Are you nuts? You might be asking yourself just that question if you are slaving over a hot stove or grill this summer devoting more than just minutes to warm-weather entertaining. Shake a bag of nuts, however, into a mixing bowl, baking sheet or skillet and you are well on your way to being dazzling without any downside.

Perfect for plopping on patio tables for sustenance between guests' swims or in a crock on a outdoor buffet line otherwise populated with burger toppings, nifty nut mixes draw ovations without any overtime from you.

The twists are the trick. To a base of your toasted, roasted or sauteed nuts, toss in show-stopping spices and dynamic dried fruits. You end up with exotic tempters that take just minutes to prepare.

Scrap the usual flavor combinations and strive for originality. That's what small, Seattle-based food company Sahale Snacks (www.sahalesnacks.com) did and now their six blends are catching fire in supermarkets nationwide. Sold in markets and online in 2-ounce and 5-ounce packages, these are products you can be proud to pass off as your own for super simple entertaining. Or consider copying the sweet and savory recipe below that can serve as a foundation. To skip cooking completely, simply create your own raw mixes and toss in a bowl.

A few inspirations from the Sahale Snacks line include:

Dauphine: Stemming from French Provincial cuisine, includes walnuts, dried blueberries, banana chips and coconut flakes that have been lightly sweetened and seasoned with edible lavender and white pepper.

Ksar: Pistachios and pepitas sweetened by figs and honey and finished with a peppery punch of Moroccan harissa (the hot sauce in supermarket ethnic aisles usually made with chilies, garlic, cumin, coriander, caraway and olive oil).

Socorro: Macadamia nuts and hazelnuts, dried mango and dried papaya are accented with chipotle, cumin and cilantro.

Soledad: Almonds, flaxseeds and dates are flavored with balsamic vinegar and cayenne pepper.

Just as the ingredients you combine with your nuts can interestingly vary, so can the way you prepare your nuts. If you don't just toss them in a bowl and enjoy them naked with their accompaniments, you can toast or roast.

You can also create a rich result by frying 2 cups of nuts and the other ingredients you choose in a combination of 2 tablespoons of melted butter and 1/4 cup of olive oil for about 6 minutes (butter can brown, but should not burn).

Other tweaks can be wherever your imagination takes you, like the following sweet and savory base of maple syrup and chili powder:

SWEET AND SPICY PECANS

1 cup whole pecans

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Yields 2 servings.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Arrange pecans on baking sheet in single layer. Try to keep individual nuts from touching each other.

In small bowl, whisk maple syrup and chili powder together with fork. Now drizzle syrup over pecans. Try to coat nuts completely by sliding them around on baking sheet so all syrup is used. Place in oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until syrup has just begun to blacken; don't let nuts burn.

Carefully remove from oven and immediately arrange pecans on platter, making sure they do not touch one another; if you leave them in a pile, they will cool into a brittle. Once cooled, leftovers can keep for about 1 week tightly sealed in plastic bags.

Variations: Substitute your favorite nuts. Interspersed with those nuts or pecans on baking sheet, add your favorite dried fruits. Whisk some of your favorite spices into bowl with maple syrup.

- "Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet" by Padma Lakshmi (Weinstein, $34.95).

THAI HOT CHILE LIME CASHEWS

1/4 cup peanut oil

4 teaspoons Thai garlic chile paste (see Note)

1 pound raw, whole cashews

Zest of 4 limes, finely grated with a zester or microplane

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 juicy limes)

1/4 cup red pepper flakes

4 teaspoons salt (preferably fine-grain sea salt), or to taste

Yields 1 pound nuts.

Preheat oven to 300 F.

Carefully mix peanut oil and chili paste together in medium-sized saute pan set over medium heat. Add cashews, toss thoroughly, and cook for about 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and carefully spread cashews in single layer on cookie sheet fitted with silicone liner or parchment paper. Bake until roasted and golden in color, about 15 minutes, carefully stirring a few times as needed.

Carefully remove from oven, immediately toss with lime zest and lime juice, red pepper flakes and salt. Finished cashews will be a bit wet. Let cool for at least 1 hour before serving. These will keep, tightly covered, in refrigerator for about 2 days.

Note: Thai garlic chile paste is available in the ethnic aisle of some supermarkets and at Thai or Asian markets. If necessary, substitute any type of chile paste.

- "Pizza on the Grill" (appetizer chapter) by Elizabeth Karmel and Bob Blumer (Taunton, $16).

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Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Copley News Service "Cooks' Books" column.

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