• Work with Me
  • Culinary Medicine
  • Featured
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Shef's Kitchen

Eating Global. Staying Seasonal. Keeping Healthy.

  • Start Here
  • About
  • Videos
  • Blog
    • Faves
  • Recipes
  • Press
  • Contact

December 31, 2010

Baking in Texas

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Do you really want to do that in July in Texas? I’d much rather save my baking for Fall and Winter and that’s what gets us Texans so excited about the cold!  We get to don our coats and boots and oven mitts. Ok, not in that order.

So in my kitchen, every November and December, the oven is on a lot. Butter is used by the boxes and sugar is measured out in cups.  So far, I’ve baked less than I would have liked. I really have an obsession. Every December around holiday season, I convince myself to go to pastry school.  And then the wintry feeling goes away as quickly as it arrives and I’m back to cooking more than baking.

As a new member to French Fridays with Dorie, I baked one of our December picks, the sweet and spicy nuts. Edible gifts are great to give more than to even receive, and spiced nuts make a great gift.  I wanted to put an Indian spice twist on the recipe and the sidebar of the recipe mentioned cardamom.  I used fresh cardamom as well as an Indian medium chili powder, which I keep in my masala box.  I served the nuts at a cookie exchange I hosted and my guests loved them.  The sharp heat from the chili powder was an unexpected afterthought to the sweet crunch of the nuts.

I’ve tried the ginger-spiced nuts from the Martha Stewart Hors d’Oeuvres cookbook and I absolutely love them. Now I’m inspired to combine the two recipes or create a masala chai-spiced nut mix.  Perfect for the holidays!

Related Posts

  • French Fridays with Dorie: Paris Mushroom SoupFrench Fridays with Dorie: Paris Mushroom Soup
  • Matcha Green Tea Panna CottaMatcha Green Tea Panna Cotta
  • Celebrating Two Cultures in October with a Sweet ToothCelebrating Two Cultures in October with a Sweet Tooth
  • Red, White, and Blue PannacottaRed, White, and Blue Pannacotta
  • Semolina Halva (Rava Sheero)Semolina Halva (Rava Sheero)
  • Apple Pie “Gujiya”: An American Diwali TreatApple Pie “Gujiya”: An American Diwali Treat
  • Mom’s Magic BarsMom’s Magic Bars
  • Easy Chai-Spiced Biscoff Icebox CakeEasy Chai-Spiced Biscoff Icebox Cake
Yum
«
»

Leave a Comment

Love This? Get More!

Subscribe to hear more about great posts just like this one. Plus, you'll get my free ebooklet, Five Nutrient-Dense Recipes to Maximize Your Phytonutrient Intake!

Support Shef’s Kitchen

Want to support this food adventure with Shef? By simply using the Amazon affiliate box below, we'll receive a small commission from your purchases. You won't pay higher prices or anything! It's the easiest way to support us without doing or paying anything different than usual.


Comments

  1. Teresa says

    January 3, 2011 at 2:14 am

    Welcome to the group! I love the spiced nut recipe. I’ve made it three times now and have tried new nut/spice combinations each time.

    Reply
    • shefskitchen says

      January 3, 2011 at 6:58 am

      Thank you Teresa! It took me a while to get started. I’m looking forward to seeing January’s selections!

      Reply
  2. Amee says

    January 1, 2011 at 12:27 am

    Go to pastry school!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *






You've heard that food is medicine, but food is LIFE! I want you to enjoy both. I'm Shef, a culinary educator, and this website showcases the diversity of ingredients worldwide, using them in interesting recipes, and making them approachable without sacrificing flavor.

Food doesn't have to be boring and flavorless to be good for you. Getting familiar with spices not only heals you, but it adds happiness to your plate. I strive for a happy healthy plate with nutrient-dense well-balanced meals and an occasional dose of sweet!more please


Have a Question?
Ask Shef!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Culinary Medicine

Group Classes and Parties

Kitchen Coaching

Personal Classes

Get connected

Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on all our latest posts, updates, and shares! Plus, get my free ebooklet, Five Nutrient-Dense Recipes to Maximize Your Phytonutrient Intake!

My latest video is a glimpse into the Shef's Kitchen lifestyle, and a what I teach.

DESCRIPTIVE-TEXT-OF-YOUR-LINK

Check out The Only Ten Tex-Mex Recipes You'll Ever Need

by Shef at Mode

Click above to get your copy, for free!

More Information

Welcome to a new world of food! I'm Shef and this site showcases the diversity of ingredients worldwide, making them approachable, and using them in familiar recipes.


I aim to do this using seasonal produce and sustainably-raised animal sources to accommodate our family's varied diets. But most importantly, I strive for nutrient-dense well-balanced meals (with room for sugar) so I can be a centenarian one day! more please

Contact

  • Shef's Kitchen, Inc.
  • Kitchen Instructor
  • Austin, Texas United States
  • shef@shefskitchen.com

Get connected

Subscribe to our kitchen newsletter to get blog posts updates! Plus, get my free ebooklet, Five Nutrient-Dense Recipes to Maximize Your Phytonutrient Intake!

Find Your Way Around

  • About
    • Meal Sharing
    • Austin Indian Grocers
  • Featured
    • Videos
  • Work With Me
    • Culinary Medicine
    • Group Classes and Parties
    • Kitchen Coaching
    • Personal Classes
  • Contact

Copyright© 2010–2021