Sugared Street Nuts

2 cups raw peanuts, cashews, almonds, or combination
3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
Bring all ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add nuts, stirring occasionally.
After about two minutes, stir fast; after a minute more, the water will evaporate and the sugar will crystallize on the nuts. When this happens, turn off the heat, but keep stirring, and the sugar will begin to caramelize and turn brown.
Pour nuts onto prepared baking sheet, and spread into a single layer. Bake nuts until sugar begins to melt, about 5-7 minutes. Stir nuts, and bake until nuts begin to turn brown in places, about two minutes more. Remove from oven, stir to distribute caramel, and let cool completely.