Sage and Ginger Mixed Nuts

Pecans, almonds, peanuts, cashews - I love them all. A nut mix is a great thing to serve with drinks before dinner, or, if you must, instead of dinner. Any combination of nuts and seeds can be used, here I've used almonds, pecans, peanuts and pumpkin seeds. Faintly sweet, gently spicy, and fragrant with sage and ginger. Mmmm.

Sage and Ginger Mixed Nuts

2 1/2 cup nuts (can be all of one kind or a mixture to your liking)
1 egg white
1 Tablespoon water
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
dash or two of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Mix the egg white and water lightly with a fork. Add the nuts and stir to cover. Combine the brown sugar, sage, ginger, pepper and salt and then add it to the nuts, stirring well to coat. Spread on a parchment lined large baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until the nuts are golden brown and the sugar has lightly caramelized. Be careful towards the end as it takes no time at all for the nuts to go from golden brown to burnt. 

Cool, break apart and store in a covered container. Can be frozen. 

Green Beans with Sage and Bacon

My garden is bursting with green beans these days. I'm freezing a lot of them for soups and stews in the winter, and we're looking for new ways to eat them fresh, too. Bacon is always good with green beans, and I wondered about trying sage with them, since my sage bush is enormous. I think they marry well - the brightness of crisp tender beans plus salty bacon plus earthy sage - with a little onion added in. 

Green Beans with Sage and Bacon

Green beans, tailed and tipped - about 3 cups
4 slices bacon
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced (about 1/4 cup or less)
1 Tablespoon minced fresh sage
salt and pepper to taste

Place the beans in a saucepan and cover with a little water. Salt and bring to a boil, covered. Simmer until barely tender and still bright green. The younger the beans, the less time it will take. 
Meanwhile, cook the bacon slices until crisp. Remove from the pan and let drain on paper towel.
In a small skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onions. Saute until softened. Add the sage and saute for a few minutes until the mixture is fragrant. 
Combine all ingredients and season to taste.