Engaging stories of love, joy, comfort and friendship with proven scrumptious, healthy recipes, we celebrate LOVE as the secret ingredient for wonderful food!

Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts

April 27, 2021 by Mary 8 Comments

These Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts are super simple to make and super delicious, particularly with a cocktail or glass of wine at the end of the day. Not too sweet, not too spicy, they hit the right spot!

And now that FINALLY my kitchen is finished (yay, yay, yay!) and slowly we are all getting vaccinated, we can start getting together again and enjoying that cocktail with friends and family.

I do enjoy nuts at any time of the day. I carry some with me at all times in my purse, so that if I get that low blood sugar feeling, that hangry feeling (that’s hungry and angry) and need something to eat while on the go, I am set.

Recently, I had listened to a synopsis of a book and learned that if you ate only six cashews a day, that would provide your cells with extra cilia (hairs) to be able to ward off infection better. So I have been doing just that. Eating six (well maybe seven or eight, but no more) cashews a day. Count them out ahead of time and then close the container and put it away.

My Nutty Story…

Some years ago, way before Mary’s Secret Ingredients, way back when we lived in Summit, NJ, after much trial and error, I had created three roasted nut recipes and had even designed the packaging for them using a terrific illustration of me on the front, calling them “MARY’s NUTS – as in Mary is nuts and these were her nuts! I had Sweet Walnuts (great for salads), Spicy Almonds, and Sweet and Spicy Pecans.

However, after perfecting the recipes, I never had the time to take them to market. But I still have those recipes and I should dig them up for you!

This Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts recipe makes a lot – 6 cups of nuts – but believe me, you will find them gone within the 3 week time period that they stay fresh. And also, they are lovely to share, a well appreciated gift. Put them in a clear glass Mason jar, adorned with a pretty bow on top and you will be invited back for sure.

So make this perfect and different accompaniment now. Make with LOVE and enjoy!

SPICY MAPLE GLAZED NUTS – makes 6 cups

1/4 c maple syrup
2 Tbs. EVOO
2 Tbs. minced fresh rosemary
3/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. Dulce pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish Paprika)
1 tsp. French Grey salt, finely ground
6 cups unsalted mixed raw nuts (11/2 cups each of pecans, walnuts,
whole blanched almonds, whole cashews)

The Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Stir together everything but the nuts in a large bowl. Add all the nuts and stir well to completely coat each nut with the glaze. Turn out onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading out all the nuts and scraping the bowl, using all the glaze.

Roast in the oven, stirring and flipping the nuts over after 10 minutes. Roast for 9 – 10 minutes more, being careful not to let the pecans burn.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet so they will crisp up.

When completely cooled, store in an airtight container. A tin lined with wax paper works well or a mason jar with a tight fitting lid. Properly stored nuts will keep for 3 weeks.

Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts are not too sweet, not too spicy, in a wax paper lined tin. — These Spicy Maple Glazed Nuts keep well in a wax paper lined tin.

Almond Joy After-Dinner Drink with Catskill Provisions NY Honey Whiskey Truffles

April 13, 2017 by Mary 6 Comments

Ok, so you try to think of something spectacular to serve for dessert, particularly when guests are over, when all you really want is a small super special chocolate thingy, right? Well if you had that “thingy” then how about a terrific, simple after-dinner cocktail to serve with it?

It would work even better than a dessert, right?

So we have it here for you in the MARY’s secret ingredients recent spring box! These artisanal, handmade NY Honey Whiskey Truffles from Catskill Provisions will have you hurrying back to their website for more, I guarantee.

I absolutely adore chocolate truffles and have eaten them from all over the world, but I’m telling you, THESE are THE BEST!!! And I do not say that lightly.

Just look at this cut one where the interior ganache swirls up on just the cut!

And the flavor, with the whiskey and honey, is to die for. Catskill Provisions uses their own honey and their own honey whiskey to make these precious gems. There are only four in this beautifully packaged box. (I told you, you’ll want more.)

