Cajun Spiced Pecans

The first appetizer I served with my recent New Orleans dinner was Cajun Spiced Pecans. This dish is very easy to make and was very popular. There were no leftovers. The cayenne pepper gives it a little bit of a kick. It should serve about 8 people.

I found the recipe at: http://myluscioustemple.com/2010/07/25/cajun-spiced-pecans. The recipe is reportedly from Susan Spicer's Bayona restaurant in New Orleans (http://www.bayona.com/#)

Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon & 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Melt the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Add the pecans and sprinkle the remaining ingredients over the pecans. Stir everything together and make sure to coat them evenly with the butter and spices. Pour the coated pecans onto a baking sheet or jelly roll pan covered with foil or parchment paper. (I used parchment paper.) Spread the pecans out in a single layer.

Bake for 10 minutes, until lightly toasted. (I found that 10 minutes was not long enough in our oven. I added another two minutes, and they turned out just right.)

Cool completely. Remove from the baking sheet with a metal spoon.

Serve immediately or store in an airtight container for a few days (or in the freezer for a few weeks.)