Spiced Cocktail Nuts

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I made these nuts for a road trip that my husband was taking for work and took the rest to work with me. Everyone raved about how good they were and I agree. The flavor is exceptional. If it sounds like a lot of ingredients or spices, don't worry....it's worth it!! A coworker that lived in India for a few years says that it takes him back there! Way to go Giada!!! I personally think that she is a great cook and has many unique dishes, which is why most people watch the Food Network to begin with. They don't want to learn how to open a jar of spaghetti sauce and call that supper! So if you don't want to buy these spices--DON'T!! It's pretty simple. I had all of these spices in my home (that I rent and I am far from wealthy! So get over it!!

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These cocktail nuts came out beautifully! I didn't change any of the ingredients at all, however I did not use the entire amount of mixed spices (probably only 2/3 of the bowl. The spicing was perfect...not too sweet, and just enough savory. Instead of spraying the pan with vegetable spray, I used a silpat mat and it worked well.

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Great recipe, I added a bit of Smoked Paprika to the mix, all the spices can be found at an Indian spice shop for much less than at the usual grocery store.

With regards to comments about expensive ingeredients, and Rich lifestyles, I do agree that it is entertainment, and with respect to the ingredients good cooking requires good ingredients.

Compared to an inexpensive night out, home cooking is still a bargain.

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I think some people are taking this review a little to serious and need to just enjoy her show and if you don't stop watching it.... and yes we are going through some hard times right now but that does not mean we can't watch shows about GOOD food that might be a little expensive. Just enjoy the show about yummy looking food and if you can't afford don't make it... it's that simple.
I love her show and I will continue to watch it... she is herself you can tell how much she enjoys cooking... this is not acting this is a person that truly loves what she does for a living.

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This is a fast, easy, and tasty recipe that has party flair. And it has my favorite recipe attribute - very little "active" time.
Re: other comments. While all of the Food Network shows do tend to get overly dramatic in the smelling and tasting aspect of the shows - it is all part of the experience. It's entertainment. I personally enjoy Giada's enthusiasm and her growly "Ummmm" always makes me smile. I enjoy watching Giada at Home in particular because of the gorgeous California lifestyle. It is a fun form of escapism for me - if I wanted to look at a small kitchen with no view I would just go to my own kitchen. :
And sure many of the ingredients are expensive, but they all seems very true to Giada's culinary perspective - lemons, prosciutto, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, marscapone, artichoke hearts, fresh herbs, and even Nutella seem to be staples for her culinary palette.

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I agree totally with Holly and Vicki's comments. With all the over-the-top "oohs" and "aahs" Giada emitted while sniffing every spice before she added them, I was waiting for her to snort the cayenne pepper as well! Ha ha. Like Holly, I have also made many of Giada's recipes over the years, and they're hit or miss, but she does have many good ones. All the recipes on this particular episode are decent enough, including this one, but this show is very difficult to watch. And it seems insensitive, to say the least, for the Food Network to premiere a new show, during these hard times, profiling extremely wealthy people entertaining with very expensive ingredients (on this episode alone: cashews, mascarpone, dates, prosciutto, and limoncello, all of which would break the bank. What happened to budget-conscious shows like Dave Lieberman's? From what I can tell, the only new "money-saving" show Food Network has planned is another wretched production from Sandra Lee, showing you how to make hideous stuff out of seasoning packets and artificial extracts (which doesn't really save you money anyway. Don't we deserve a show with helpful advice on cooking with healthy ingredients on a budget? Please get with the times, Food Network.

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Giada: Love your show but PLEASE stop being so dramatic!

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These nuts are really good! I just wish Giada would quit acting like she were trying to win an Oscar. She used to be one of the most natural and easy to watch chefs on Food Network but she is getting a bit carried away since the premiere of her new show. Some of her recipes throughout the years are way off but most of them are really good and authentic Italian just like my Noni used to make. Just be yourself Giada-thats what won us over in the first place.

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The seasonings for this spiced nut recipe is excellent. After they cooled, we found the nuts weren't crispy enough for our taste. I put them into my toaster oven for 6-7 minutes on 375-degrees (watching them closely to prevent burning. That made all the difference. Delicious and very crispy! Thanks, Giada, for a great appetizer.

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This is a great recipe. I was hesitant at first because I dont use these Indian spices often but still gave it a try. So fragrant! I made two slight changes though. I just used a couple cans of mixed nuts instead of just looking for walnuts, cashews, and almonds. I also made the mistake of adding 2 1/2 tablespoons of garlic salt instead of teaspoons of garlic salt. They came out great still, I love garlic salt anyway. Cardamom was the most expensive spice at the store of course, so a little tip for those of you who know you wont use a whole bottle, find the fresh ground bagged spices by the produce section in your store. You can find a bag for around $3, and not have to worry about not using up a big bottle of the expensive spice. I will definitely be making these again.