Put your hands together for RxSaver by RetailMeNot who #sponsored this post How to Find the Best Prescription Discounts, supporting Through Her Looking Glass. This post includes tracking links. For more information about tracking links and how to opt out, please visit All About Do Not Track prior to clicking any links found in this post. All opinions and content are my own.

If you know me at all, you know I love saving a peso. (Or five.) Recently I came across a fantastic way to save significant money every month on prescription drugs, putting me in charge of what I pay at the pharmacy counter. To Find the Best Prescription Discounts, just plug basic information into the search engine at rxsaver.com or on the app. It’s that easy! Convenient and free, now I use RxSaver.com monthly and save up to 80% off!

As many of you know, Jon and I and our older boys are caregivers for our little guy Hudson who has a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism. It’s hard to put into words just what that entails on a day-to-day basis, but I’ll try.

I’m no stranger to disability. My oldest sister Elisabeth also has Down syndrome. We just celebrated her 52^nd birthday in May. I can’t remember a time when our lives weren’t affected by disability in some way.

Hudson and Liz playing ball at her birthday party a few years ago…

So Hudson’s nine years old, but developmentally he’s around three. He’s still in pull-ups day and night and is non-verbal. He has a speech device so he can pick what he wants for breakfast or which video he wants. But more significant communication is pretty limited. As you can imagine, this can be frustrating, but we all pull together as best we can.

Hudson blowing out the candles for the third time on his birthday. Note he has zero interest in sampling the cupcakes. It’s all about the singing and candles.

Thankfully Hudson is cute as a button and that greatly helps his cause. Most days the blessings far outweigh the challenges, but there are the occasional days when things get pretty crazy.

Hudson is considered a bolt risk, meaning that at any time, he might decide to run. This is pretty common in children with autism. And when he runs, he won’t look back or respond to his name. As you can imagine, that can be beyond scary in a parking lot or near the road. That’s why we hold his hand tightly and keep a handicapped placard at the ready to dangle from the car mirror. It’s especially helpful for getting him into doctor and therapy appointments safely.

So one cold, snowy afternoon last winter, I parked in the handicapped spot right outside his therapy building. We entered through the sliding glass doors and Hudson pushed the elevator button as usual. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned here that Hudson is not disabled when it comes to being naughty. As we waited for the elevator, he stared me down, then poked out his little tongue, threatening to LICK the elevator button. Of all the horrible things. I eyed him sternly and shook my head.

That’s when I heard the accusing voice: “You really shouldn’t park in a handicapped space if you’re not handicapped.”

Really? My jaw dropped as I looked back for that split second. A young mom hauling an infant seat, with an adorable little boy in tow was passing through the lobby behind us. I locked eyes with her. “I’m not handicapped,” I said quietly, “but my son is.” I nodded at the large sign on the wall: “AUTISM THERAPY, SECOND FLOOR”

My eyes were averted for that split second, so I’ll never know whether Hudson licked the elevator button or not that day. Because as I turned back, the elevator doors were meeting in the middle and Hudson was gone. I whirled around, raced for the stairwell and dashed up two at a time, hoping to find him on the second floor.

The good news is that Hudson’s autism makes him a creature of habit. He’d actually pushed the correct floor button and taken the elevator by himself to the second floor. When I found him, he was standing in the hallway by the elevator doors, the picture of innocence. Thank you God. My heart rate began to recede and I brought him to his classroom, then took a deep breath as I retrieved his missing backpack from the elevator. I thought about finding that mom and giving her a piece of mind. But then I thought better of it. The truth is, I need every single remaining gray cell. (!)

Every extinguished candle is cause for great celebration! On birthdays we blow out candles all day long, so tall candles are required!

Life can throw some unexpected punches and surprises. And whether you deal with disability or not, one can never know what a day will hold. Or an hour, for that matter. That’s why I’m SO grateful for anything that saves me time, frustration and money. RxSaver by RetailMeNot is a shortcut that does just that. 

How to Find the Best Prescription Discounts: RxSaver

Just a few weeks ago I was refilling my allergy medicine. I usually pay $43 monthly out of pocket for it. So I downloaded the app on my phone, then plugged in my zip code and the name of my prescription. RxSaver directed me to the pharmacy that I always use, but gave me a coupon that discounted my medicine to $10.01. Yes!!!!

At first I wondered if it could be a mistake. So I called in my prescription as usual, then showed the RxSaver coupon on my phone to the pharmacist. (You can also use the RxSaver site at home and print out a coupon.) Guess what? I saved $33 and you better believe I was ecstatic. (I can do a lot with an extra $33.)

