Nuts

Ever since I saw this post over at Meredith's the other day, I've been thinking about making some jars of spiced nuts for gifts (or to beef up another gift). My grandma always makes sugared pecans at Christmas and they are so good. But she also has a yard full of pecan trees. Nuts are not especially cheap - especially the yummy ones like pecans and cashews and macadamias! Since I didn't go down to Grandma's to pick up pecans from the yard this fall (but somebody remind me to next year - I can put Levi and Brenna to work!), I thought I was going to have to table the idea for this year. But yesterday when we headed out to buy groceries I got brave enough to venture in Big Lots first (it takes a lot of gumption to take four kids on more than one errand in a day!). Big Lots had nuts everywhere! I bought several 9 oz cans of Cashew Lovers Mix (cashews, almonds and macadamias) for $3 each. Then Kroger had roasted peanuts on sale 12 oz cans for $1. If I mix the two, two cans of the mix to every 1 can of peanuts (much better than the standard can of mixed nuts which advertises that it's no more than 50% peanuts), that comes out to six 10 oz jars for $1.40 each. Unless my math is fuzzy. Or I can't find the canning jars that I know I stored somewhere. Or I eat too many of them while I'm cooking them (you know, to make sure they're good).
By the way, pictures are coming of the laundry room in all it's new glory. I didn't get everything done that I wanted to (yet!) but it looks so much better!