Walnuts can be healthful items to include in your food planning, and here are some pointers to storing and using them to good advantage.
Walnuts have a long shelf life, so it's practical to keep them on hand for adding to recipes or for snacking. In-shell walnuts keep best. Unopened packages of shelled walnuts have a shelf life of up to one year. Open packages of shelled walnuts or chopped walnuts can be refrigerated or frozen in an airtight container and kept for six months.
The best way to open an in-shell walnut is to place the nutcracker at right angles to the shell's seam and crack.
To chop walnuts, use a knife or a food processor. Make sure nuts are at room temperature before grinding in a processor, or their natural oils will make the nuts soften to a paste.
To blanch walnuts, add shelled nuts to boiling water. Take the pot off the heat and let the nuts stand for two minutes. (Some recipes call for blanching, to make the walnuts' flavor a little milder.)
To toast walnuts, which brings out their full, rich flavor, place them on baking sheets, spray with nonfat cooking spray or add a dash of vegetable oil and bake in a 375 F oven for eight to 10 minutes, tossing occasionally during baking.
If desired, toss with your choice of salt, sugar or spices during baking, to produce varied flavors for making quick walnut snacks or toppers for salads, soups or pastas.