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.

Fruity White Wine Peach Sangria is an easy and delicious summer cocktail made by the pitcherful. (No bartender necessary!)

This refreshing sangria is the perfect no-fuss fruity drink to enjoy poolside with friends and family this summer. Today I’m sharing an easy white wine peach sangria recipe perfect for a holiday weekend!

So we’ve been outside working hard to spruce up the yard for our son Jacob’s high school graduation party in just a few weeks. It always amazes me how much faster the weeds grow than the flowers.

Jon spent a good amount of time wrestling an invasive vine out of a rhododendron bush out front. He seriously filled three or four lawn bags with just the vines. He was also trimming bushes and weed whacking.

I was weeding flower beds and preparing our little patch of earth for the vegetable garden out back.

So by the time we finished all our hard work last Saturday we were in serious need of liquid refreshment. This Fruity White Wine Peach Sangria fit the bill.

If you’re familiar with sangria at all, you know it’s usually red wine, some sweetener and lots of fresh, ripe fruit. So I did a little switcheroo here, and used white wine instead for a more summery cocktail.

While it isn’t the mixed drink I’d serve Queen Elizabeth if she showed up to tea, it’s a great cocktail just the same. It’s a fun fru-fru girly drink, for the record.

Not high end or pricey, but the perfect cocktail to make by the pitcher and serve inexpensively to large groups. This recipe serves many and makes nearly a gallon. It goes a long way and everyone raves about it. (You’ll thank me later.)

A couple notes:

• Use fresh, ripe fruit that macerates well, releasing its sweet juice into the wine. Bad or unripe fruit doesn’t improve, even when soaked in wine.
• And use decent wine. I like to use cheaper or middle of the road wine for sangria. Today I used a bottle of 2014 Kendall-Jackson Pinot Gris and it turned out great.
• Melting ice can dilute, so opt for extra frozen fruit instead to keep your sangria well chilled.
• If you like a really sweet sangria, add simple syrup. Mine was plenty sweet without additional simple syrup.

Print

Fruity White Wine Peach Sangria Recipe

Sweet peaches macerate in a delicious cocktail for all the pool & patio summer parties! Make this by the pitcherful!

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 1 25.4 ounce bottle white wine try pinot grigio, pino gris or prosecco I used Kendall Jackson Pinot Gris
• 1, 2 liter bottle of peach soda
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 3-5 ripe juicy peaches, sliced thinly
• Optional - add simple syrup if you like it super sweet. I did not add simple syrup
• Optional - one pint blueberries
• Optional - Extra frozen fruit to keep your sangria cold without dilution.

Instructions

• Pour all ingredients into a very large pitcher. (This make nearly a gallon.)
• Add fresh fruit.
• Chill in the refrigerator, letting fruit macerate in the sangria for several hours.
• Serve well chilled with ice or extra frozen fruit.

You may also like: Blueberry Basil Mojito

The post Fruity White Wine Peach Sangria appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

This keto-friendly Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe is perfect if you’re looking for a rich and creamy low-carb broccoli soup that’s easy to make with just a few ingredients on hand. It incorporates frozen chopped broccoli, so no chopping necessary! Cream cheese and heavy cream make it the creamiest broccoli soup ever.

I sampled this soup for the first time when our son Jonathan was born over twenty years ago. A kind friend (also a great cook!) brought it over for dinner, and we’ve been in love with this soup ever since.

This Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe also fits perfectly into a keto diet. If you’re unfamiliar with the keto diet, it relies heavily on good fats, minimal protein and low carbs daily.

(Good fats on the keto diet are considered to be saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, natural trans fats and natural polyunsaturated fats. More info. here!) So this broccoli soup is naturally a tasty, filling and nutritious option that fits the bill.

Use an immersion blender if you have one

So last week I finally jumped on the band wagon and picked up an immersion blender. Do you have one of these kitchen wonders yet? It’s so much fun, makes quick work of blending and emulsifying, and it wasn’t very expensive.

I found my heavy duty immersion blender on Amazon with excellent ratings and it’s lived up to my every expectation.

So far I’ve used it to make homemade mayonnaise (with avocado oil!), homemade ranch dressing, French toast, a creamy bacon cauliflower cheese soup and this Cream of Broccoli Soup. An immersion blender is a great invention and I only wish I hadn’t waited so long to get one.

(You can also easily make this soup with a regular countertop blender too.)

Directions to make this keto-friendly Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe are so simple.

