Spiced Nuts

I gave these out as holiday gifts this year in small mason jars and they were quite a hit.  I just eat them out of the jar, but one friend also said they are great chopped up on salads!

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

4 C unsalted mixed nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Mix spices and reserve.

Heat nuts in a dry skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to toast - about 4 minutes.  Add butter and cook, stirring until the nuts begin to darken - about 1 minute.  Add the spices, sugar, 1 tablespoon of water, and salt and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the nuts are glazed, about 5 minutes.  Remove the nuts from the heat and transfer to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, separating them with a fork.  Let the nuts stand until cooled and the sugar has hardened - about 10 minutes.  Store in an airtight container.