So I really hope you’ll try rxsaver.com for yourself and start saving money too! You don’t need a membership or password or any personal information. (Passwords are the bane of my existence.)

Just enter the name of your prescription and zip code, then compare prices and choose the best price/location for you. You save money whether or not you have health insurance. I know you’ll love using this great money saving tip! (You’re welcome.)

Follow RxSaver by RetailMeNot on Facebook for more money saving tips!

The post Favorite Things #8 – How to Find the Best Prescription Discounts appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Calling all pottery lovers!!!

There’s magic in handmade pottery. And while I don’t know a thing about ‘centering’ the clay myself, I have a great appreciation for it. The glazing, shapes, colors and artistry of it all.

A few weeks ago a friend and I meandered country roads south to Merrimack, MA to visit Purple Sage Pottery.

I first discovered Purple Sage when Jon and I were celebrating our 15th anniversary (nearly a decade ago!) with a quick getaway to Newburyport, MA. We spied a gorgeous fish platter peeking from a little boutique window. The rest is history.

The fish platter we bought was thrown by potter Iris Minc from Purple Sage Pottery. I’ve since visited her shop in Merrimack and added (very slowly!) to my collection through the years.

This maple chai tea latte recipe I posted a few years ago was just right in this mug. Your hands fit perfectly around it, just right. And filled with something warm and delicious in wintertime, it’s an experience in itself. Especially when the white stuff falls outside the window pane. Downright cozy!

And this batter bowl by Iris was included in my recent omelette recipe!

Twice yearly Purple Sage hosts an open house with many different potters displaying and selling their wares. That’s why we went down a few weeks ago, for the open house.

Purple Sage also offers pottery classes and space for potters to work at the wheel and fire their pieces.

While Iris glazes with many different colors, my favorite is the purple/turquoise. I think it’s called sea foam. In fact, her fish platter above was the inspiration piece for decorating our new kitchen!

I’ve never been much of a collector. Not stamps or baseball cards or even teapots. Maybe teddy bears as a kid. But we enjoyed using our fish serving platter so much. And then I got two mugs. (And then someone who will remain unnamed broke one! Eek.) And then I got three more. (See what I did there?) And most recently, the small batter bowl…

So perhaps I’m becoming a collector after all. It’s a great experience using these pieces, reminiscing about our anniversary trip to Newburyport and subsequent visits to Purple Sage Pottery.

Are you a pottery lover too? My son Charlie (12) has taken a few pottery classes at the Currier Art Center downtown and loves it. And I have friends who throw pottery. (Maybe someday it will be me.)

Have a super weekend, and if you’re ever in this neck of the woods, take a little detour off the beaten path and drop by Purple Sage Pottery.

XOXO,

Allie 

The post Eat Clay Love – Favorite Things #6 appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Wishing a great weekend to everyone out there today! It’s been a crazy week for us East coasters, what with another two foot snow dump this past Tuesday.

That’s ok. New Englanders are a resilient bunch, still smiling. (Some of us.) Grabbing our shovels. (Pick axes?) Pulling on our snow bibs like everyone else, one leg at a time. (I hear another storm’s on the way. Just sayin’ and don’t shoot the messenger.)

Two feet of white stuff is a bit much, and thankfully it wasn’t heavy like last week’s batch. (So say the shovelers at my house.) We already had snow on the ground, so our mailbox is now completely encased in white. I think every mail delivery worker up here should get a big fat bonus check during arctic stretches like this. It can’t be easy.

I spy candied maple bacon biscuits. And fresh cider donuts. Eek!!!

A few weekends ago, in the midst of our kitchen renovations (think no stovetop, oven and kitchen sink for weeks) we escaped the indoor kitchen camping scene for a delicious homemade breakfast up in Sugar Hill, NH at Polly’s Pancake Parlor.

You’ll find all things maple at Polly’s Pancakes.

Jon and I first discovered Polly’s by accident last fall when we sneaked off on a quick weekend getaway to Sugar Hill and Jackson, NH. We visited the Garnet Hill outlet in Franconia then googled for a bite to eat and Polly’s Pancake Parlor came up first. Lucky us, what a great find!

Real maple syrup. Real maple sugar. Real maple spread. My kind of heaven on earth.

Polly’s Pancake Parlor has been around for over seventy-five years now and I know why. Great food, real maple syrup/maple syrup products, and excellent customer service are top priority.