Chop up your green onions and sauté them in a bit of butter.

• Add cubed cream cheese and heavy cream (or half and half).
• Stir over low heat until cream cheese is completely melted.
• Stir in chicken broth and add half of chopped broccoli.
• Process soup until creamy, with an immersion blender or a countertop blender.
• Add remaining chopped broccoli.
• Stir in seasonings.
• Cook on low until broccoli is tender.

Serve hot and garnish with toasted almonds if desired. That’s all for now, folks!!!

Tips for Making Cream of Broccoli Soup:

• Start with your cream cheese at room temperature rather than straight from the refrigerator. It will melt easier at room temperature.
• Thaw the broccoli ahead of time.
• Use chopped frozen broccoli to save yourself a lot of chopping work!
• Use an immersion blender or process in a countertop blender.
• If you prefer a smoother soup, process soup with all broccoli added.
• Cook over low heat just until broccoli is tender.
• Absolutely do not boil! (The soup will separate and the texture will be ruined.) Always keep this soup on low or medium low heat just to be safe.

Other broccoli recipes you may enjoy: Broccoli Bacon Salad, Cheesy Broccoli Rice and Beef and Broccoli Recipe .

Print

Keto Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped green onion
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 32 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
• 4 cups half and half or heavy cream
• 4 cups organic sugar-free chicken broth
• 6 10 ounce boxes frozen, chopped broccoli, thawed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• optional: toasted slivered almonds for garnish

Instructions

• Keep in mind that during this whole process you don't want the soup to boil. (This can cause it to separate and ruin the texture.)
• Saute onions in butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
• Cube cream cheese.
• Add cubed cream cheese and heavy cream or half and half to green onions.
• Stir over low heat until the cream cheese is melted.
• Stir in chicken broth.
• Add half of the chopped broccoli.
• Process soup with an immersion blender or in a countertop blender until smooth.
• Stir in lemon juice and seasonings.
• Add remaining chopped broccoli.
• Cook over low heat until frozen broccoli is tender.
• Garnish each bowl with toasted almonds and fresh herbs if desired.

You may also like this soup : Simon Pearce Vermont Cheddar Cheese Soup

The post Keto-Friendly Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup is the perfect steaming bowlful on a chilly winter day. Sautéed carrots, onions, cabbage and celery simmer with split peas, ham and flavorful spices for a hearty and nutritious soup that hits the spot.

Soup, soup, soup!!! I love savoring hot soup on a cold, snowy New England day. And why not? Soup is delicious and flavorful, economical to make and stretches beautifully to feed a crowd. It also freezes well for future meals.

This year I’ve been doubling and sometimes even tripling my soup recipes so I can freeze some for us and for bringing meals to others. If you have some great soups stashed in the freezer, it’s simple to pull together a meal when the need arises.

When bringing homemade soup as a meal, I typically add a fresh baguette and green salad. Occasionally I whip up a batch of brownies to add to the mix. Life is full, so I find that the simpler a meal is to prepare, the more likely I am to follow through with taking it.

My mom made pea soup for us often growing up, and that’s where I learned to like it so much. Thankfully my boys learned to love pea soup early on too. (Even if it is green, which seems to be an issue with some other of my culinary offerings….)

I recommend making this Hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup with a leftover ham bone that still has some ham on the bone. You can also make it without the ham bone and use bits of leftover ham or even a purchased ham steak.

(Or keep it vegetarian and skip the ham altogether, adding some vegetable bouillon for flavor.) I’ve made it all three ways and it’s always delicious.

Tips for making Hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup:

• Use a leftover ham bone with some ham still attached. (When we have bone-in ham for a holiday meal, I freeze the bone to have on hand to make this soup.)
• If you don’t have a leftover ham bone, use a small ham steak chopped or add bits of leftover chopped ham.
• You can still make this without ham or a ham bone and it will be delicious! Just add a vegetable bouillon cube for flavor.
• It’s ok if you don’t have every single spice listed. I’ve made this many times and missed a spice or two here or there and it still tastes great. (In fact, I’ve never made it with the summer savory listed because I can’t find it at my grocery store.)
• This recipe doubles well, just make sure you have a really big stock pot. If you double the recipe you’ll be adding a whopping twenty cups of water. (I used my canning pot to make a double batch of this last week.)
• This soup tastes best the day after you make it. It thickens up a bit overnight and the flavor develops more too.
• Pea soup freezes well and will safely keep in the freezer for several months. (It also keeps on a cold back deck for a few days if you’re short on refrigerator space. The voice of experience….)
• Pay close attention when sautéeing the root vegetables. Keep the heat on medium and stir often. (It’s easy to burn onions.)
• I originally discovered this recipe years ago in the Fit for Life cookbook by Harvey and Marilyn Diamond. They adapted it from the original Blue Ribbon Cookbook by Jennie Benedict (from Kentucky). I adapted it again, as the Fit For Life recipe is vegetarian and doesn’t include ham. Also the original recipe suggests cooking for 1 1/2 hours over medium heat. To me, the split peas taste nearly raw after cooking for only 1 1/2 hours. I prefer simmering this soup for 6-8 hours, covered, over medium or medium low heat.
• Soak split peas overnight in water first to reduce the cooking time by half.
• If you prefer a silkier soup, blend with your immersion blender before adding in the ham bits.

