Crunchy, sweet Sugared Pecans. Make your own sweet spiced nuts for the holidays. These are the perfect addition to a cheese board and make a wonderful old-fashioned stocking stuffer. Always appreciated by those who enjoy the finer things in life!

I never met a pecan I didn’t like. But Sugared Pecans? Now we’re talkin’. I have a southern friend whose daddy owns pecan trees. Can you even imagine? I can’t, living in the north as I do. 

We do have lovely trees here: lilacs, birches and even Christmas trees.

(Which reminds me of the Christmas tree that used to reside in my front yard growing up. One day we came home and the Christmas tree was gone. Yep. And it didn’t just walk off.

It was harvested, as if we were a tree farm. Which we were not. People: it was in our front yard. And the week before Christmas.)

On to more pleasant topics: pecans.  Yesterday I made a double recipe (5 LBS!) of these Sugared Pecans and baked the entire batch in my turkey roasting pan.

They’re such an easy treat to make and always welcome. It takes about five minutes to mix up a two pound batch and an hour and a half to bake. There. You’re done.

Small investment, huge return, and you’ll have a beautiful stash for stocking stuffers, gift baskets and holiday nibbles.

Coat the pecans, then place in a large roasting pan. Bake for an hour and half, stirring several times. These smell so heavenly baking!

These are the best Sugared Pecans in the world! (Yeah, I’m biased.)

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Sugared Pecans

Sugared Pecans are the perfect holiday treat and the quintessential stocking and gift basket stuffer. This recipe takes five minutes to mix up and yields a two pound batch.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 2 pounds shelled pecan halves
• 2 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons cold water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

• Place pecans in a large mixing bowl.
• Separately, froth egg whites and cold water together.
• Pour over pecans and mix thoroughly.
• Stir in remaining ingredients: sugar, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.
• Transfer to a large baking or roasting pan.
• Bake at 225 degrees, uncovered for one and a half hours.
• Stir every thirty minutes.
• Cool, then store in an airtight container.

You may also like: Pumpkin Spice Sugared Pecans

The post Sugared Pecans appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Fresh Peach Blueberry Salsa: fruity salsa with a delicious bite! This fresh salsa is so addictive and the peaches and blueberries are a sweet surprise!

I love a good fresh salsa and one of my fave things to do once the tomatoes finally start ripening around here is experiment with new salsas. Last summer I jumped the gun with Watermelon Salsa in July because the tomatoes weren’t even ripe yet. I just couldn’t wait.

Seriously, I almost never pick my first garden ripe tomato until the end of July or beginning of August. (That’s because sometimes it’s still snowing at the beginning of May around here. No kidding. That’s New England.)

So this past weekend we were racing around trying to get a million and one things done around here. The church picnic at the lake was on Saturday and we were packing to take our oldest to college two days later. I was giving haircuts to the bigger boys and making school shopping lists for the younger ones. So I didn’t have time to make anything elaborate for the picnic. (Understatement.) But I had a bunch of garden ripe tomatoes on the countertop to use up before we headed south.

I also had a few ripe peaches in the fruit bowl. The pint of forgotten fresh blueberries in the refrigerator was actually an after thought but took this salsa to the next level. And that’s how this salsa was born.

Truth is, I wasn’t even planning to put this Blueberry Salsa here on the blog. I was in a hurry getting out the door to the picnic and we were already running late. But it was so pretty and delicious I couldn’t resist snapping a few quick pictures.

The amounts of the ingredients are not all that important. I’m just sharing what I used — which is what I had on hand. Add more tomatoes, peaches, blueberries, garlic, peppers etc. according to your taste.

I don’t care for a watery salsa, so here’s a tip for you. I chopped all the fresh tomatoes, then lightly salted them and put them in a colander in the sink. The salt draws water out of the tomatoes. They drained for a bit while I chopped up the rest of the ingredients.

The fun thing about this salsa is it made a large quantity and disappeared fast at the picnic. It’s got to be one of the prettier and more colorful salsas I’ve made. I think that was partly why it went so fast. Plus the blueberries and peaches added an unexpected sweetness. I’ll definitely be making this salsa again and hope you’ll try it while the fresh garden tomatoes are still in season!

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Fresh Peach Blueberry Salsa

Ingredients

• 5-6 large ripe garden tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small jalapeno minus seeds and ribs, diced tiny
• 1/2 large red onion chopped
• 2 banana peppers seeded and diced
• 1 large red pepper seeded and diced
• 1 large clove garlic crushed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 ripe peach diced (no need to peel)
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• sea salt to taste
• fresh squeezed juice of 1 lime 2-3 tablespoons

Instructions

• Place chopped tomatoes in a large colander in the sink or over a bowl.
• Lightly salt the tomatoes and gently stir.
• Let tomatoes sit in colander and drain while you prepare the other ingredients.
• Combine all ingredients, including drained tomatoes in a large serving bowl and gently stir.
• Salt to taste.
• Serve with tortilla or pita chips!

You may also like: Lime Avocado Black Bean Dip with Feta

The post Fresh Peach Blueberry Salsa appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Festive Sugared Cranberries. Bursting w/flavor that pops in your mouth. Sweet & tart. Tangy & addictive. Perfect cheesecake garnish, snack, stocking stuffer or gift. Pretty and delicious on the cheese tray.

Hope all’s well and you’re experiencing the joys and festivities of the season. At our house we are through all the Christmas recitals, class parties and holiday baking, though I am making another big batch of these yummy sugared cranberries this afternoon.

