Spicy, Salty, Sweet, Crunchy Goodness. Spiced Pecans.

Here is another recipe from the Susan Branch book Autumn From the Heart of the Home. These spiced pecans aren't the sweet cinnamon ones you might think of. While there is a hint of sweetness to them they also have a hint of salty and just a slight kick of spicy from the hot pepper sauce. In the book Susan Branch suggests using these on salads and warns that it is very hard to eat just one.  Mine never made it to a salad.

View more photos and the recipe after the jump.

It's a Synthesis of Hyacinths and Biscuits

Autumn: From the Heart of the Home 
by Susan Branch

(September 2004)

ISBN:  978-0316088664

This book is listed as a cookbook but it is so much more. Looking at this book is like sitting down with your best friend and her sharing her journal with you. The entire book is hand lettered and full of lovely watercolor illustrations by the author. There are many tips on decorating, entertaining, and, of course, cooking. All are inspired by the season in the title. There are suggestions for various types of gift baskets such as the Sniffle Basket and the Apple Bowl.
 

My favorite is the Cookie Man. It is a very clever way to give her Ginger Crisp Cookie recipe (p. 106) as a kit. You just measure out the dry ingredients into two resealable bags, then set them aside. Using pinking shears you cut from two layers of heavy brown paper a cookie man shape. Decorate the front. On the back write out the cookie recipe and baking instructions. Sew the front to the back, tucking the dry ingredient pouches in through the head opening before sewing completely closed. Punch a hole in one hand and attach a cookie cutter with ribbon or string. Complete instructions are found on page 21.

The recipe I tried was the Farmhouse Biscuits (p. 60).  They are unusual in that they are made with sour cream. I found the recipe incredibly easy and the biscuits turned out very light and tender. To make things even easier, next time I would just press the dough into a rectangular shape and cut into 12 squares. No hunting for the biscuit cutter and no scraps to press together to re-cut.  

Check out the recipe and pics after the jump.