Other great soup recipes using split peas: Split Pea Minestrone Soup, Slow Cooker Apple and Split Pea Soup and Split Pea and Potato Soup without Ham

Print

Hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup

Cook Time 6 hours hours

Total Time 7 hours hours

Servings 12 cups soups

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil safflower, canola etc.
• 1 cup carrots coarsely chopped
• 1 cup celery coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped onions
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
• 10 cups water
• Large ham bone with some ham still attached or 1 vegetable bouillon cube or a small ham steak, chopped
• 2 cups dried green split peas
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried summer savory
• 1/8 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/8 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons fresh minced parsley or 4 teaspoons dried parsley

Instructions

• Finely shred the cabbage with a sharp knife, mandoline or food processor.
• Dice the carrots, onions and celery.
• Heat butter and vegetable oil in a large soup or stock pot over medium heat.
• When butter is melted, add carrots, celery, onion, garlic and cabbage.
• Saute for about five minutes, stirring often.
• Add water, split peas, spices and ham bone ( or chopped ham or vegetable bouillon).
• Turn up the heat and bring to a rolling boil.
• Reduce heat to medium or medium low.
• Cover and simmer soup for 6-8 hours, stirring every few hours.
• Remove ham bone and cut remaining ham off the bone into bite size pieces (or shreds) and return ham to the soup.
• Stir in parsley.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve soup hot with fresh bread or cornbread.

Notes

Use a ham bone for great flavor.
If you don't have a ham bone, add a cube of vegetable boullion.
Can also use a ham steak and add chopped ham.

You may also like: Arroz Caldo (Filipino Chicken and Rice Soup)

The post Hearty Split Pea and Ham Soup appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Merry Christmas friends! Today I’m sharing Christmas pictures.

So pictures don’t tell the whole story. They put their best foot forward and hide the chaos beyond the lens.

On the periphery of these photos are laundry piles, dirty dishes, dog hair, sticky counters, messy little hands, smeared fingerprints on stainless appliances and unmade beds. Yep.

I’m thankful for those laundry piles. (My family and I are blessed with clothes.)

I’m thankful for dishes in the sink and sticky counters. (We have plenty to eat and drink here.)

I’m thankful for the Chloe hair. (We absorb quiet comfort from a gentle, wagging tail and sympathetic brown eyes on our hardest days.)

I’m grateful for messy little hands and faces. (They belong to the loves of my life. How I wish I could protect them from the harsh world they were born into ….)

I’m thankful for smeared fingerprints on appliances. (Dishwashers, dryers, washing machines, stoves and refrigerators simplify the mundane, giving me time to focus on other things.)

And lastly, I’m thankful for the unmade beds. (We each have a cozy place for shut eye, even if we can’t bounce a nickel on the bedspread. How blessed are we.)

I read an article after Thanksgiving about a woman who lost her house and all her possessions in the Paradise fires. She spent Thanksgiving at a shelter, serving turkey dinners to fellow homeless survivors.

“It’s probably the best Thanksgiving of my life,” she said. “Being alive – my family being alive – makes you realize…. (what’s really important)”

This quote hangs in my kitchen: “Gratitude turns what we have into enough”

Are you in search of Christmas joy this year? Me too. What a year it’s been. At every turn, sorrow for so many. Broken relationships, loss of loved ones, health crises, financial and political stress, and so much more.

Today I’m snuggled by the fireplace, counting my blessings, like that grateful lady in Paradise.

I’m thankful to be alive and experiencing the joys of the season.

I’m thankful for each member of my family and extended family.

I’m thankful for today, because that’s all that’s guaranteed.

