Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

In honor of the CVS sale on almonds here's the recipe for cinnamon roasted almonds. I make this recipe for my dad all the time. He loves it, and it makes my apartment smell like Downtown Crossing (um...yeah, well sometimes it actually smells good down there when you catch a whiff of the cinnamon nuts!).

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds
makes about 3 1/2 cups

• 1 egg white ($.29 - organic)
  
• 1 t cold water ($.00)
  
• 1 t vanilla ($.17)
  
• 2 1/2 c whole almonds (plain, not salted!) ($3.56)
  
• 3/4 c white sugar ($.23)
  
• 1/2 t salt (<$.01)
• 1 t ground cinnamon ($.06)

Total: $4.32...this makes enough for 2 gift sized jars ($2.16 each)

1. Preheat the oven to 250.
2. With a mixer, mix up egg white until it's a bit foamy and then add 1 t. of water and 1 t. vanilla. Split this mixture in half (I know, there's like, nothing there...but split it in half anyways, please!)
3. Combine sugar, salt, and cinnamon and split that in half, too.
4. Toss nuts in one half of the egg mixture.
5. Toss nuts in one half of the sugar mixture.
6. Arrange on baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone liner (nothing sticks to this baby) in one single layer, spreading nuts out so they all have some room around them. If they're too close together, they won't get nice and crunchy!
   
7. Bake for one hour, mixing them around half way through.
8. Take them out after an hour and let them cool (if you don't let them cool they will cook the egg whites during their second coating).
9. Coat them in reserved egg white wash.
10. Coat them in reserved sugar mix.
11. Bake again for one hour, mixing half way through, being careful not to burn them (you will smell it, so just keep an eye out for them, and taste them halfway through - they're amazing).

scrimpyTips:

-One pound of almonds is 3 1/2 cups (approximately)
-This is just as good (if not better) when made with unsalted cashews, which are also on sale at CVS (this recipe is flexible, you can just sub. a canister for the 2 1/2 cups and decrease the sugar to 1/2 c.).
-When I make these with nuts that already come in a little canister, I rip off the label (it's silver underneath the CVS brand label) and tie around a ribbon. This makes them perfect for gift giving. You could also cut a piece of used brown shopping bag and glue it around for a cool look.
-You should wrap these up as soon as you make them if you plan to give them for a gift. You will eat them all (personal experience).
-These make great holiday gifts and party snacks.
-You could use a mix of brown and white sugar for this recipe.
-If you want more coating, just decrease the amount of nuts you use.
-They stay good for weeks (at least 2...most likely longer)