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Illinois artist Kathleen Marcotte shows off spiced pecans that dazzle. Click the image to expand.

Have you ever tried to draw a pecan? Trust me, it is not easy. So how does Illinois artist Kathleen Marcotte make it look so fun and effortless? Because Kathleen is a very talented young illustrator, that’s why. We were first introduced to Kathleen’s artwork through a class assignment, in which her instructor Rebecca Bradley at Maryland Institute College of Art assigned her students to draw a recipe for They Draw and Cook. Kathleen’s recipe was for Karokke, a breaded and fried meat and potato pancake, which was delightful. The spiced pecan recipe shown here makes for a very easy appetizer that’s a surefire crowdpleaser. Friends and family will be so impressed when they asked you where you bought them and you say, “I made them myself.” Nutty, right?

See more illustrated recipes for nuts and other delicious dishes today on They Draw and Cook, and check out all of Food Network’s holiday appetizer coverage.

—Nate Padavick & Salli Swindell from They Draw and Cook.