I’m thankful for a tiny Baby that arrived in a manger bed two thousand years ago on a cold winter’s night. Hope.

What are you thankful for?

Wishing you a beautiful, meaningful time with your family and friends, celebrating the joys of the season.

All my love and wishes for a peaceful, restful Christmas and a New Year filled with joy and hope. XOXO

You may also enjoy: The Gift of Giving and Broken Wings

The post ISO: Christmas Joy appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

This Summer Triple Berry Crumble Recipe has all the berry-licious fresh summer flavors you crave: blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. All topped with a sweet and crunchy oatmeal crumble. Serve warm with a scoop of real vanilla bean ice cream. It’s summer… and the living is easy. (And so is dessert!)

I love picking berries in the summertime. Blueberries are my favorites, because you can pick standing and don’t have to get down on your knees like with strawberries. (Read: lazy.)

In June and July we often frequent a picking farm south of us that has all the berries – strawberries, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries too. Soooo sweet and juicy, bursting with summer flavor.

We pick and use what we can fresh, then freeze the rest for smoothies, crumbles, cobblers and pies the rest of the year.

Growing up we had wild raspberries growing out by the pool. The bushes were right in the sun and my brother and I used to scavenge for the dark ripe ones. (And fight over ’em, lol!)

Sun ripened and warm, fresh berries are so juicy and flavorful! We never had enough to make pie or crumble, just enough for random snacking after a pool dip…

You may remember we moved late last summer. So I’ve been exploring our new yard this spring, looking for evidence of berry bushes or fruit trees. So far zilch. I’ve found daffodils, azaleas, lilacs, lily of the valley and peonies. (And Charlie convinced us to plant an icebox watermelon seedling in the garden.)

But no berry bushes. So we’re thinking about planting some. It will be a good investment for sure – more cobblers and crumbles on the horizon!

This Summer Triple Berry Crumble Recipe is so easy to make. Mix the berries (fresh or frozen) with flour, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.

(I used a combination of fresh and frozen berries. In fact, when I was in the frozen section at the store, I came across a new frozen fruit product I hadn’t seen before: Welch’s Antioxidant Fruit Blend. The blend includes blueberries, sweet and sour cherries and strawberries. It would make a great berry mix in this crumble too!)

Then mix up the crumble topping with a fork. Spoon that crumbly mixture on top of the berries and bake. It’s that simple! Even a novice baker can make a fabulous sweet berry crumble to rave reviews. Serve warm with a splash of cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

Tips for making Summer Triple Berry Crumble Recipe:

• Use fresh or frozen berries or a combination.
• Use a total of 5-6 cups berries and try different combinations. (How can you go wrong?)
• Serve warm with a splash of fresh cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
• Leftovers make for a delicious breakfast!

Other crumbles you may enjoy: Simply the Best Apple Crumble, Strawberry Crumble or Gluten-Free Rhubarb Crumble Recipe.

Print

Triple Berry Crumble Recipe

Ingredients

Fruit Filling:

• 2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
• 2 cups raspberries fresh or frozen
• 2 cups blackberries fresh or frozen
• 1/8 cup granulated sugar more or less, depending on how sweet the berries are
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Crumble Topping

• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Grease an 8" X 8" X 2" baking pan. Set aside.
• In large mixing bowl, gently combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon together.
• Add mixed berries and gently combine.
• Stir in lemon juice and lemon zest.
• Spoon fruit mixture into prepared 8" X 8" X 2" pan.
• Separately in small mixing bowl, stir together rolled oats, flour and brown sugar.
• Stir in melted butter with a fork until crumbly.
• Sprinkle oatmeal topping lightly over filling in baking pan.
• Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve warm with a splash of fresh cream or scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.

You may also like: Roasted Peach Cobbler

The post Summer Triple Berry Crumble Recipe appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

A generous slice of this Glazed Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake is especially scrumptious accompanied by a tall glass of fresh squeezed lemonade with a sprig of mint. Tender, buttery, dense lemon pound cake is studded with fresh, juicy blueberries for the perfect summer combo.

This recipe uses lemon extract in the cake and lemon juice in the glaze, for a great lemon pop. I’ve posted several lemon recipes back to back this spring because I love lemon in the springtime and summer so much. Lemons on the brain.

For me, baking with fresh lemons signals sunshine and warmth. And the daffodils in my front yard are just about to pop! When spring finally arrives here in New Hampshire and the bright green shoots are poking up, it’s time to bake something special to celebrate.