Not to mention the view out the dining room windows!

We’ve since visited twice more with the boys and had a great experience each time.

If you remember nothing else, please note that you can call ahead to Polly’s and get your name on the waiting list. That’s a very good idea if you’re planning a visit. We went during the Christmas holidays and took the boys on our way up to Quebec City.

Shop all kinds of homemade mixes and maple products while you wait.

We called Polly’s when we left the house and still waited twenty minutes after arriving. And we’re an hour and a half away! So do call ahead, especially during busy holiday times.

Some of you know our special little guy Hudson. He’s got Downs and autism, but that didn’t dampen his enthusiasm for delicious homemade pancakes a bit.

In fact, he’s a carb lover. And while he’s got sensory issues and typically covers his face if a camera appears, he forgot all about that when his stack arrived!

So here’s the squeeze on Polly’s. There are different kinds of homemade pancake batter to choose from. Oatmeal buttermilk. Plain. Buckwheat. Corn meal. Gingerbread.

And then there are the add-ins: walnuts and coconut. And your server works behind the long griddles, flipping your flapjacks! And when you finish your first custom stack of three, your server magically reappears with the second. That’s how they do it at Polly’s. And I didn’t hear anyone complaining. Check out their extensive menu here.

Originally Hildex Farm in Sugar Hill, Polly’s Pancake Parlor started in 1938.

Polly’s mills their own flours. And in 2006, they received a James Beard Award in the “American Classics” category.

So if you’ve never been to Polly’s Pancake Parlor, add it to your New England bucket list. You won’t be disappointed.

We left Polly’s and headed to the Garnet Hill Outlet, just a hop, skip and a jump away. If you’re not familiar with Garnet Hill, it’s primarily a women’s clothing company known for natural fibers, linen, fabulous wools and cashmere. They also carry the exclusive Eileen Fisher brand. I didn’t buy anything there, but that’s not the end of the story.

We headed on to Chutter’s in Littleton, NH, not far away. While Jon and the kids shopped at the longest continuous candy counter in the world, I slipped in to the shop next door – Emma & Co. Consignment.

And scored this beautiful Garnet Hill leather bag for a song. Patience is a virtue! The girl who checked me out said they carry lots of Garnet Hill because the outlet is so close.

And quick kitchen update – it’s functional! Kitchen sink, stovetop and oven happened this week. Now it’s just the details. I’ll keep you posted.

Have a beautiful, relaxing weekend and hope it includes a short stack with real maple syrup!

XOXO,

Allie

The post Breakfast Field Trip to Polly’s Pancake Parlor – Sugar Hill, NH appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

This little shop has stolen my heart. Hand-painted silk scarves, pottery, paintings, hand-made cards and eclectic artisan gifts in a rustic, serene setting. If you’re local, you must visit Barn In Bloom!

I’ve had several delightful chats with owner and creative, Sarah. (Be sure to check hours first: open Wed. – Sat. only.) Savor homemade soups and artisan breads next door at Buckley’s Bakery and Cafe.

Tattle tale on me: I left my sunroof open on a 74° February day last week. Not recommended here in NH. It snowed 5″ the next day. YASSS! I was shocked to discover my fronts seats and console filled with the white stuff late the next day, had to grab a shovel. Reminds me of that other time when I forgot something else pretty important.

But spring is not so far away. (A girl can dream!) Here’s the personalized doormat I have and love.

Pure sweetness!

Scrumptious and unusual: a slice of fresh rosemary olive oil cake I shared with a friend here. Worth the splurge. This unique little cafe featuring farm to table and Mediterranean cuisine has a free online recipe club . (I signed on the dotted line and so can you.)

“Criticism, like rain, should be gentle enough to nourish a man’s growth without destroying his roots.” -Frank A. Clark

It’s school vacation week here in NH and all continues to be chaotic with our kitchen remodel. A fun adventure none-the-less. Loved hearing about your kitchen renovations in the comments last week, thank you! And look forward to sharing the “after” pictures of ours here. Whenever “after” finally arrives. (Patience is a virtue, so I’m told.)

Enjoying a cup of this in the quiet this morning.

It’s stormy here on the East coast this weekend, stay safe!

XOXO,

allie

The post Favorite Things #3 appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Nothing quite like a Frosty New England Morning. I remember as a child, wandering the Rhode Island woods behind our home the morning after a freshly fallen snow. Eerily silent, save the sound of the snow crunch underfoot.

All is fresh and clean and new. Each tiny branch dressed as a bride in white.

