Cinnamon Almonds

Hey, look!  I still have a food blog.  

Just sitting here on the Internet like a handy recipe book.  I got a comment on one of my posts recently and it got me thinking.  I still cook, people.  And I now have a nicer camera to take mouth-watering snapshots of my food.  Hmmm...  I should post something.  

So here it is: Cinnamon Almonds.

Have you ever tried/become addicted to the snack almonds at Trader Joe's?  Or even better, the ones at the Farmer's Market?  Yum!  Did you know that they are brain-dead simple to make at home?  I didn't, until we decided that we would pass on buying the spendy snack nuts (because I am a very proud new stay at home mommy!) and I felt like we should get the same treat at a better price.

I found the recipe here at One Charming Party.  Take a look!

With three simple ingredients (four if you count water, which apparently I don't) this is a great allergen friendly snack (so long as your friends aren't allergic to almonds, sugar or cinnamon, that is). Combine in a skillet:

1 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon of cinnamon (we like ours more cinnamon-y than the original recipe)

1/4 cup of water

Then add 3 cups of raw almonds and stir over medium heat until the sugar crystalizes.  Then remove from the heat and let them cool on parchment paper (or a Silpat).  Let them cool completely before serving.  (Or at least wait a few seconds so you don't burn your mouth!)

Mine got a little more carmalized than the last batch because I ran into the living room to get my camera and start up my blog again: 

 Easy, peasy game day (or any day) treat.  Go Hawks!

Enjoy!

Homemade Convenience Foods

When I am in the middle of working on a play, as I am now (stage managing Steel Magnolias at Magenta Theater, whoo!) I tend to eat whatever I have on hand that I can grab and go. So I took an evening and made up what I think of as homemade convenience food. I prepared a number of veggie trays with little snack hummus packs that I got at Costco. See:

I made up a bunch of them and then when I was on my way out the door I could just grab and go!

What are some of your favorite grab and go snacks?

Snackie Bento

Bento #27 is comprised of mostly cookies! :0) Fig Newtons, and Thin Mint/Tagalong pretenders. Very tasty. Also, there is a sliced apple, some trail mix, crackers and almonds:

Snack Bento

Bento #23 is a snack for Bryan and I. We will be moving in the set and getting things ready for the show... then we have dry tech, wet tech, and possibly a run-through. All that to say, it is going to be a long day, and we are going to want a few extra calories on hand.

Here's a picture of the bottom layer:


It features my mom-in-law's delicious, homemade sugar cookies (Thanks again, Leslie!) surrounded by Wheatables, Triskets, dried apple "o"s and his and her trail mix.

Here's the finished bento, closed up and ready to go:



To the other snacks I've added two Clif Z Bars and a couple tomatoes.