CHIPOTLE NUTS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• In a dry skillet or comal over medium heat, toast the chipotle chile pod for 3-4 minutes on each side. A toasted chile will turn a slightly darker shade of brown and be crazy (good) fragrant. Remove and allow to cool. Once the chile is cool enough to handle, cut off and discard the top and slice town the body of the chile. Tear out the seed column and remove all loose seeds. Tear the remaining chile skin into smaller pieces and grind to a fine powder in a spice mill.
• Meanwhile, place the nuts in a large bowl and top with the olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin, ground mustard and chipotle powder. Toss well (I used clean hands) until the nuts are evenly coated, and pour onto a large, rimmed baking sheet. I opted to line my baking sheet with parchment paper just to make clean up a little easier, but parchment is not required.
• Bake nuts for 10-15 minutes. Finished nuts will be golden and crazy (good) fragrant. Remove, cool and serve or package.

Steps:

• Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium-size nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in butter. Add nuts, and gently stir to coat. Spoon coated nuts in a single layer onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Bake at 250° for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread nuts on wax paper or parchment paper to cool, breaking apart large clumps as nuts cool.
• Melt semisweet chocolate morsels and shortening in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Toss cooled nuts in semisweet chocolate until well coated. Return nuts to wax paper, and let harden. Drizzle white chocolate over nuts (do not toss). Let harden.
• Tip: Speed up the chocolate hardening process by popping the jelly-roll pan into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes.