanita's Cocina
I also feel like I’m in a constant state of movement from Thanksgiving to Christmas. I also have lots of family members with birthdays during that time too. And ditto on the husband that could eat chicken nuggets for the rest of his life and be happy (or maybe stick in the occasional hamburger).
Great idea for a potluck! Most people bring chips or BBQ! Have a wonderful 2013, Jamie!
Pingback: Emeril’s Potluck: Champagne Punch Recipe #SundaySupper | The Daily Dish Recipes
Savory, sweet, and spicy…I love the flavor combination for these nuts! I know I’d have trouble stopping myself from eating the entire batch…
Your snacks look fabulous! Happy new year!
Pingback: 3-Cheese Veggie Sandwich #SundaySupper - Cindy's Recipes and Writings
The cumin-cayenne-cinnamon combination sounds heavenly!
Pingback: Paul’s Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy for a New Year’s Potluck with Emeril #SundaySupper | The Meltaways
I was in so need of some down-time after November and December, too…I’m going very low key this year. But I do think that these nuts would make the perfect addition to our at-home tv watching and game playing
. Happy New Year to you and yours!
Yep I was thinking spiced pecans when I saw this recipe! Perfect my favorite nut.
Beautiful presentation! I agree that these taste amazing!!!
Looks delicious!!! Happy New Year!!
Pingback: Meatballs with Red Gravy | New Year's Potluck Party With Emeril | #SundaySupper | Cravings of a Lunatic
I love the flavor complexity of these spiced nuts! Irresistible! Happy New Year!
When I saw that they stored well for up to 2 weeks I was so excited. Sadly they didn’t last a day in our house so I guess I will have to hid them if I want to make them for a special occasion.
Love the spices in the mix…but I may just love that adorable bowl more! Have a wonderful New Year!
These nuts look yummy!
My favorite recipe from Emeril is his late night pasta.
@HezziD
It’s busy as heck this time of year but I love it – all the hustle, bustle, gatherings, food. No matter how tired I am, I’m happy because it’s Christmas and I get to spend time with friends and family doing what I love best: eating! It’s also nice to slow down and that’s what January is for. I wish I had a giant bowl of these delicious nuts right now! Chase it back with a glass of Emeril’s champagne punch and I’d be in heaven
Happy New Year!
We’re all about a low-key New Year’s Eve, too. I hate battling the crowds. These nuts look perfect. Happy New Year!
Pingback: Columbia Street Grinder for a New Year’s Potluck Party With Emeril | #SundaySupper | The Foodie Army Wife
Yay! Nuts are always easy to set out as an appetizer and these spice them up a notch. Bam! lol Love it.
We tend to be “low key” for New Year’s too. Might stay up and watch the ball drop from the comfort of my pajamas on the sofa….but I’ve never been much of a partier
I love my sleep! LOL
Ballymaloe Irish Stew my hubby loves lamb so a stew would be great! I love cooking. Twitter name @abbeyruby
I’d love to try his late night pasta!
@KierraMcCaffrey
Mmm spiced pecans sound great! Thanks for the chance I really need to spice up my cooking! I’ll be there some Sccc fans @SCCC5 on twitter
Pingback: Kicked Up Sandwiches for NYE w/Emeril and #SundaySupper |
Great looking recipe Jamie! Happy New Year to you and your fam!
I want to try these spiced pecans! And also his Champagne Punch that I’ve seen on the other SundaySupper blogs
@Tiza126
i never thought of spicing the nuts like this ever
Thanks for the SundaySupper chat! @tiza126
I would love to try the New Orleans bread pudding with whiskey sauce!
Thanks for co-hosting #SundaySupper and for the Emeril cookbook giveaway! I am definitely making his Champagne Punch for New Year’s Eve. It has been great fun chatting with you on Twitter throughout the year — Lois (@LoisMarketing)
Pingback: Paul's Make the Whole Crew Happy Sausage Meatballs with Red Gravy for a New Year's Potluck with Emeril #SundaySupper | Blueberries and Blessings