Nuts have been my "go-to" snack lately. I'm trying to stop eating stuff like chocolate and cookies and cake while still satisfying my snack food cravings, and nuts can actually be very good with you (within reason - watch the amount you eat). Now, if I could just stop eating the chocolate-covered cashews...
Today is National Nut Day. Grab a bag or can of your favorites, whether its cashews, pistachios, walnuts, or peanuts (which, as you may know, aren't a nut at all but a legume, in the bean family). Here's an easy recipe for Roasted Almonds, and here's one for Recipe Goldmine has a ton of nut recipes, including Cajun Cocktail Nuts, Glazed Pecans, Chili Walnuts, and Citrus Nuts.
First of all, shame on you for what you're thinking. Second, shame on you for what you're thinking.
Today is National Grab Some Nuts Day. I have no idea how this differs from National Nut Day (I'm sure such a day exists), except for the grabbing aspect. Don't lift or scoop, you have to grab.
My favorite nuts are cashews and pistachios, and I've been meaning to pick a can or two up (even if I do think of nuts as a fall and winter snack, don't ask me why). Here are some recipes you can make with nuts: Sugar and Spice Nuts, Rosemary Toasted Nuts, and a bunch of recipes from GroupRecipes.com, including salads, side dishes, and desserts.
We think of many foods as being nuts, but what are they really? Nuts are seeds, but not all seeds are nuts. Specifically a nut is a dry fruit with usually one, but sometimes two or more seeds. These seeds are contained in a hard wall derived from the ovary and remain unattached to the wall. Seeds can be removed from the fruit, but nuts are compound ovaries which are the seed and fruit combined. Not all nuts are edible, some are just too small, and others can be very bitter. Culinarily we label many seeds as nuts when they are not. Peanuts are actually legumes. Cashews are a "false fruit" that forms off the end of the cashew flower. Many "nuts" such as almonds, pistachios, and coconuts are actually drupes. Drupes are when a fleshy outside layer surrounds a hard walled seed, such as a peach. Pine nuts are coniferous seeds. Macadamias are kernels of seeds. Did you know that macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs?
The recommended daily serving size of nuts is about one-ounce, an amount that should contain approximately 160-200 calories, full of protein and other nutrients (vitamin E in almonds, manganese in hazelnuts and iron in cashews, for example). A nutty snack will also fill you up with a good balance of protein, unsaturated fats and carbs. The problem lies in getting that one-ounce size. I know that if I want to eat some nuts, I don't put them on my scale in the kitchen before I pop them into my mouth, although I do worry a bit about how many I've eaten when a big bowl is placed in front of me. An extra serving or two of nuts can add up quickly, especially if you're indulging a bit extra over the holidays. The trick is to learn what a one ounce portion looks like and nutnutrition.com, which is run by Planters, has a great interactive resource to help you do just that. The site lets you see what one-ounce of nuts looks like when scattered and in a 1/4 cup measure. After a couple of visits to the site, you'll be able to sit in front of that big nut bowl and snack with confidence.
Several years ago I encountered a Thai snack food that utterly captivated me. I was perusing the shelves of goodies that lined the counter at Queens' Sripraphai. This was back in the day when this wonderful Thai eatery had yet to undergo a slick renovation and was still a hole in the wall, but in a good way. 
Have you ever stashed a Coke in the freezer, hoping to chill it quickly, then forgotten all about it, only to have it explode all over your frozen peas?
A fraking amazing Battlestar Galactica cake
Iced Tea 101
Pierogies + cheese + onions + kraut = Parmageddon!
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