Just finished up the last of the online Christmas shopping too, phew, but grateful so much is done! The Christmas tree is up and the house decorated. Wahoo!!!

The new furnace is also installed, as of minutes ago. Merry Christmas to me, right? Not kidding! Our furnace died last week and it’s been very chilly around here… I’m glad we’ll have heat on Christmas and I’m sure our Christmas day guests will agree!

We often enjoy seeing  A Christmas Carol live on-stage at our little historic theater in downtown Manchester. It’s such a beautiful venue for the production that is always excellent. There’s something nostalgic about an old-fashioned Christmas complete with traditional carols and swirling snow that really gets me in the Christmas spirit.

Sugared fruits and candied nuts are old-fashioned holiday treats that also remind me of Christmases past. Today I’m sharing a quick recipe for Festive Sugared Cranberries. Sugared cranberries are a delicious treat bursting with sweet and tangy flavor that actually pops in your mouth.

Fresh cranberries are steeped in hot sugary syrup, then rolled in superfine sugar. They beautifully garnish a cheese tray, drink, ice cream or cheesecake. They’re also the perfect little last minute stocking stuffer or hostess gift. Sweet and tart. Tangy and addictive.

Sugared Cranberries are all that rolled into one red sparkling jewel of a sugared cranberry. Bet you can’t eat just one.

Steep cranberries in hot simple syrup, then marinate in the refrigerator for eight hours.

Roll cranberries in granulated sugar or superfine sugar. Sugared Cranberries are a sweet treat to hoard or give, your decision! Store in a semi-airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Tips to make Festive Sugared Cranberries:

• Don’t heat the simple syrup too high. It should be barely simmering.
• Test to see if it’s too hot by dropping a few test cranberries in. If it’s too hot, the cranberry skin will pop. You don’t want the skin to pop, you want the juice to stay sealed up in the cranberry.
• Use white granulated sugar to roll the cranberries in, or make super fine sugar by pulsing white granulated sugar in your food processor for a few seconds.
• Sugared cranberries can get soggy as the cranberry naturally “sweats”.  So store in a semi-airtight container. Like a tupperware container with the lid cracked open a bit for airflow.

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Festive Sugared Cranberries

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups washed and sorted fresh cranberries
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar

Instructions

Cranberries in Simple Syrup

• In a small sauce pot, mix sugar and water together.
• Stir over low heat on the stove top, until barely simmering.
• Remove from heat.
• Test by dropping in a cranberry or two. (If it pops, it's too hot.)
• Add remaining cranberries and stir.
• Transfer to a covered plastic container and refrigerate about eight hours.
• Drain cranberries in a colander, reserving simple syrup for another use.

Superfine Granulated Sugar

• Make superfine granulated sugar by placing sugar in blender or food processor and pulsing several times.
• Place superfine sugar on baking sheet or shallow baking pan.

Assembly

• Roll cranberries in sugar to coat.
• Let dry on a baking sheet at room temperature for about an hour.
• Store in a semi-airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.

Notes

If you store in a completely airtight container (as I made the mistake of doing once) the cranberries can "sweat", causing the sugar to become moist and slide off.

3.5.3208

You may also like: Sugared Pecans

Peppermint Bark

Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

The post Festive Sugared Cranberries appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Salty and sweet Chocolate Covered Pretzel Owl Candy is fun for kids of all ages. Dunk mini-pretzels in melted chocolate, then add googly eyes, a nose and “horns”. Irresistibly adorable crunchy party snacks. Give a hoot!

These whimsical little owl pretzels are great party-size snacks! Adorable and cheery, they’re a fun little craft project to pop in your mouth! Hoo hoo… Kids and grandkids love ’em and they disappear fast.

And here’s a fun owl factoid for you. Can you tell me what a group of owls is called?

Drumroll….. a parliament. (Hope someone told the Queen.) Seriously, I didn’t make it up. (Referring to a group of owls as a parliament originated with C.S. Lewis’ description of an owl meeting in The Chronicles of Narnia.)

We’re in limbo with Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror, but not yet December or Christmas. It’s drab and dreary outside. A light layer of snow covers the ground and the leaves are mostly down.

The strains of carols are everywhere and Christmas lights are twinkling. Meanwhile, my mini pumpkins sit mutely on the mantel, all in a row.

We hope to get our tree this weekend. Maybe that will usher me out of limbo?

I’ve been thinking about making this Chocolate Covered Pretzel Owl Candy for a few months now. I first saw them at a birthday party and was smitten. They aren’t rocket science to make either.

You’ll need just five ingredients:

• good quality chocolate candy wafers (I used Merckens Dark Chocolate)
• mini-pretzels
• googly candy eyes (medium size)
• mini chocolate chips
• candy coated sunflower seeds (I got mine from Trader Joe’s, you can also find them on amazon.com)

If you can’t get good quality chocolate candy wafers like Merckens, use good quality chopped chocolate or even semi-sweet chocolate chips with a bit of coconut oil, vegetable shortening or butter melted in.

How to properly melt chocolate candy disks

Melt the chocolate or chocolate candy disks in a large, microwave safe bowl. As mentioned, I used the high quality candy disks by Merckens. Here are their instructions about how best to melt their candy disks:

• Place at least 1/2 pound of Merckens candy coating disks into a microwave safe container. (We like to use a two-cup glass measuring cup.)
• Microwave on high for 30 seconds.
• Remove candy melts from microwave and stir. This is an important step. It removes hot spots and prevents the coating wafers from burning.
• Return Merckens coatings to microwave and repeat process and continue until melted. (Again, remember to remove the coatings from the microwave after each 30-second interval and stir.)
• If chocolate becomes thick while working with it, simply return it to the microwave, and microwave for 10-15 seconds to remelt.