These photos were taken in my back yard a few weeks ago as the sun rose, sending dappled rays through snow covered branches. It was breathtaking.

I thought you might enjoy these winter wonderland pictures if you love a fresh snowfall too. Especially if you grew up with snow, but live in a warmer climate now. (My extended California family, who appreciate a good VT snow, come to mind.)

I hoped to catch a bright bird at the feeder to share with you. There were blue jays, cardinals and a male house finch with a vibrant scarlet head. But they were skittish, uncooperative and refused to pose for me. Kudos to this sweet junco who was more obliging.

As a child, I stood statuesque for long minutes, under the gnarly old plum tree with the hanging feeder and birdhouse. My mittened hand outstretched, overflowing with seed. And the birds, they came! If you feed them, they will come. It was fascinating – the tiny claws perching. That little darting beak. And all too soon, gone.

Can you find the flag?  (As in, where’s Waldo…)

In my mind, snow is the perfect excuse for cozying up in a comfy chair by the fire. A good book in one hand, a steaming mug of chai in the other.

Snow brings to mind Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Frost was born in San Francisco but spent most of his life in Massachusetts and here in New Hampshire. I was fascinated reading about his difficult life story here. Amazed at the literary beauty he produced in spite of it. (Because of it?)

 

XOXO,

Allie

The post Frosty New England Morning appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

If you haven’t visited the green mountain state of Vermont and sampled a Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer, what are you waiting for? Translation? (Giggle.) Steaming milk whisked to a froth combined with pure maple syrup. A dollop of fresh whipped cream floating on top. A dusting of cinnamon. Now that is a bonafide maple syrup steamer.

Best savored from a hand-thrown mug I might add. That’s all folks. So. Dang. Good. And this New England girl will absolutely swoon for a mugful!

So the first time I tasted a Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer was at the Moon Dog Cafe in Chester, VT a few years ago on a girls’ road trip. It was November and cold. Rainy and RAW. If you live around here, you know raw is that unpleasant combo of piercing cold and wet that goes straight to the bone. (Just like ugly.)

It was that kind of a day, raw. The sky was dark and ominous. The girls and I wandered in and out of artisan boutiques and vintage resale shops on main street. (My favorite – a resale leather shop that specializes in personalized, stamped leather bracelets.)

Cold drops splish-splashed down the window panes and our cold noses both. Early afternoon we stumbled through the swinging door of the Moon Dog Cafe in Chester, VT .

Inside the dimly lit cafe, we stepped back in time. Quaint is the word that comes to mind when I think of Moon Dog. Vintage painted furniture stacked with hand poured soaps and lavendar sachets.Eclectic gifts. Metal tubes of thick hand cream for serious gardeners. (And gourmet pastries for the rest of us.)

Chilled and dripping, we headed straight to the hot drinks counter. That’s when I spied “maple steamer” chalked on the black board menu overhead. Since anything maple reels me in fast, I asked the hippie server about it.

She knew her stuff and in a minute flat, handed me a steaming mug of pure, creamy maple deliciousness. I have quite a few maple syrup recipes here on the blog, but today’s recipe is by far the simplest.

Steam your choice of milk, froth it if you like. Stir in pure maple syrup for a sweet, creamy hot drink that’ll warm you from the inside out. Even on a raw New England day. Top with a dollop of pure whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.

I was reminded of that first maple steamer a few weeks ago when Jon and I sneaked (snuck?) away for a whirlwind weekend to Jackson and Littleton, NH. It was another cold weekend. Not cold enough for snow. But wet, yes.

Jackson Falls – Jackson, NH

We breakfasted for a late lunch at Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill. If you’ve never been to Polly’s before, do add it to your bucket list. They’ve been serving pancakes and all things maple for over seventy-five years. They have a million different kinds of home made pancakes on the menu, cooked individually, just for you by your server. (Jon ordered six different kinds, one of them, cornmeal coconut. I sampled – unusual, but delicious.)

That’s when I saw the maple steamer on the menu. I had to have one and it was just as good as I remember from Moon Dog. Maybe even better.

So treat yourself to a little slice of New England on a cold afternoon this winter. Relax by the fire and savor a Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer. Warm, comforting and simply delicious. You’ll be glad you did!

Are you a pottery junkie like me? I’m lucky one of my boys takes pottery and feeds my habit, bringing home beautifully glazed pottery from the wheel. Love it. I also love searching out new pottery for posts here.