100% New York State raw honey is the common ingredient in their all-natural food products, from chocolate truffles and sauces to mixes and marinades to rubs and cocktail rimmers and, of course, their highly acclaimed whiskeys & spirits.

It began with one beekeeping kit—a gift that sparked a passion. Claire Marin, proprietor of Catskill Provisions, was immediately taken with the bees’ Zen-like devotion to their pursuits. She was impressed with how they worked together towards a common goal, in easy harmony with their environment.

Born in Madrid and raised in New York City from the age of fourteen on, Claire had already attained success in the publishing world as Vice President, Publisher of Woman’s Day Brand Group. But after moving to the small, rural town of Long Eddy in the Catskill Mountains, she found herself more and more moved by the bees. Following their example, she began building her own community-oriented business with resources close at hand—the hives, maple trees, and local farmers of Upstate New York.

And so in thinking about my job here, to use these in a different way — I couldn’t use them in a recipe, they are way too special on their own. So I created this delicious drink recipe to go with them! An all around PERFECT dessert in my book!

Make with LOVE and enjoy!!!

ALMOND JOY AFTER-DINNER DRINK WITH CATSKILL PROVISIONS NY HONEY WHISKEY TRUFFLES – serves 1

1 bar spoon (1 tsp.) of very hot tap water
1 bar spoon of honey, preferably Catskill Provisions
Stir to combine in a cocktail shaker

When the honey is dissolved, fill the shaker with ice

Add 1.5 oz. Rye whiskey
and 0.5 oz. Disaronno Italian Liquor or other amaretto liquor

Stir for 30 seconds – do NOT shake

Strain into your favorite straight-up glass (I used our Baccarat Perfection Martini glasses)

Enjoy thoroughly with Catskill Provisions NY Honey Whiskey Truffles.

Go to sleep dreaming the sweetest dreams….

Stash MerryMint Organic Green Tea Holiday Cocktail

December 27, 2016 by Mary 4 Comments

I love green tea. It’s a super brain food. Not that I need to be any smarter, mind you, just saying… 🙂

Here’s some interesting info: Green tea contains the amino acid L-theanine, which is able to cross the blood-brain barrier. L-theanine increases the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, which has anti-anxiety effects. It also increases dopamine and the production of alpha waves in the brain.

Well goodbye anxiety, bring on the dopamine and alpha waves and make me happy. I’m in!

This Stash MerryMint Organic Green Tea is so fresh and potent, I LOVE it! The two types of mint – peppermint and spearmint, combined with ginger root, lemongrass and wintergreen oil make this tea so minty flavorful – you will love it! This is the fifth item in our MARY’s secret ingredients 2016 winter subscription box.

Of course you can enjoy it plain or with just a little bit of honey, but I opted to make this truly American Holiday minty and lemony cocktail. This tea in an alcoholic drink is merriment for the season!!

Brew the tea ahead of time, combine with the honey and then let it cool. I guarantee this will be your favorite drink this season. It’s not too strong, yet lovely in a straight up glass. This is what is in fashion now – interesting drinks that are not too alcoholic.

Here’s to the season and an AWESOME new year!!! xoxo, Mary

STASH MERRYMINT ORGANIC GREEN TEA HOLIDAY COCKTAIL – makes 1 drink

1 Stash Tea MerryMint Organic Green Tea tea bag
4 oz. boiling water
½ Tbs. honey
1 oz. American whiskey or bourbon
½ oz. Cynar
Lemon peel twist

Brew the tea bag in the water for 3 minutes. Remove bag and stir in the honey to dissolve. Let the tea cool completely.

Pour over ice in a shaker, the whiskey or bourbon, Cynar, and honeyed tea. Shake to combine. Pour in a straight up cocktail glass or old-fashioned champagne glass. Peel a lemon twist over the glass and drop in.

Sip and enjoy!!!