You’ll find more tips on melting high quality Mercken candy disks here.

Do you have a handy dandy candy dipping fork? I’ve had one for years but never used it. So this was the perfect opportunity. A wooden skewer, a two-tined carving fork or even a double pronged marshmallow stick would also do the trick. (I prefer the candy dipping fork because it prevents the pretzel from sliding down too far.)

How to make Chocolate Covered Pretzel Owl Candy:

Drop your pretzel in the melted chocolate, then shake and twirl it around on the candy dipping fork ’til the excess melted chocolate drips off. (It’s a good idea to use a larger microwave safe bowl when melting so melted chocolate doesn’t get everywhere when you shake off the excess. Because it can get messy. LOL, the voice of experience.)

Place your chocolate covered pretzels onto a parchment or waxed paper lined cookie sheet to dry.

Then place a small amount of melted chocolate into a snack size ziploc bag and seal it. Snip off a tiny corner and use it like a pastry bag.

Squeeze small amounts of melted chocolate into the top two holes of the pretzel, leaving the bottom one empty. Before the chocolate hardens, add your googly candy eyes on top.

If you have some eyes with the pupils a little off center, you can make some pretty funny expressions. Unfortunately most of mine were pretty close to the middle. (!!!!)

Then squeeze a little melted chocolate in between the eyes. Add a candy coated sunflower seed, pointed down. Voila – that’s your owl’s beak! Now ain’t that GRAND?

Once the beak is on, you’ve got real personality. So maybe it’s time to think of names? (Like Fred or Gertrude.)

Then add a little melted chocolate above each eye and tack on the little HORNS. (Mini chocolate chips.) So cute.

These little owl pretzels are a hoot and sure to be a hit wherever they go. Enjoy and have fun!

Tips for making Chocolate Covered Pretzel Owl Candy:

• Use good quality chocolate candy disks like Merckens. (Can also use good quality chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate with a little coconut oil, butter or vegetable shortening mixed in.)
• Use a candy dipping fork.
• I found candy coated sunflower seeds online on amazon.com, they may also be available at your local Trader Joe’s.
• Use medium-sized googly candy eyes, found at your local candy shop or online. (There were three sizes at my candy store: small, medium and large.)

Fun owl facts:

• Owls are zygodactyl. (Translation: their feet have two forward-facing toes and two backward-facing toes.)
• Not all owls hoot! Some hiss and others even whinny.
• The tiniest owl in the world is the Elf Owl and it weighs 1 ½ ounces.

More fun owl facts here!

Other pretzel candy recipes you may enjoy: Pretzel Candies, Candy Bar Pretzel Bites, Candy Dipped Pretzel Rods and Easy Pretzel Candy Melts.

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Chocolate Covered Pretzel Owl Candy

Servings 48 owl candies

Ingredients

• 48 mini pretzels
• 2 cups of dark chocolate candy disks or good quality chopped chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips - see tips below
• 96 medium-sized googly eyes
• 48 candy coated sunflower seeds
• mini chocolate chips
• If you don't have good quality chocolate candy disks, use 2 cups of good quality chocolate or semisweet chocolate morsels. Add 1-2 teaspoons of coconut oil, butter or vegetable shortening to the chocolate. Melt carefully in the microwave or in a double boiler over low heat.

Instructions

• Melt chocolate candy disks according to manufacturer's instructions. (Or use good quality chopped chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate. (See above.)
• Dip pretzels in melted chocolate and shake off excess.
• Place on parchment or waxed paper lined cookie sheet.
• Allow chocolate to harden. Set aside.
• Fill a snack size bag with warm melted chocolate and seal the bag. (may need to reheat chocolate first.)
• Snip a very tiny corner of the bag, and use as a pastry bag.
• Squeeze chocolate out of the snipped corner of bag, and fill top two holes of the pretzel. Leave the bottom hole empty.
• Press candy eyes onto warm melted chocolate.
• Squeeze a small amount of melted chocolate between candy eyes.
• Press candy coated sunflower seed, point down, in between eyes.
• Squeeze two dots of melted chocolate above eyes.
• Press one mini chocolate chip above each eye.
• ENJOY!!!

You may also like: Chocolate Peanut Butter Acorns

The post Chocolate Covered Pretzel Owl Candy appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Peppermint Bark is a yummy Christmas tradition at our house during the holidays. Crunchy, white chocolate is layered with creamy dark peppermint chocolate and crushed candy canes! We make this delicious treat for all the holiday parties and Christmas stockings.

I kid you not, I’ve made over a hundred pounds of this peppermint bark through the years. Probably more. Everyone seems to love receiving it and I love making and giving it.

My funniest memory regarding Peppermint Bark has to be with my first busy little four year old years ago. He was always aggressively pounding on something or other. I thought crushing candy canes would be the perfect job to occupy him. (Positively!)

So I sent him out to the driveway to bang on candy canes with a veggie can. He was excited. I mean, really excited. The candy was in a ziploc bag, in an old camping pan lined with a dish towel. The banging went on and on and then it got really quiet.

I went out to check on him. He’d gotten a little carried away with well doing. Half the driveway was covered in crushed peppermints. We laughed and laughed. (And thankfully I had more peppermints inside, which is probably WHY I could laugh, lol.) Then for a couple weeks we had the sparkliest driveway in the neighborhood, just in time for Christmas.