The unusual mug featured above was found on our recent whirlwind weekend in northern NH at the League of NH Craftsman Fine Craft Gallery  in Littleton, NH. The mug was crafted in clay by NH resident and potter, David Ernster.

Says David: “I have spent my life working with my hands. There is something spiritual and precious about handmade objects. They connect us to the past, tradition, and passion of the maker – a passion I think we all feel and crave to be a part of. Most of my work is conceived around this personal contact and interaction with the object.

I received a BFA in Metalsmithing from the University of Iowa and my MFA in Ceramics from West Virginia University. While I do make work that is purely sculptural, I am most interested in the things that we use and the ideas of containment, protection and mystery they evoke. What really excites me are the personal objects we interact with in intimate ways in our daily lives.”

Tips for making a Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer:

• Use your choice of milk.
• Use pure maple syrup.
• Use a frother if you have one, or one of these clever milk frothing ideas from Pioneer Woman!
• Optional: top with whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon if desired

Print

Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups milk your choice - dairy, coconut, almond, etc.
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• Optional Garnish: whipped cream & cinnamon

Instructions

• Heat milk until steaming on the stovetop or in the microwave.
• Stir in maple syrup.
• Froth if desired.
• Pour into a mug.
• Optional: Garnish with fresh whipped cream and a dusting of cinnamon.

You may also like: Maple Chai Tea Latte

or Maple Pumpkin Spice Tea Latte

The post Vermont Pure Maple Syrup Steamer appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

This scrumptious Bar Harbor French Silk Pie Recipe has a rich, melt-in-your mouth, silky homemade chocolate mousse filling consisting of eggs, cream, chocolate, sugar, vanilla and butter. As if that’s not enough, the dreamy chocolate filling is topped with heavy cream whipped with creme de cacao. (Shriek!) This famous pie recipe from a Bar Harbor restaurant in Maine is just a little slice of heaven.

It just happens to be the third birthday of Through Her Looking Glass this month. So Happy, Happy Birthday THLG! You’re now a saucy toe-headed toddler! How can it be the time has flown so quickly? I’ve learned so much and met so many wonderful new friends in the last three years who share my love of baking and community.

Thanks to each of you for being great readers, encouragers, commenters and friends. I love what I do and am incredibly thankful to have the flex to work from home.

I’ve been saving this French Silk Pie Recipe for a wonderful occasion that calls for chocolate! On the first birthday of Through Her Looking Glass, I shared the Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake Recipe shown below  and it continues to be a favorite here.

So now that I know you all love chocolate as much as I do, I thought I’d hit you up again on THLG’s third birthday, this time with a fabulous recipe for French Silk Chocolate Pie. This is one creamy, silky and delicious chocolate silk pie. It’s the melt-in-your mouth texture that is so outstanding. Wish I could offer samples through the screen so you know just how truly scrumptious it is. (Unfortunately technology hasn’t quite caught up yet. Someday…)

The inspiration for this great recipe comes from a friend of a friend. The story goes like this. One evening after savoring a five course meal at a famous inn in Bar Harbor, a middle-aged couple each ordered a slice of French Silk Pie for dessert.  They polished off the pie in record time and the server returned.

The husband gushed on and on about the pie and immediately ordered a second slice. The pastry chef was so delighted at the second order, that he plated and delivered it himself, and also presented the gentleman with a copy of his famous recipe. And that very gentleman recently gave that recipe to a friend of mine. So lucky me, lucky you.

Sadly the inn is no longer in existence, but the recipe lives on here. Hope you’ll try this recipe and love it as much as we do.

The original recipe from the inn used a meringue crust made with chopped walnuts. I made the original recipe with the meringue crust and it was spectacular! But I had a terrible time removing pieces of pie from the pie plate. They stuck terribly to the bottom because of the sticky meringue crust. Even though I greased and floured the pie plate, the meringue crust still stuck fiercely to the bottom. Which meant not a piece of that pie was photo worthy. (But oh so delicious….)

So I compromised a bit and made it again in a pre-baked pie shell. It is still an exceptional pie! I included the original recipe for the meringue crust for the adventurous bakers out there who must have the meringue crust.

**UPDATE: Since posting this, I’ve learned that a pie plate prepared with non-stick cooking spray and a dusting of corn starch will help a meringue crust to release better when serving. I’ve not yet tried this, but it may be the answer. Please let me know if you try it!

Please allow plenty of time to make this pie, especially if you choose to make the meringue crust. The meringue crust cooks for nearly an hour, then cools in the oven with the door closed. (You can make the meringue crust ahead of time and store tightly covered at room temperature until you’re ready to fill with the chocolate filling.) Once filled, refrigerate the pie several hours or until firm.

