Sweet and Spicy Pecans

We bought some seasoned pecans at a specialty shop in Gruene, Texas, last year and really enjoyed them. I've been trying to duplicate the recipe ever since. This recipe is a little different that the type we purchased, as they didn't have an egg white coating, but this looked interesting so we thought we'd give it a chance.

Preheat oven to 300°F and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray

Combine:
1/3 c. sugar
1 t. salt
1-1/2 t. chili powder
3/4 t. cinnamon
pinch cayenne

1 egg white

2 cups pecan halves

Mix sugar and spices together. Beat the egg white until frothy. Toss the pecans into the egg white and stir. Sprinkle with the spice mixture, stir to coat, then the lift the pecans out of the bowl one by one and spread on the prepared baking sheet, separating them as much as possible. Discard any leftover sugar-egg mixture.
You can use as little as a heaping tablespoon of the spice mixture, or all of it, depending on how flavorful you want the final product to be. A heaping tablespoon gives a nice lightly seasoned product enjoyed even by folks who don't like spicy foods.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to another baking sheet. Break pecans apart as necessary. When completely cool store covered in a dry place. Should keep for at least a week.

Pozolli - Posoli - soup

Pronounced poh-soh-leh. . . no matter how you spell it this is a nourishing dish that has been a tradition in the soutwestern parts of the US for centuries. Each area from Mexico to Utah has its own variation. Pozolle has become a traditional Christmas Eve dish in New Mexico.

This is the recipe we've been using when we make it for Christmas Eve. It's from the Pueblo Indian Cookbook, by Phyllis Hughes, with a few alterations to the spices to suit our own taste, and though Hughes' recipe begins with making the hominy from scratch, we substituted the canned variety.

1/2 lb. pork meat
1 T. chili powder
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. Italian seasoning
1/2 t. garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, diced
2 t. salt (or to taste)
2 t. Mexican oregano (You can use the Italian type if you can't find Mexican. Look for it in the Mexican foods section, in little cellophane packets.)
1 small can diced green chilies 
Chop the pork into bite size pieces, brown in a little olive oil, then put in a stock pot with just enough water or broth to cover. Simmer seasonings and meat until the meat is very well cooked, at least four hours. Simmering all day is best if you have the time. If you like lots of chili flavor and heat, drop one or more dried chilies into the liquid to simmer with the meat. Remove the pulp when the meat has finished cooking.
Add:
29 oz. can hominy [If you like a thicker soup put 1/4 of the hominy through the blender and add it to the soup, or put half of it in the stock pot and continue to simmer until it's soft, then add the remaining hominy.]
1 can water (use chicken broth for richer flavor)

A variety of toppings

1 medium onion, chopped (save half for the garnish- I like the looks of red onion)
The diced green chilies can also be added at this point if desired.
Simmer covered for an additional 30 minutes. Serves 4

Serve in wide soup bowls with a variety of fresh garnishes

Garnishes:
finely shredded cabbage or lettuce, chopped red onion,
chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, sliced radishes, grated cheese, tortilla chips

If you try this recipe and like it, or have suggestions for alterations, please leave a comment!