Peppermint Bark shouts “Christmas” loud and clear from snowy rooftops. This bark is extra yummy because it has whipping cream mixed in with the bittersweet chocolate. This makes the top chocolate layer creamy instead of hard. It’s also highly addictive. (I think it’s every bit as good as Williams Sonoma peppermint bark. Maybe better.)

I pack it in 1/4 lb. candy boxes for gift giving. White box. Red and white striped grosgrain ribbon. It seems that Santa himself prefers Peppermint Bark to cookies, based on an experiment we conducted one Christmas Eve. (!)

How To Make Peppermint Bark:

Crush the peppermints/candy canes and set aside. (To crush peppermints or candy canes: leave in plastic wrappers, place in a heavy duty ziploc bag and bang with the sharp edge of a veggie can. I put the ziploc bag in an old t0wel-lined camping pan. Or use a food processor. (Remove wrappers first if using the food processor!)

 Melt the vanilla candy wafers.

 Spread onto parchment paper. Cool.

Dollop the barely warm melted chocolate, peppermint extract and whipping cream mixture onto the white chocolate.

Spread chocolate mixture evenly on top of first layer, then sprinkle with crushed peppermints or candy canes.

Cool in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Then let sit out for 5 or 10 minutes. (If you cut it when it’s too cold, the hard white layer underneath doesn’t cut cleanly.)

Chop into triangles with a sharp butcher knife and quick, hard pressure.

Package into 1/4 lb. candy boxes for gift giving. Peppermint Bark: It’s how we roll for the holidays.

Keep this treat refrigerated because of the whipping cream in the dark chocolate layer.

Tips for making Peppermint Bark:

• Use a veggie can to crush peppermints or candy canes. Leave the candy in the plastic wrappers and use a veggie can to bang on them. Line an old camping pan with an old towel for the task. Do this in the basement, garage or outside because little pieces of the candy can fly and make a mess.
• I use mini candy canes. I used to use the starlite peppermint candies, but the mini candy canes work best for me.
• Chop into triangles with a sharp butcher knife and quick, hard pressure.
• Keep peppermint bark refrigerated.
• Package into 1/4 lb. candy boxes for gift giving

Other peppermint treats you my enjoy: Peppermint Stick Ice Cream, Pink Peppermint Eggnog Punch, Peppermint Fudge and Peppermint White Christmas cocktail.

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Peppermint Bark

Peppermint Bark is delightful any time of year, but especially at Christmas. Use good quality chocolate! This is highly addictive and makes a great gift packaged in 1/4 lb. candy boxes.

Course Candy

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 1 1/2 pounds candy

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 16 ounces white vanilla candy wafer disks buy at A.C. Moore or Michael's
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 4 tablespoons whipping cream
• crushed starlite peppermint candies or candy canes

Instructions

• Melt vanilla candy wafer disks according to package directions. (I use the microwave.)
• Spread onto a 24" X 18" foil or parchment square on top of an inverted baking pan.
• Let harden.
• Slowly melt chopped chocolate over very low heat.
• Remove from heat when just melted.
• Stir in peppermint extract and whipping cream.
• Spread melted chocolate mixture evenly on top of white candy layer.
• Sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies.
• Chill until just hardened, about 15 minutes.
• Wait 10-15 minutes, then cut into triangles.
• Refrigerate!

Notes

How to crush the peppermints: leave in plastic wrappers, place in a heavy duty ziploc bag and bang with the sharp edge of a veggie can. Or use a food processor. (Please take off wrappers first if using the food processor!)

Refrigerate peppermint bark!

You may also like: Peppermint Stick Ice Cream

The post Peppermint Bark Recipe appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries are a pop of delicious flavor in your mouth! Dye-free, preservative-free maraschino cherries are dunked in melted chocolate for a special treat for the holidays or anytime. (Optional: soak cherries in rum, brandy or vodka first for extra flavor pop! 21 and older please.)

I woke up today and it felt like any other recent fall day. Rainy and overcast. (We’ve had a lot of rain around here.) But later things brightened considerably when Jon presented me with a bunch of bright red tulips! Tulips are my favorite. Tulips and peonies.

Special occasion? YES!!! Today is the 4th anniversary of Through Her Looking Glass. Somehow I’d forgotten, and glad he didn’t.

He also gave me a winner card that said “When I think about what it means to be brave, I think of you.” And that was very kind and generous. Because I distinctly remember feeling considerably less than brave while pushing the publish button on that first post. And subsequent ones. Wondering if this thing would soar, or crash and burn.

His card reminds me of Piglet. “It is very hard to be brave,” said Piglet, sniffing slightly, “when you’re only a Very Small Animal.” Piglet was always a wise little animal. I guess it was A.A.Milne who was truly the wise one.

So it’s hard to believe the holidays are nearly here. YAY! (I think.) This is always my favorite time of year. I’m making lists and checking them twice.

Maybe I’m just getting older, but it seems the days race by and Thanksgiving and Christmas come just a little faster every year.

Do you remember those delicious foil-wrapped Chocolate Covered Cherries? We used to have them around the holidays at our house. Some kind, generous soul (with good taste!) would gift us with a box.

Once they were open, they were nearly impossible to resist. That Black Forest combination of chocolate and cherries is the bomb!

Last year I made some adorable little chocolate mice with chocolate kisses and homemade chocolate covered cherries. They are the perfect treats to add to Santa’s milk and cookies on Christmas Eve.

