For a snack yesterday afternoon, my husband made his family's famous Roasted Almonds. I have no idea why these were only a Christmas treat for him growing up, because they are just too good (and addictive) to have just once a year. And the best part was that this snack was that he did it all! Here's how he made them:
Boil raw (must be raw almonds; not blanched, salted, or smoked) almonds for about 30 seconds to blanch. Drain and then wrap the almonds in a kitchen towel and rub them in the towel to loosen the skins. Pinch the almonds from the skins; the almonds should slip out easily. The kids can do this part. And if you can find blanched almonds in the grocery store you can skip that whole step. Transfer the almonds to a sheet pan and toss with oil or melted butter to coat and plenty of kosher salt.
Toast the almonds in the oven for about 20-30 minutes or until browned. Don't walk out and overcook them, and stir them a few times while they are toasting. Cool on paper towels and wait to eat them until they are crunchy (if you can). If you eat them while they are hot you will burn your tongue. Not that I know anything about that...