We had our first big snowfall in the country this weekend. Well, not in the country, as in the United States of America. I mean the country, as in the area where our house is upstate. I figure you all probably knew what I was talking about, but the writer in me felt compelled to make it very clear. I have readers around the globe (it boggles my mind, really), and I didn’t want anyone to confuse my country with the country.

See how easy it is to get caught up on the little details? Something as simple as me coming here to share an easy recipe for a quick last-minute homemade gift has me pondering the clarity of my own words. Perhaps the simple things are the tasks that truly push us to look closer at the finer details of life. I’ve been contemplating this a lot lately.

Or maybe I’m just a nut. Get it? A nut? And the recipe is for candied pecans?

Clearly, I’m just here to entertain myself now. I’ve lost you all, no doubt.

For those who have patiently stay tuned, this recipe is a variation on the one in Homemade with Love. I nixed the cocoa because I wasn’t in a chocolate mood when I made them. While I was at it, adios went the paprika, too. I reached for the bottle of soy sauce on the counter, and added a generous splash into the bowl of egg white and water before whisking them up. The soy sauce brings the flavors together, but isn’t distinctive on its own. It acts as the bow on the present, so to speak.

If like me, you find yourself falling behind with Christmas just eight days away, this candied nuts recipe is a really quick and easy gift to make. I packed mine in festive tins I found at Michael’s, a craft supply store upstate. They look super pretty in clear mason jars, too. Hope you’re all having a great December. The days seem to be passing faster than I can keep up.

This recipe is now part of my new site, Simmering. It can be found by searching the archives here.