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3½ cups pecan halves

½ cup sugar

¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted

1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Coat a 15 × 10-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the pecans, return to a boil, and continue boiling for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Drain in a colander and run under hot water to rinse well. Shake off the excess water and place the pecans on paper towels to absorb the water; pat dry.

3. Place the pecans in a single layer in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the sugar and mix gently. Drizzle evenly with the butter. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until browned. Cool on a wire rack.

4. Season the cooled pecans with the salt. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator. The pecans will keep for several months.

Spicy Snack Mix

Page Gray, Duncan, Oklahoma

Serves 24

“I created this snack mix because I was tired of making the traditional party mix. I decided to use other items that I liked. The roasting pan works great for this because it will hold a lot. I fix this recipe at Christmas, put it in decorated tins, and give it as gifts. My family and friends love it for snacking, especially while we watch football games.”

½ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

4 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion salt

1 teaspoon Spice Island’s Beau Monde Seasoning, optional

4 cups Crispix

2 cups Bugles

2 cups small corn chips

2 cups mini cheese-flavored crackers

2 cups pizza- or cheese-flavored goldfish crackers

¼ cup grated Parmesan

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F. Melt the butter in the oven in a roasting pan.

2. Remove the pan from the oven and stir in the spices. Add the Crispix, Bugles, corn chips, cheese crackers, and goldfish crackers; mix well to coat with the butter and seasonings.

3. Bake for 15 minutes. Add the Parmesan and stir to coat well. Bake for 30 minutes longer, or until golden brown, stirring after 15 minutes. Cool completely.

4. Store in tightly covered containers. The mix freezes well in containers or zip-top plastic freezer bags.

Buffalo Wings

Diane McCrory, Trinity, Texas

Serves 5 to 6

“At family reunions, buffalo wings make the best appetizer. They go well with steaks, poultry, or fish. They are so easy to make—you may even forget they’re cooking. These hot wings are ATOMIC!”

2 quarts canola or vegetable oil

3½ pounds chicken wings, split at each joint, tips discarded

SAUCE

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

1 cup hot pepper sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot Sauce

2½ teaspoons Tabasco sauce

1½ teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste

DRESSING

2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

¼ cup buttermilk

¼ cup sour cream

¼ cup mayonnaise

1½ teaspoons lemon juice, or to taste

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 bunch celery, trimmed

1. Pour the oil into a Dutch oven and place over medium-high heat until hot, about 400°F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

2. Add half of the wing pieces to the hot oil and cook until dark golden brown, 15 to 25 minutes. Remove to the baking sheet to drain. Repeat with the remaining wings. Cool.

3. To prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the hot sauce, Tabasco, and cayenne. Cook for 2 minutes, or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and keep the sauce warm until serving time.

4. To prepare the dressing, combine the blue cheese, buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Stir until well blended.

5. Place half of the wings in a gallon-size zip-top plastic bag. Pour half of the sauce over the wings and seal tightly. Turn the bag to coat the wings completely with the sauce. Repeat with the remaining wings.

6. Remove the wings from the bag, and place on a serving platter. Serve immediately with the dressing and