FESTIVE PEPPERED PECANS

Festive Peppered Pecans

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup pecans or walnut halves

Have ready a large baking sheet. In a small bowl combine sugar, salt and black and red peppers. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; add pecans; cook and stir until hot, about 1 minute.

Reduce heat to medium; sprinkle pecans with half of the reserved sugar and pepper mixture; cook and stir until sugar melts, about 30 seconds. Add remaining sugar and pepper mixture; cook and stir until sugar melts and coats nuts, about 40 seconds. Place nuts on baking sheet; cool slightly and separate.

Store in a tightly covered container.

Yields 1 heaping cup.