The One with Howard!! And Party Nuts
Welcome to Friends with Food Episode #24, the season finale! Listen here. Our guest this week is none other than Kim “Howard” Johnson! Howard is a beloved figure in comedy writing and improv. Take his comedy writing classes at thecomedylab.net and become at least as funny as us! Among millions of other accolades, Howard has worked with Monty Python for decades. Here he is with John Cleese!
Party Nuts!
Howard doesn’t eat anything green, his wife is vegan, and this episode involves a minibar in Vegas. Is this a riddle?? Well, the solution is party nuts!!! Enjoy!
party nuts
makes 2 cups of nuts. double for a bigger party.
2 cups raw nuts (half cup each raw almonds, pecans, peanuts, and pepitas, or any combination that you like)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp soy sauce
flakey salt (optional)
special equipment: parchment paper
Preheat the oven to 325F. Position the rack in the center of the oven. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place your nuts on the lined pan and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the spices, oil, syrup, vanilla, and soy sauce. Pour the sauce over the nuts and mix thoroughly until everything is well-coated. You can use a spoon for this, but your hands work the best! Spread the nuts so they are in a single layer.
Put the pan in the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan and mix everything thoroughly. Return to oven and set a timer for 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven and mix again. When the nuts are done the liquid will be evaporated and the nuts will be browned but not burned. If the nuts need more time, return to the oven to 3-5 minutes. Do not go far, as they can go from perfect to burned quickly! Stir again, and if the nuts need more time return them to the oven for a few minutes at a time, keeping a close eye on it. When the nuts are beautifully browned and the pan is dry, remove pan and set on a rack to cool. Stir the nuts one more time and sprinkle with flakey salt, if desired. The nuts will still be a little sticky, but this will lessen as they cool. When the nuts are completely cool, break up and clumps and transfer to a sealed container. Serve at parties with your favorite drinks, and keep any leftovers in a sealed container at room temperature.
Howard’s tip: finish nuts with a healthy dose of cinnamon and sugar!
