I'm glad the recipe surfaced again because we LOVE pecans for a snack food, and this one is all "dressed up" and ready for a special occasion. BTW, the Kentucky Derby is May 2nd this year - so I have plenty of time to give it a pre-Derby test ;-). I soak all nuts overnight in salted water (a la "Nourishing Traditions" method), to partially sprout them, as well as reduce the tannins and the numerous enzyme inhibitors. Then I dehydrate them until they are crispy/dry in the dehydrator (8-12-hours). The nutrients are also more readily available if you use this method. The salt in the soaking water activates enzymes and neutralize enzyme inhibitors, so don't skip that part of the soaking. (Four cups of pecans + 2 t. sea salt and enough water to cover by 1-2". Stir to dissolve the salt. Cover with a cloth and leave out on the counter for at least 7-hours and up to 12-hours. Dehydrate in a single layer until crispy dry.) You will end up with buttery-tasting pecans, rather than those that leave a "bite" in the back of your throat, and a bellyache if you over-indulge. Your pecans will also last longer in storage if you use this method. I usually do 8-cups of pecans (also almonds and walnuts) at a time. Walnuts are the only ones I store in the refrigerator/freezer after treatment because they contain large amounts of triple unsaturated linolenic acid and are more susceptible to rancidity than pecans and almonds. This recipe is an all-in-one recipe (soak, sweeten, and dehydrate) I keep on hand at all times, and I think the same technique will work with the original recipe Sushipup posted above, and that's how I plan to make them. Sweetly Spiced Crispy Pecans 4 c. raw pecans 2 t. sea salt 5 T. (coconut) palm sugar 1 t. cinnamon Soak pecans in a large bowl with filtered water and salt for 8-12 hours. Pour off water and allow to drain well in a large colander for 5-10 minutes. Place back in the bowl; sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture and mix well. The moisture from the soaked pecans will create a light coating over the pecans. Place on dehydrator trays. Dry at 150°F for one hour and reduce the temperature to 125°F until completely dry. To test the nuts for doneness, allow to completely cool before testing by snapping them in half and then eating them. -Grainlady

Hey, it happens. No need to strip off new paint. It's not a big deal if you're in the "its' just paint" camp. I actually detest that lil tidbit of *color wisdom* - because it's not just paint. It's effort, time, money and not-just-a-stroll-in-the-park labor. But in the right context "it's just paint" is not a completely stupid pov. Like in your case. The dark green really is just one coat. Don't look at it as a color misstep. Instead, it's an undercoat. One more layer in the process of wickedly proper prep that's all going to add up to a beautiful final finish that will last for years and years.

@paintguy22 --- just got an update on this topic and saw your reply. Pre-Cat lacquers are different and better. We have had our desk lacquered and honestly the look and finish versus our latex cabinets is SO nice. Cons are that if it chips there are no easy fixes. @judycp I definitely think that it's worth it to use a pro to paint your cabinets. Paint has come a long way but the painter matters. I've seen a lot of mistakes and had to fix a ton too. As far as doing it yourself, i'm all about DIY. So with any service it's best to weigh the time and effort versus the $ you can spend. Cabinet jobs can take anywhere from 3-5 days for us depending on how big your kitchen is. But DIY and it can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks depending on how fast you are. It is a pain to put cabinets back up and you will need a large amount of space to spray and dry the cabinets and move anything out of the way. We have yet to have a set of cabinets that weren't loved by the customer. A sprayer and a good primer should help you out! good luck!

The necessity of cleaning away the duff (any part of the plant that is *not* the seed) is that: 1) it will rot in the dampness of seed-sowing medium and may promote "damp-off", a fungus that kills seedlings; 2) the duff may hold moisture in whatever container you store the seed and cause mildew or mold which will kill the seed; and 3) cleaning is a courtesy and will help you know if you really have ripe seed. Some flower heads will look like they are full of seeds, but after cleaning there will only be two or three ripe seeds. You need to know how many seeds you have to be a fair trader. It's a good idea to limit the amount of duff as you collect seed heads and pods; snip away leaves, cut off excess branches, etc. before you put flower stalks or pods into a paper bag to dry. In many instances, you can simply shake the seeds loose inside the bag when they've dried sufficiently, then remove the stalks or emptied pods. With more stubborn pods or those which are more easily opened and emptied while still leathery, use your fingers or scissors to roll, crush, or pry the pods open to release the seeds. Once the seeds have been separated from the stalks or pods, they can be cleaned in a shallow bowl; one with a light-colored, slippery surface makes seeing and moving the seeds around easier. Use tweezers, a knife or straight edge, your breath, and/or a wire sifter to separate seeds from duff. Commercially-made sifters of increasingly small sizes of mesh are available for this purpose, but probably unnecessary for cleaning small amounts of seed. With larger seeds, you can simply try tossing the seeds and duff up from the bowl, and allow the seeds to drop back while gently blowing the duff away with your breath. After the seeds are cleaned of all debris, you may notice that some of them are still a little green. If so, it is a good idea to let them ripen and dry for a few more days before packaging them.