Add the whipped cream topping made with creme de cacao just before serving. I found the creme de cacao at the liquor store. (Creme de cacoa is a chocolate liqueur made with chocolate extract, vanilla extract, simple syrup and vodka and is amazing in this recipe.) Sprinkle the whipped cream with shaved chocolate or cocoa nibs for a final gourmet touch!

One thing to be aware of is that this recipe calls for uncooked eggs in the chocolate filling. You may use regular eggs in this recipe, but it is much safer to use pasteurized eggs, especially for the young, the elderly or anyone with a compromised immune system.

Pasteurized eggs use a process of time and temperature, heating the eggs in their shells to the exact temperature needed to help destroy bacteria. This effectively and safely manages the risk from Salmonella—without cooking the egg. It is safest to use pasteurized eggs in this recipe. Here is more information on pasteurized eggs and where you can buy them.

If you decide to make the meringue crust, see my tips below.

Tips for making the meringue crust for Bar Harbor French Silk Pie Recipe:

• Preheat oven to 250°.
• Spray pie plate with non-stick cooking spray. Wipe out the excess, then dust with cornstarch.
• Use egg whites that are at room temperature.
• It will take you 5-10 minutes to beat the meringue completely until it’s glossy and smooth. (You’ll know it’s ready when it’s glossy and you rub a little bit of it between your fingers and it feels completely smooth, not grainy!)
• Spread the meringue on the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate with the back of a spoon.
• Bake for 50 minutes at 250°. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR OR REMOVE FROM OVEN.
• Once baked, leave the meringue in the oven to cool to room temperature with the oven door closed.

Print

Famous Bar Harbor French Silk Pie Recipe

Ingredients

Chocolate Filling:

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
• 2 ounces good quality unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 large eggs pasteurized, at room temperature

1-9" pre-baked pie shell OR

Meringue Crust:

• 3 large egg whites at room temperature
• pinch salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Garnish:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoons creme de cacoa
• Optional: a tablespoon of chocolate shavings or coca nibs for extra garnish.

Instructions

Chocolate Filling:

• Beat butter until fluffy.
• Add sugar GRADUALLY, 2 tablespoons at a time and beat 'til smooth.
• Combine melted chocolate with creamed mixture.
• Stir in vanilla.
• Beat in eggs, two at a time, beating for 4 minutes after each addition.
• Mound chocolate filling mixture into 9" pre-baked pie shell or into cooled meringue crust.
• Chill in refrigerator for several hours or until firm.

Meringue Crust

• Prepare pie plate.
• Spray non-stick cooking spray in pie plate and wipe out excess.
• Dust with cornstarch.
• Combine egg whites, salt and cream of tartar.
• Beat until very stiff.
• Add vanilla.
• Beat in sugar gradually, until peaks are formed.
• Gently fold in walnuts.
• Spread in prepared pie plate on the bottom and up the sides, making room to add the chocolate filling later.
• Bake in preheated 250° oven for 50 minutes, until golden brown and dry.
• DO NOT REMOVE FROM OVEN.
• Turn oven off. Leave oven door closed and let cool to room temperature.
• Remove from the oven and store tightly covered at room temperature until ready to fill.

Garnish - Whipped Cream Layer:

• Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.
• Fold in creme de cacao and spread on top of chocolate filling.
• Optional: garnish with chocolate shavings or cocoa nibs.

The post Bar Harbor French Silk Pie Recipe appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Today I’m sharing some of my Best Maple Syrup Recipes! If you know me at all, you know I’m a true blue New England girl who loves her maple syrup. I counted the other day and there are nearly twenty maple syrup recipes here on the blog! So woo hoo.

Even as a little kid, I helped my retired next door neighbor with the sugaring. Together we collected the sap and boiled it down into syrup at his sugar house by the pond.  Then we made maple syrup on fresh snow, which is similar to a recipe I’m sharing below for maple taffy on snow. It’s maple syrup season here in New Hampshire, so I’ve got maple syrup on the brain. (Now you do too!) Enjoy.

Caramelized Maple Walnuts

Caramelized Maple Walnuts are my latest addiction around here. Just pure maple syrup, walnuts and a few minutes of time in the skillet, and you’ve got delicious candied walnuts for a myriad of uses.

