Food Gift Idea: Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

Here we are at the end of another wonderful year. I was thinking about doing one of those posts about all of the awesome stuff that happened to me this year, but realized that it would be too long, and people would get bored. So let me say this: I have a wonderful fiance and a wonderful family. I have amazing friends, both the new friends in St. Louis and my old friends from all over. I make my living as a photographer and I love my job. Further more, my job is increasingly focused on food and drink, which, as Martha says, is a good thing.

For New Year’s Eve, I always like a house party. When you go out to a club, you end up paying a huge cover charge for the luxury of standing six deep at a bar waiting all night for watered down cocktails and cheap champagne. So I’m all about a house party. Better drinks, better food, and if you do it right, you’re spending time with people you’d actually like to be with, rather than random strangers.

As far as food is concerned, I think snacks are the most important part of any party on New Year’s Eve. Sure, you can have a big fancy meal, but lets get real: About half an hour after midnight when the party is roaring, people are going to start to get hungry again. They won’t want a meal, they are just going to want something to soak up a little champagne between dancing in the living room and making out in the dining room. In addition to cheese and charcuterie, cookies, home-made spicy nuts, crudités, and, if you must, chips n’ dip, I like to have something that is both sweet and savory. This year, this very simple party snack was part of my holiday food gift packs and will probably be a staple at my parties: cinnamon sugar pretzels.

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

Ingredients
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1lb package small pretzel twists

Directions
In a large bowl, stir together oil, sugar and cinnamon until smooth. Add pretzels; toss well to coat.

Pour the pretzels into a large roasting pan with high sides. Bake, uncovered, in a 300ºF oven for 30 minutes, stirring twice.

Spread on waxed paper to cool.
Store in an airtight container.