Roasted Honey Rosemary Pecans (with a touch of garlic!)

Pecans, they're just nuts right??  Well... coat them with a little butter infused with garlic, honey and rosemary and you now have something other worldly.  Who knew just a couple of ingredients could create eye-popping flavor in less than 30 minutes?

I can tell you who... Lisa of Authentic Suburban Gourmet knew, and I can't even begin to explain my excitement when I received her blog as my assignment for the December Blogger C.L.U.E Event.

Lisa (Authentic Suburban Gourmet) with her husband Charles

The Blogger C.L.U.E (Cook, Learn, Undertake, Eat) Society works similar to other blog events where one blogger is secretly assigned another, with C.L.U.E featuring a monthly theme.  We search the blogger's blog, find a recipe, tweak it ever so slightly to our tastes and diets, and then reveal all on the same day.

My Grandmother, Verle

This month's theme brought me a little reflection.  Assigned to "find something your grandmother would have made" left me a little stumped.  My mom's mom passed away before I was born, hence I never met her.

I've heard stories, and she sounds like a super fun lady - someone whom I would love to have known.  My dad's mom, on the other hand, lived to the age of 93, and while I did know her, the distance of our homes (me in California, she in Minnesota) left us with little opportunity to really be a big part of each other's lives.

Pairing the grandmother with Lisa I really could have gone either way.  The grandmother I knew, German-born Adella, loved to bake and I have wonderful memories sitting in her kitchen on the farm with big plates of homemade Peanut Butter Cookies.  Lisa has a number of fabulous baked goods on her blog, and I could have easily gone this way.  But my other grandmother, Verle, loved a good cocktail party.  Which in the end led me to my choice.

I've "known" Lisa for years, and her Friday Night Bites feature often leaves me tempted to hop a plane and join the fun.  Residing in the San Francisco Bay Area (my home for nearly 30 years), and with two irresistibly adorable puppies (Marty and Stewart, they are Havanese), Lisa and I have a lot in common.  A love of these Roasted Honey Rosemary Pecans are just one more thing.

Thanks Lisa for a wonderful recipe.  I'm so happy you were my assigned blog, and... I finally got participate in a Friday Night Bite, even though it was only virtually.  Someday, I'm going to make it for real.

Join me with a visit to the rest of the Blogger C.L.U.E. Society!

• Lemon Mascarpone Layer Cake from Liz at That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Beef Barley Soup from Kate at Kate's Kitchen 
• Scrambled Egg Sandwich from Christiane at Taking on Magazines
• Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix from Debra at Eliot's Eats
• Ginger Snap Cookies from Lisa at Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Scalloped Potato Cottage Pie from Ramona at Curry and Comfort
• Lemon Chicken Thighs from Janet at From Cupcakes to Caviar
• Christy from Culinary Diva
• Persimmon Syrup and Persimmon Smash Cocktail from Alice at A Mama, Baby & Shar-pei in the Kitchen
• Smoky Potato Corn and Poblano Chowder from Azmina at Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Apple Butter and Body Lotion from Kelli at Kelli's Kitchen
• Roasted Honey Rosemary Pecans from Kim at Liv Life
• Susan from Create Amazing Meals
• Best Ever Ginger Snaps from Aly at Cooking in Stilettos
• Brats and Kraut from Lea Ann at Cooking on the Ranch
• Kathy from Bakeaway with Me
• Pumpkin Scones from Anna at Anna Dishes
• Roasted and Stuffed Eggplant from Stacy at Food Lust People Love
• Swedish Dark Rye Bread from Wendy at A Day in the Life On a Farm
• Spelt Dinner Rolls from Jean at Lemons and Anchovies

Roasted Honey Rosemary Pecans
Pecans taken to another level with just a few ingredients.  Lisa's version calls for smoked salt, which wasn't in my pantry.  Hence we subbed chopped garlic and regular salt and found ourselves hopelessly addicted!
Placed in a cute jar with a bow these nuts will make a lovely holiday hostess gift.
Lisa's Recipe
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2 Tbs Butter
2 generous Tbs honey (I used a scant 2 Tbs)
2 small cloves finely chopped garlic (my addition, not in Lisa's recipe)
3 Tbs rosemary (I used 1 1/4 tsp dried rosemary - could use more if desired)
2 cups raw pecans
1/2 to 1 tsp smoked salt (I used about 1/2 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt)

If only you could smell Instagram!

Preheat oven to 300ºF.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter, honey and garlic over medium-low heat.

When the butter is melted, add the rosemary leaves and stir to incorporate.  Turn off the heat.  Let the rosemary and garlic infuse for about 10 minutes.

Next, add the pecans and toss to coat.  Spread the nuts over the parchment paper (or silicone mat) and place the pan in the preheated oven.

Bake 13-15 minutes (ours were closer to 17), or until the pecans are lightly toasted.  Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle salt over the hot pecans.

Allow the pecans to cool and "set" before serving (note... tasting hot nuts out right out of the oven simply because you can't stand waiting because they smell so good may cause burns to occur on your tongue.  I may or may not know this from experience...).

Store pecans in an airtight container.  If you have any leftover.