How to make Vanilla Bean Maple Syrup

Here’s a wonderful, easy recipe for Vanilla Bean Maple Syrup. It’s a treat with breakfast or brunch or makes a great gourmet gift. (If you can part with it.) Keep in mind it takes two weeks to “cure”

Maple Chai Tea Latte

Maple Chai Tea Latte is a sweet and spicy hot drink to warm you up on chilly fall and winter days. Chai tea leaves steep in your choice of milk, then infuse with overtones of vanilla and lightly sweetened with pure maple syrup. Make in quantity for a brunch crowd, or steep by the mugful for relaxing alone time.

Pear Gorgonzola Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Pear Gorgonzola Salad w/Walnuts & Maple Vinaigrette is an addictive salad in any season. Sweet maple vinaigrette w/pure maple syrup & shallots complements fresh pears, walnuts, salty gorgonzola and mixed greens. It’s a sweet and salty thang we got going on here in the salad bowl folks…

Maple Praline Pecan Sauce

Maple Praline Pecan Sauce: ultimate New England praline sauce magically transforms a plain-jane dessert into a masterpiece. What’s better than real maple syrup, fresh cream and pecans? GAH! Not much. Not in this world anyway.

Maple Warm Bacon Dressing Spinach Salad

Sweet maple syrup and sauteed shallots combine with crispy bacon in this Maple Warm Bacon Dressing Spinach Salad. Eating your greens never tasted so good!

Maple Taffy on Snow

Maple Taffy on Snow has maple syrup, plus a few more magical ingredients. Like brown sugar, butter and vanilla. What’s not to love? With the newly fallen New England snow (and more forecasted!), now’s a great opportunity to enjoy this fun, old-fashioned family tradition with yours.

Parker’s Maple Barn Maple Glazed Ribs

This famous ribs recipe comes from Parker’s Maple Barn restaurant in Mason, a woodsy little New Hampshire town known to be the boyhood home of Uncle Sam. (The Mason dwellers are quite proud of that fact.)

You may also enjoy this post about maple syrup and cheese making in Woodstock, VT at Sugarbush Farm

The post Best Maple Syrup Recipes appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

I sure do love saving a buck. How about you? I’m always on the look out for different ways to save money, whether it’s using coupons and Groupons or turning off the water while brushing teeth and washing dishes.

I tell my boys if we can save money on necessities like food, electricity and water, then we’ll have more cash to spend on the fun stuff like ice cream, mini-golf, an afternoon at the movies or even a vacation. (That gets their attention for sure!)

So there’s nothing that irritates me more than walking by an empty room in my house and seeing a light or TV on. Except for seeing more than one light on. That’s even worse. To me, it’s like hearing nickels, dimes and quarters clanking down the drain and looking the other way.

So you can imagine how happy I was to recently discover there are more ways to save money on our electric bill than just flicking off lights. Here in the ‘Live Free or Die’ state of New Hampshire, due to deregulation, we can now choose which energy company we prefer. Freedom! (Patrick Henry would be thrilled.) Me too.

And furthermore, what would you say if I told you you could save up to 34% with Direct Energy over the public utility company Eversource? It’s true. And I can think of a million and one other ways to spend the extra pesos.

Direct Energy is an energy supplier in NH that offers a fixed-rate electricity plan that’s 34% below the current prices of Eversource. Even if you don’t live in NH, you might still be able to save big time, because Direct Energy is also one of the largest energy suppliers in North America with nearly 5 million customers. Chances are you live in a territory where you can save with Direct Energy too. Just visit DirectEnergy.com to find out more.

There are many benefits to being a Direct Energy consumer besides just the savings. Direct Energy provides online usage insights to help analyze the energy usage in your home and make informed decisions to help you use less energy. (And save money!)

Have you heard of Nest Learning Thermostat? I hadn’t. But it’s the coolest thermostat that learns your household schedule and automatically programs itself with features like auto-schedule, auto-away, energy history and more. Direct Energy offers these Nest Learning Thermostats to residential customers for no additional charge. It’s a win win.

And Nest thermostats are proven to save customers an additional 10-12% on heating bills and as much as 15% on cooling bills. And that’s above and beyond the initial 34%. So wow, that’s a lotta green.

Direct Energy is the only energy supplier that partners with Plenti, a rewards program that lets you earn points at one place and use them at another, with a single card that keeps track of the rewards. You can earn 1,000 Plenti points just by signing up with Direct Energy and you can learn more about that here! Score.

I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that Direct Energy partners with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and has committed $5 million dollars to Texas Children’s Hospital, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in Houston. That’s the largest corporate contribution ever given for a specific campaign initiative at Texas Children’s Hospital. You can learn more about Direct Energy’s charity efforts here.