I had no idea how easy chocolate covered cherries are to make until I made those tempting little mice.

Try natural maraschino cherries:

Even though I love them, I had stayed away from maraschino cherries for years, knowing the preservatives and dyes used to make them are unhealthy at best.

But recently I discovered some amazing natural maraschino cherries at Whole Foods. These Merry Maraschino Cherries by Tillen Farms have no preservatives or dyes or corn syrup.

You can also buy them on Amazon. So now I’m happily using maraschino cherries in baking and treat making again. No guilt.

TIPS FOR MAKING CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES:

• Use stem-on Merry Maraschino Cherries by Tillen Farms, free of corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors, dyes and preservatives. (I got mine at Whole Foods for about $7.)
• If you don’t have coconut oil, use vegetable shortening or butter.
• Drain cherries, then place on paper towels to air dry for a bit.
• Make sure the cherries are dry before dipping in melted chocolate. (Lightly blot with paper towels if needed.)
• Melt chocolate and coconut oil over very low heat on the stove top so it doesn’t seize or burn. Or melt in the microwave on high power for 15 second increments, stirring well after each increment.
• Be careful not to get any water in the bowl with the chocolate or on any of the utensils you’re using. (It will cause your chocolate to seize up.)
• If you want thinner chocolate for dipping, add more coconut oil to the chocolate. (I suggest adding in 1 teaspoon increments, then stirring thoroughly after each addition until you get the consistency you want.)
• Let dipped chocolate covered cherries dry on parchment paper, stem up.
• To make chocolate covered cherries with liquor, soak cherries overnight in rum, brandy or vodka. ( 21+ please!)
• Store at room temperature for up to a week.
• Optional: Soak overnight in rum, brandy or vodka for a delicious alcoholic version.

Other recipes you might like with chocolate and cherries: Dark Chocolate Cherry Scones, Chocolate Cherry Fudge Bundt Cake and Chocolate Cherry Skillet Cookie. Or try this classic Cherry Garcia Ice Cream!

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Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries (w/or w/out alcohol)

Servings 24 chocolate covered cherries

Ingredients

• 2 cups semi-sweet milk or dark chocolate chips or other good quality chopped chocolate
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or more for consistency
• 24 stem-on maraschino cherries
• I used Merry Maraschino Cherries, free of artificial colors, flavors, dyes, corn syrup or preservatives
• Optional: 1 cup brandy rum or vodka for soaking cherries

Instructions

• If using alcohol, soak cherries overnight in brandy, rum or vodka.
• Drain maraschino cherries and gently blot with paper towels.
• Lay cherries out on paper towels to air dry a bit.
• Separately, in the microwave or on the stovetop on very low heat, melt chocolate chips or chopped chocolate together with coconut oil.
• Stir until smooth.
• Hold dry cherries by the stem and dip into the chocolate mixture.
• Place chocolate dipped cherries stem up onto waxed or parchment paper to dry.
• Reheat remaining chocolate mixture if needed.
• Allow to air dry or place in the refrigerator for a few minutes to hurry up the process.
• Store at room temperature for up to a week.

Notes

Use stem-on Merry Maraschino Cherries by Tillen Farms, free of corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors, dyes and preservatives. (I got mine at Whole Foods for about $7.)

If you don't have coconut oil, use vegetable shortening or butter.

Make sure your cherries are dry before dipping in melted chocolate. Drain cherries, then place on paper towels to air dry for a bit. (Lightly blot with paper towels if needed.)

Melt chocolate and coconut oil over very low heat on the stove top so it doesn't seize or burn. Or melt in the microwave on high power for 15 second increments, stirring well after each increment.

Don't get any water in the bowl with the chocolate or on any of the utensils you're using. (It will cause your chocolate to seize up.)

If you want thinner chocolate for dipping, add more coconut oil to the chocolate. (I suggest adding in 1 teaspoon increments, then stirring thoroughly after each addition until you get the consistency you want.)

Let dipped chocolate covered cherries dry on parchment paper, stem up.

You may also like: Chocolate Covered Cherry Mice

The post Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

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.

I’m already planning ahead for the holidays, and these Caramelized Maple Walnuts are the perfect fall treat. They make great nibbles at Thanksgiving and are perfect for mailing in holiday packages and tucking into Christmas stockings.

So I did something new today. Something I’ve never ever done before.

Do you like trying new things? I do. Even more than new things, I enjoy unusual people. You know what I mean when I say unusual, right? Not weird or strange.

I mean eclectic, in the very best sense of the word. Characters. I really enjoy spending time with characters.

I’m lucky to have a lot of eclectic friends up and down the east coast. We were born and raised in the north, but then my husband and I lived in South Carolina for many years. We moved back to New England in 2004 with two little boys in tow.

Cutest. Maple syrup jug. Ever. (3.4 ounce capacity)

By now you think I’m ancient with one foot in the grave. And trust me, there are days I feel that way! But the truth is, Jon and I celebrated our 25th anniversary this past summer! So woo hoo! (Confirming we’re one step closer to ancient every day…giggle.)

Back to my eclectic friends. There’s something refreshing to about spending time with people who are very different than I am. I’ve always loved it, and get such a kick out of characters. And I happen to be acquainted with more than a few!

My next-door neighbor growing up, Mr. Peck, was a character. And his wife (Mrs. Peck) was also in that category. Their names were, drumroll…. Lester and Esther. And both were very sweet, older friends who kindly spent lots of time with me as a little girl.

