Recipe: Five-Spice Walnuts (and Homemade Five-Spice Powder)

FIVE-SPICE WALNUTS
Makes 3 cups

3 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tsp five-spice powder*
/2 tsp salt
3 cups broken walnuts

In a medium saucepan melt butter. Stir in five-spice powder and salt. Add broken walnuts, stirring till nuts are evenly coated. Transfer nut mixture to a 13x9x inch baking pan.

Bake in a 300 degree F oven for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Turn out onto paper towels to finish cooling.

Store tightly covered.

*HOMEMADE 5-SPICE POWDER
Makes about 1 tablespoon

"Although you can find five-spice powder in the Oriental section of your grocery store, check your spice rack first. If you have all the spices on hand you can make your own and save yourself a trip to the store."

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon crushed aniseed or 1 star anise, ground
1/4 teaspoon crushed fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (or 1/4 teaspoon Szechuan pepper)
and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Combine spices together and store in an airtight container.

Adapted from source: Better Homes and Gardens Super Snacks