Be sure to visit Direct Energy and consider switching like five million others in North America have already. Direct Energy offers significant savings, Plenti rewards, helpful customer service and energy expertise. You’ll be saving lots ‘o green in the coming year with Direct Energy, and don’t forget who told you all about it first. (ME!)

#DirectEnergyNewHampshire

New Hampshire Disclaimer:

*Savings refers to the current difference (of up to 34%) 12-month fixed price offer of 7.19¢/kWh and Eversource New Hampshire’s current Fixed Rate for Basic Service of 10.950¢/kWh, and does not include any other component of your electricity bill such as delivery or taxes. Eversource New Hampshire’s fixed rate is effective until December 31, 2016 and may change at that time. There may be no savings following that date. Direct Energy’s rate includes energy charges only and excludes delivery/transmission charges, taxes, and all other utility-related charges.

You can follow Direct Energy on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Direct Energy. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post How I Save Money on Electricity appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Hey friends – happy Monday to you! Hope you’re doing well. I haven’t written a weekend post or update in a while, so thought I’d catch you up with a newsflash from my little Snow Globe about what’s going on behind the scenes at our house. (Besides delicious test batches of Salted Caramel Sauce.) Hope you’ll tell me what’s going on in your world too.

So we’ve had two big things going on here in the last few weeks.

First, Hudson got his speech device. So let’s have a party, right? Many of you know Hudson is our sweet six year old with Downs who doesn’t have very many words. It can be a real challenge living daily life, just trying to figure out (guess!) his wants and needs. We’ve been waiting on this speech device for nearly a year, and really hoping things are going to click with it. Unfortunately Hudson can be pretty resistant to new things and change. (I can relate!)

So he gets a thirty day trial with this new speech device, which is covered by insurance. If he shows interest and learns how to use it, he’ll get one of his own to keep. The first week was pretty frustrating as he seemed to want nothing to do with it. Sigh. But then this past week has been a lot more promising. Apparently he’s been using it at school to ask for cookies (a boy after my own heart!) and pick fun activities to do. At home he’s used it to ask for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and tell us which DVD he wants to watch. Also to ask for a glass of milk.

If you’re not familiar with a speech device (I wasn’t until I learned about Hudson’s), it’s basically a machine that looks like an i-pad, maybe a little bigger. We’re programming it with pictures (small icons/tiles) of things in Hudson’s world. Not just broad categories like food or fruit. But pictures of bananas, apples or grapes. Not just cereal, but different kinds of cereal like Raisin Bran or Cheerios.

So it’s a process, not just for Hudson, but for all of us. He has to find the right category and picture tile, then press it on the touch screen, and it will say the word(s) out loud. We’re all learning how to program the speech device and how to encourage him to use it to make his life easier and less frustrating.

So the other big thing we have going on here is, drumroll please, we just put our house on the market. If you know me at all, you know how difficult change is for me and you’re probably surprised by this news. We’re not going far, just moving locally because we need more space and the time seems right.

I remember the day we moved into this sweet cape in June of 2004. I fell in love with it, and have truly loved making it home. We have a lot of sweet memories here. Back then we had just two little boys, three and six. Well, things they change. And now there are four boys. And Hudson is the youngest now at six years old. With bigger boys comes more and bigger stuff. And their friends. This house has been such a wonderful place to raise our family, and it’s going to be a teary goodbye for sure.

Once we made the decision to move, we kicked into high gear getting the place all spiffy. Jon took a week of vacation and painted (and painted!) and grouted and we’ve been organizing, packing and shining up the place. We replaced some lighting fixtures and updated wherever we could. I got a wide angle lens to take pictures for the MLS, so I thought I’d share some of those with you here today. I still have a lot to learn, but I never knew how cool a wide angle lens is. It captures so much more than a regular one can, and it’s been a lot of fun learning to use.

Well I wish each of you a wonderful week, whatever you have planned. Does it include snow? It seriously has been a Snow Globe around here. Sixteen inches of snow last Thursday. Of course the kids are delighted. They’ve had two delays and two snow days last week alone. Woo hoo! And with the Super Bowl last weekend, it’s been quite a week.

School was canceled again today since we’re still shoveling out from yesterday’s big storm that dumped nearly a foot. So bring on the hot chocolate. I’m a true New England girl and love the white stuff.

(Then again, I’m not the one shoveling it! Thankfully.)

XOXO,

allie

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