(can be frozen)
You can adjust the nut mixture to match your taste and your budget.
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups assorted unsalted nuts, such as pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, whole unblanched almonds, macadamia nuts
Heat the oven to 250 degrees with the rack in the center position. Melt the butter and garlic together in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the hot sauce and salt to the butter and cook for 1 minute, stirring gently. Spread the nuts over the bottom of a roasting pan and pour the butter mixture over them. Stir well to coat the nuts, then respread them in a single layer.
Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
Makes 4 cups.
To freeze:
Place cooled nuts in a heavy-duty plastic freezer bag. Freeze up to 2 months. Defrost, covered, and refresh on a baking sheet in a 250-degree oven for 10 minutes.