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Normally on Thursdays I would be working on and posting a book review... but I am changing it up a little for the next few weeks.

Did You Know...

Yesterday was exactly two months from Christmas?

So I have decided to turn at least one of my posts a week to making homemade Christmas gift ideas. Each week I will post about what creation I am making to give away to family and friends. I have some great ideas! So stay tuned here and watch for the #christmasgifts tag for ALL the ideas forthcoming.

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Today's Christmas gift idea is homemade Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

Do you remember shopping from Thanksgiving until Christmas and the scent of cinnamon filled your nose? Remember buying a bag of warm roasted cinnamon almonds from the counter?

Well, you can make these at home so much cheaper.

My total cost was about $11 for two-pounds. If you were to buy these freshly made at a store, it could cost you well over $20.

So let's get to it...

Recipe

2-lbs blanched (unsalted) almonds (I found mine at the local Kroger bulk food area)
1 egg white
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

Beat the egg white with the vanilla until creamy and beige in color. Then add almonds to the bowl and coat the almonds completely.

Combine sugars, cinnamon and salt in a sealable bag. Once almonds are coated in egg white and vanilla, put them in the bag and coat the almonds.

Preheat oven to 250-degrees and with almonds layered on large buttered cookie sheet, pop them in the oven.

Every 15 minutes stir them up; so they don't stick to pan. Bake for one hour total.

When you take them out and sample; cause you know you want to, they will seem a little chewy and that's normal. Once cooled down some they will become crunchier.

Once cool, and sampled, put in an airtight container.
You can also buy a dollar store glass container, decorate it and give as a gift.

I still have to decorate mine, but you get the idea here

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