I’ve told you about them before. He, a white-haired retired engineer who built a little empire on his hundred acres, including a very contemporary three story home on a hilltop overlooking the large pond he designed.

A genuine root cellar was built into the hill where they stored the root vegetables they grew in their gargantuan garden. He also built an authentic wooden covered bridge on one end of the pond.

The pond had an island with a little gazebo in the middle, and was a nice destination to row to for picnic lunches. There was also a fancy shmancy zip-line (complete with metal tractor seat) that crossed over one edge of the pond. Mr. Peck loved his big boy toys. Understatement.

Look closely and you’ll see the covered bridge nestled back in the trees. 

Their property also included a sugar shack with a gigantic snapping turtle shell hanging from the ceiling. It was at least three feet across. And there was a large wooden tree house way high up, where I played “house” often. These are just a few of the many wonders that amazed me as a child about my very eclectic neighbors the Pecks.

And how could I forget Mrs. Peck? True to her Cherokee roots, her beautiful snow white hair was plaited in two long braids. A silver Cherokee warrior pendant hung around her neck. She taught me to knit when I was only six, and how to make God’s eyes with straws and yarn. (Remember those?)

She intrigued me, hanging upside down on her anti-gravity machine. (An anomaly in the 70’s.) And each morning at 5:30 a.m., with the mist still rising off the pond, she’d skinny-dip out to the island and back several times for exercise.

On occasion she invited me along. I never did accept. As previously mentioned, I love people who are different than me. Nope, you won’t catch me skinny dipping out to any island at 5:30 a.m. in the morning.

Not even with Mrs. Peck. ‘Cuz that ain’t my style.

Where were we??? YES! I did something new today! (No, not skinny dipping.) I made these fabulous Caramelized Maple Walnuts.

I was thinking of the Pecks when I made them, because I used to help Mr. Peck make the maple syrup in their sugar shack. (I was telling you about that last week.)

How to make Caramelized Maple Walnuts:

So it takes about five minutes to make these gorgeous caramelized nuts. Just put the walnuts in a skillet with pure maple syrup. Cook over medium heat for five minutes or so. The water in the syrup begins to evaporate and the syrup will caramelize.

Oh. My. Goodness.

The smell alone is divine. But that sweet, maply nutty crunch? Even better.

When that ooey gooey caramel-y syrup starts sticking to the walnuts,  remove from the nuts from the heat and place on parchment paper to dry. They take just a few minutes to harden.

And then you’ve got the most delicious maple candied nuts ever and not an ounce of refined sugar to boot. Mother Nature at her finest. No guilt.

So what to do with these lovely candied nuts? That would be the wrong question my friend. The question is, what NOT to do?

So many uses. Think trail mix. Oatmeal. Salads. Cakes. Ice cream topping. Parfaits. Pie. Granola. Stocking stuffers. Just to name a few.

The sky’s the limit, and I’ll be sharing more ideas using these delicious Caramelized Maple Walnuts in the days to come. Stay tuned!

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Caramelized Maple Walnuts Recipe

Pure maple syrup makes a lovely candied walnut. Perfection in trail mix, salads, ice cream, oatmeal & more! Perfect snack for your sweet tooth!

Course Nuts

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1 generous cup

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/4 cup maple syrup

Instructions

• Place walnuts in medium skillet.
• Pour maple syrup on top and gently stir to coat.
• Cook over medium heat until bubbling, stirring every few minutes.
• Syrup will begin to caramelize after about five minutes or so. Watch closely.
• When syrup is sticking to walnuts and there's not so much liquid left in the skillet, remove from heat.
• Quickly (and carefully!) place separately on parchment paper to harden.
• Once dry and hardened, store in airtight container until needed.

You may also like: Sugared Pecans

The post Caramelized Maple Walnuts appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

These Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are fantastic. Butter, flour, sugar, oatmeal, chocolate chips. Lots to love. Heavenly, warm and fresh from the oven. These cookies are a yummy after school or weekend treat!

Think melty chocolate. Buttery. Crunchy. Mmmm…these cookies are perfect picnic fare or packed in lunch boxes.

These Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are simple to make. Get out your wooden spoon and mixing bowl.

Stir together the dry ingredients.

Stir in the wet ingredients.

(I know. Tough.)

Shape dough into balls or use a cookie scoop.

Nothing better than these warm buttery cookies, fresh from the oven. Don’t forget the milk.

It’s the butter and oatmeal that make these so crispy and crunchy. And unlike many butter cookies, these hold their shape well because of the oatmeal.

While I do love regular oatmeal cookies, these Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies don’t taste like a traditional oatmeal cookie. They’re crispy and buttery. Like a good chocolate chip oatmeal cookie ought to be.

You can give this Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies mix as a gift. I feel slightly 90’s here, because that’s when all the mason jar homemade mixes were popular. Everybody and their brother gave (and got) these mason jar mixes at Christmas time.

Basically the dry ingredients of the recipe are in a mason jar with an attached gift card listing the needed wet/refrigerated ingredients and instructions.

I haven’t given or received one these homemade mixes in over a decade. And I don’t know why, because they’re cool. So maybe I miss the 90’s. (Maybe.)

But the dry ingredients in this recipe are perfectly proportioned to layer and fit in a one quart mason jar. Add a tag with the needed wet ingredients and instructions, and you’ve got the perfect little thank you or hostess gift.

The best part? Watching my littlest taste tester hard at work. Hudson says thumbs up and finger-lickin’ melty chocolatey good.

