Better Home Cooking Basics: #6 Keep Nuts in the Freezer

I always have nuts on hand for snacking, baking or pesto making. I store mine in the freezer.  Since nuts have a high fat content, especially when exposed to heat they can go rancid quickly when exposed to light & heat.  Last time I checked, nuts are always pretty spendy so I want to keep mine as long as possible. If you store them correctly, in an air tight container or bag, you can store them for up to a year!  Don't forget to label them so it makes it easier to identify them when you're sorting through frozen mystery packages in your freezer.

Check out more better home cooking basic tips here.

Sweet & Spicy Party Nuts

The great thing about these nuts besides being addictively sweet, spicy & crunchy all at once, is that they are uber easy to whip up, clean up an & keep on hand.  Yep these only require FIVE ingredients.  If you bake them on parchment paper it makes cleanup almost non-existent.  Make large batches & freeze them for later.

During the holidays I jar these nuts as little gifts.  In the summer I chop them up & add them to salads. Most often I serve them in small bowls for a little nosh at cocktail parties.