This tasty holiday treat gets the whole family involved in the fun. Enlist the kids for shell removal and let them munch away on this nutritious nut while they are still warm.

Listen to Nat King Cole singing The Christmas Song – and enjoy the aromatic deliciousness.

Ingredients:

Raw Chestnuts!

Spoon Mage™ Note:

During the holidays, watch your store for sales on chestnuts. This recipe does not require an open fire, but you could use one if you like.

Use a baking pan with sides so you don’t tip chestnuts all over the floor. Experience talking here.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 F.

While the oven is preheating, use a very sharp knife to score a large X on the flat side of each chestnut.  Use the sharp point of the knife to start the cut. The picture on the right shows what the cuts look like. They allow expansion during cooking and make it easier to remove the shells once they are cooked.

Cut all the way through the shell and the crackly papery sheet that protects the nut –  only just cut through into the nut. If you stop short, it is harder to peel, but you can still get that nut out.

If you cut too deep, it’s still going to be tasty, it just might not come out of the shell in one piece. Just make sure you cut the papery sheet and all is well.

Be very careful, please. Just cut the nut and not your fingers. I have too much experience to share.

Place in the pan (one layer) X side up. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes depending on the size of the chestnuts. The shell will brown a bit and the X will open up revealing the pretty nut within.

Remove from the oven and cool only to the point where you can pick them up because they are a lot easier to shell when warm.

Remove the shells and white inner skin.

Eat them out of hand as you shell. There is no need for salt, but you could add that if you like.

Chop up a bunch and add them to yogurt, or mix them in to your favorite holiday baking recipe!

Enjoy mindfully and seasonally.