I tried this batch with chocolate chunks instead of chocolate chips. Score!!!

Tips for Making Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies:

• Melt butter in the microwave.
• You’ll only need one mixing bowl.
• Use a parchment lined baking pan for easy clean-up.
• Use a cookie scoop for portioning uniform cookies.
• Dry ingredients stack easily in a mason jar for gift giving.
• Layer dry ingredients in a one quart mason jar. Stuff saran wrap at the top to keep ingredients from shifting, then screw on the cover. Attach a gift tag that says: “Add: 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 beaten egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Shape into 1 ” balls. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes. Enjoy!”

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Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

These buttery, crispy chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are the perfect treat for picnics and boxed lunches.

Course Cookies

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 23 minutes minutes

Servings 2 dozen, 2 1/2" cookies

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 cup Quaker rolled oats
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• optional: 1/2 cup walnuts broken into small pieces
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, brown sugar, rolled oats, chocolate chips and optional nuts.
• Stir in 1/2 cup melted butter (warm, not hot), beaten egg and vanilla.
• Shape into 1 " balls or use a cookie scoop as I do.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, 'til golden brown.
• Enjoy!

Notes

I often double this recipe. Or triple or quadruple.
I often add in extra chocolate chips. (Why not?)

This recipe also makes a great gift as a cookie mix. Layer all dry ingredients in a quart mason jar. Stuff saran wrap at the top to keep ingredients from shifting, then screw on the cover. Attach a gift tag that says:
Add:
1/2 cup melted butter
1 beaten egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Shape into 1 " balls.
Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.
Enjoy!

You may also enjoy: Nantucket Bike Path Cookies

The post Easy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

These itty-bitty Chocolate Mice Candy w/Chocolate Covered Cherries are clever and cute. Fun and easy to make with the kids and grandkids. Just a few ingredients you probably have in your cupboard. Kids of all ages snap up these whimsical chocolate candies!

These chocolate mice are so dang cute and I’m making them for Valentine’s Day treats this year.

And why aren’t real mice this cute? (If you think they are, then you’re in good company with the reptiles!)

For me, mice conjure up repressed memories. Cowering ridiculously as a school girl on the top bunk at boarding school, as the maintenance man Syd chases a tiny furry rodent around my dorm room closet. Me shrieking all the while.

Embarrassing to think of now, one husband and four boys later. (Mice are the least of my problems these days.) And that poor maintenance man – he probably has hearing aids today on account of ME.

And that’s not the end of my mice ‘tales’, pun intended. Years later Jon was gone on a business trip. The kids and I heard a tell tale scritch-scratch coming from the dining room one evening and saw a tiny pink tail disappear under the antique trunk.

We advanced on the mouse, armed with a large mixing bowl. The story didn’t end well. For the mouse. We had to get a little creative that night…

Just a few weeks ago a friend texted me three words: “We have mice.”  It was an unusual text to receive.

“Lice or mice?” I texted back. “Because mice is bad, but lice is worse.”

Thankfully it was the former. My friend recently moved to New England and was unfamiliar with the trials of old farm houses and mice. When it gets super frigid up here in the winter time, it’s inevitable the mice will find somewhere warmer to go. And Murphy’s Law, her husband was gone on a trip too. She and her brave daughter took matters into their own hands that night. (The mice didn’t win.)

The kind of mice we’re talking today are tasty, adorable and bring only shrieks of delight. And what exactly is correct protocol for eating a mouse?

Grab it by the tail and drop it straight into the pie hole – in one fell swoop. (Discard tail.) These Chocolate Mice are nice!

Tips for making Chocolate Mice:

• Use stem-on Merry Maraschino Cherries by Tillen Farms, free of corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors, dyes and preservatives. (I got mine at Whole Foods for about $7.)
• If you don’t have coconut oil, use vegetable shortening or butter.
• Make sure your cherries are dry before dipping in melted chocolate. Drain cherries, then place on paper towels to air dry for a bit. (Lightly blot with paper towels if needed.)
• Melt chocolate and coconut oil over very low heat on the stove top so it doesn’t seize or burn. Or melt in the microwave on high power for 15 second increments, stirring well after each increment.
• Don’t get any water in the bowl with the chocolate or on any of the utensils you’re using. (It will cause your chocolate to seize up.)
• If you want thinner chocolate for dipping, add more coconut oil to the chocolate. (I suggest adding in 1 teaspoon increments, then stirring thoroughly after each addition until you get the consistency you want.)
• Let dipped chocolate covered cherries dry on parchment paper, stem up.

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Chocolate Mice Recipe Candy w/Chocolate Covered Cherries

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 24 chocolate mice

Ingredients

• 48 almond slices
• 2 cups semi-sweet milk or dark chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or more for consistency
• 24 stem-on maraschino cherries
• I used Merry Maraschion Cherries, free of artificial colors, flavors, dyes, corn syrup or preservatives
• 24 milk chocolate or dark chocolate candy kisses

Instructions

• Drain maraschino cherries and gently blot with paper towels.
• Lay cherries out on paper towels to air dry a bit.
• Separately, in the microwave or on the stovetop on very low heat, melt chocolate chips together with coconut oil.
• Stir until smooth.
• Hold dry cherries by the stem and dip into the chocolate mixture.
• Place chocolate dipped cherries stem up onto waxed or parchment paper to dry.
• Reheat remaining chocolate mixture if needed.
• Press bottom of dipped cherry into melted chocolate and onto an unwrapped Hershey's kiss.
• Press two almond sliced between the chocolate kiss and the dipped cherry.
• Allow to air dry or place in the refrigerator for a few minutes to hurry up the process.
• Enjoy!

