Cheese and crackers are this month’s #ImprovCookingChallenge theme – and one of my favorite snacks. They’re the main ingredients in this appetizer – but they’re elevated to something perfect for a dinner party.
This savory take on cheesecake features a crust made of crushed crackers and three different kinds of cheeses.
Even though it’s October (and the weather is still feeling like August…), I’m starting to think about Thanksgiving. I know, I know, but I get to host this year and I’m pumped! We’re not sure if we’ll have a big crowd or just the four of us, so I’ve got several menus floating around in my head.
I knew this month’s Improv Challenge theme, Sugar and Spice, was perfect for trying out some of the recipes I’m considering. Sugar and spice is SO fall – apple spice, pumpkin spice – but I couldn’t get these nuts off my mind, so they won out.
This is such an easy recipe – the slow cooker makes it totally hands off. Just mix, let the slow cooker do it’s thing, then spread them out to cool. They were so good – and a perfect pre-Thanksgiving dinner snack!
Candied Spiced Nuts
(adapted from Crunchy, Creamy, Sweet)
Makes 3 1/2 cups
1 1/2 cups almonds
2 cups pecans
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cloves
Grease the crock of a slow cooker and add the nuts. Add the sugars and cinnamon and stir. Add the water and stir until everything is evenly combined and wet.
Cook on high for 3 hours.
Remove nuts to a parchment-lined baking sheet to cool. Sprinkle with remaining seasonings. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container.
You can check out the other Sugar and Spice themed recipes that bloggers made here:
The latest round of the Improv Cooking Challenge was Nuts and Caramel – so perfect as we’re going into the holiday season! I decided on a fun dish that could be either an appetizer or dessert – perfect for a holiday potluck or to make and give to friends and family.
This snack mix is a super easy thing to make, even when you’re pressed for time. I added red and green M&Ms to make it festive for a holiday, but you could switch up the colors for any special occasion!
You can see the other Nuts and Caramel dishes bloggers cooked up here:
Caramel Nut Chex Mix
(from Butter With a Side of Bread)
3/4 cup corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 box corn Chex
2 cups salted mixed nuts
2 cups M&Ms
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
Combine the corn syrup, brown sugar and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 1 minute intervals until the butter is melted. Whisk to combine.
In a roasting pan, combine the Chex and mixed nuts. Pour the sugar mixture over and stir to coat.
Bake for 1 hour, stirring every fifteen minutes. Remove from the oven and stir as it cools – don’t let it just sit, it’ll become one big block! When cool, stir in M&Ms.
Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
I feel like we’ve been grilling up a storm this summer! And on days we can’t grill, I’ve been taking the grilling inside – like these delicious sliders.
These are elegant little bites – fancied up with some arugula, caramelized onions, and garlic aioli.