Notes

Use stem-on Merry Maraschino Cherries by Tillen Farms, free of corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors, dyes and preservatives. (I got mine at Whole Foods for about $7.)

If you don't have coconut oil, use vegetable shortening or butter.

Make sure your cherries are dry before dipping in melted chocolate. Drain cherries, then place on paper towels to air dry for a bit. (Lightly blot with paper towels if needed.)

Melt chocolate and coconut oil over very low heat on the stove top so it doesn't seize or burn. Or melt in the microwave on high power for 15 second increments, stirring well after each increment.

Don't get any water in the bowl with the chocolate or on any of the utensils you're using. (It will cause your chocolate to seize up.)

If you want thinner chocolate for dipping, add more coconut oil to the chocolate. (I suggest adding in 1 teaspoon increments, then stirring thoroughly after each addition until you get the consistency you want.)

Let dipped chocolate covered cherries dry on parchment paper, stem up.

You may also like: Chocolate Peanut Butter Acorns

The post Chocolate Mice Candy w/Chocolate Covered Cherries appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Festive Lime Sugared Cranberries. The best combination of tart and sweet. Pops in your mouth! Pretty on the cheese tray and cheesecake. These sparkly gems are an easy new tradition that will make your holidays extra delicious!
Can’t wait to share my latest recipe inspiration today: Lime Sugared Cranberries. But first things first. Let’s chat. So Christmas is nearly here. And in case you didn’t know, I absolutely LOVE Christmas.

It’s by far my favorite holiday of the year. I love the anticipation, the getting ready. Like a little kid. (Me.) Love the jingle bells in the air. The frosty breath outside, frosted window panes.

The sheer delight on my children’s faces as I complete the millionth batch of Peppermint Bark for the season. I’ve always loved spending time making handmade treats and gifts for those I love.

There’s magic that happens while working with my hands, thinking about family and friends enjoying my little labor of love. I think it’s the contagious spirit of giving that brings joy.

So I’ve already been putting Christmas baskets together. If you follow the blog you know I love saving a peso. So these aren’t really gifts baskets per se, but re-purposed clementine crates I save all year long. This year I’m adding a new treat to the Christmas crates: Lime Sugared Cranberries.

Have you ever tasted a sugared cranberry before? I hadn’t until this year. Sugared cranberries are a festive holiday treat, easily made by marinating fresh cranberries in hot simple syrup, then rolling in superfine granulated sugar. Here’s my favorite Sugared Cranberry recipe.

I thought sugared cranberries might taste too tart, but the cranberries actually absorb the sugary simple syrup, and soften ever so slightly. They literally “pop” in your mouth: simultaneously sweet and mouth-puckeringly tart.

Think lemonade or lemon curd. It’s the sweet and tart together that’s so mouthwateringly addictive.

So here’s my new twist. Roll the cranberries in lime sugar instead of regular. Adds a little more flavor. I’ve always loved lime and cranberry flavors together, so thought the Lime Sugared Cranberries might be pretty (and tasty) for the holiday season.

Well guess what. I was right. These babies are beautiful and festive, sparkling red and green gems for the holiday table.

Lime Sugar is easily made by baking lime zest in the oven at low heat, then mixing with super fine sugar.

Lime Sugared Cranberries are perfect for snacking or adding to a gift basket. Garnishing a cheesecake, ice-cream or a holiday drink. Even dressing up a cheese board or appetizer tray. I can think of so many fun uses for these gourmet treats and I can’t wait to hear how you enjoy them too.

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Lime Sugared Cranberries

For gourmet gift baskets, snacking, garnishing cheesecake & holiday drinks. They "pop" in your mouth: sweet & mouth-puckeringly tart.

Course Snack & Garnish

Servings 2 cups

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

Cranberries

• 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups washed and sorted fresh cranberries

Lime Sugar

• 1 cup super fine granulated sugar
• zest from 3 limes

Instructions

Cranberries

• In a small sauce pot, mix sugar and water together.
• Stir over low heat on the stove top 'til barely simmering.
• Remove from heat.
• Test by dropping in a cranberry or two. (If the cranberry pops open, it's still too hot.)
• Add remaining cranberries and stir.
• Transfer to a covered plastic container and refrigerate about eight hours.
• Drain cranberries in a colander, reserving the simple syrup for another use.
• Roll in lime sugar.

Lime Sugar

• Spread lime zest on baking sheet.
• Bake at 100 degrees for ten minutes.
• Make superfine granulated sugar by placing sugar in blender or food processor and pulsing once or twice.
• (Go slowly, the more you pulse the finer it becomes.)
• Mix cooled lime zest and sugar together.
• Store in an airtight container.
• The lime sugar flavor intensifies the longer it sits.
• (A couple days, or even a week, is nice before you roll the cranberries in it.)

Assembly

• Place lime sugar on baking sheet or in shallow baking pan.
• Roll cranberries in lime sugar to coat.
• Let dry on a baking sheet at room temperature for about an hour.
• Store in a semi-airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.

Notes

Don't store these in an airtight container. A little air is good. Otherwise the sugar may get wet and soggy on the outside of the cranberries. You want these lime sugared cranberries to be dry on the outside and juicy on the inside!

You may also like: Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies

The post Festive Lime Sugared Cranberries appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.