It was a long winter here and I didn’t do much baking. It wasn’t just the snowy weather (read: blizzards) that hit us hard in March.

There was also a lot of sickness in the house (flu, mono, colds, you name it) and big changes in routine and therapies for Hudson, our littlest guy with DS and autism. (Transitions are tough on him.) And then there was that kitchen reno that kept us busy in February and March! Six weeks without an oven will slow down any cake baking production for sure! LOL.

So I’m extra thankful to be through that rough patch of the year with sickness and construction. Today I’m celebrating our new kitchen and spring’s arrival by baking this buttery pound cake that pops with delicious lemon flavor and blueberries.

I prefer using fresh blueberries in this cake, but frozen will do in a pinch. Flouring the berries and folding them in very gently keeps the cake batter from turning blue. If you do use frozen, I suggest thawing and draining the berries first before flouring them.

So why flour the blueberries anyway? Well, it’s just a little culinary genius I think. (Not mine mind you.) Some baking guru along the way discovered that if you flour berries before adding them to a recipe, it keeps them evenly distributed in the batter during baking and prevents them from sinking to the bottom.

I’m not sure all the science behind it, seeing as I’m not exactly a scientist. (I never even memorized the periodic table in high school. Oops.) But flouring the berries does seem to help. So don’t forget! 

Another interesting fact about this Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake recipe is that it doesn’t use lemon juice for that wonderful lemon flavor pop. We’re using lemon extract instead. Not lemon oil. Lemon oil has a stronger, intense flavor that would be overwhelming in this pound cake.

And lemon juice is acidic and it would take a ton of lemon juice to flavor this cake adequately. The acidity of the lemon juice could also affect the rise.

So lemon extract it is, and you can find pure lemon extract in the baking aisle with other baking extracts like vanilla. And save the fresh squeezed lemon juice for the simple glaze.

I must tell you, the fabulous aroma of this cake baking in my kitchen right now is over the top incredible. I’m just about to pull it out of the oven now. It’s golden brown and smells of buttery lemon cake. I’m already thinking about who to share this cake with, because it’s pretty obvious I absolutely should not be left alone with it. Accountability is always good, especially when it comes to pound cake.

This is the two piece 10″ tube cake pan I used to bake this cake. Happy baking!

Tips on making this Glazed Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake:

• Grease and flour your tube cake pan.
• A two piece, 10″ tube pan works well for this cake.
• Wash and drain the berries first, then flour them with 1/4 cup of the flour.
• Be sure to hand mix in the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. This keeps the batter from getting over-mixed, which produces a tough cake.
• Also be sure to very gently mix in the floured blueberries at the end. This keeps the berries from breaking open and turning your cake batter blue with blueberry juice. (Maybe you want a blue cake, and if so disregard what I just said.) But I prefer a light lemon colored cake studded with blueberries – for contrast.
• If you want to bake this in your convection oven, just drop the temperature down to 300°.  You might have to cook it a little longer though. (I did.)
• The glaze is super easy to make – just whisk together the lemon juice and powdered sugar and drizzle over the cooled cake.

Print

Lemon Glazed Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 pint fresh blueberries washed and drained
• 3 cups all purpose flour divided
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons lemon extract
• optional: 1 tablespoon sparkling white sugar or turbinado sugar

Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

Cake:

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Toss washed, drained blueberries with 1/4 cup of flour and set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl, sift remaining 2 3/4 cups flour with baking powder and salt and set aside.
• Separately in large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together with an electric hand or stand mixer.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add lemon extract and beat until fluffy.
• Fold flour mixture (by hand) into batter until well blended.
• Gently stir in blueberries, being careful not to smash berries.
• The batter will be very thick.
• Spoon batter into greased and floured 10" tube cake pan.
• Optional: Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sparkling white or turbinado sugar.
• Bake one hour and 15 minutes at 325° or longer, until cake is golden brown and tests done with a cake tester or toothpick.
• Cool cake in tube pan for 10 minutes.
• Use a sharp knife to carefully separate cake from the edges of the pan and around the tube in the middle.
• (If it's a 2-piece tube pan you're using - also use the knife to separate the cake from the bottom of the pan.)
• Carefully remove the cake from pan and cool on a baking rack.

Glaze:

• In a small mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and lemon juice. Add more lemon juice if you want a thinner glaze.
• Drizzle glaze over cooled cake with a small spoon.

Notes

If using frozen blueberries, thaw and drain first.

You may also like: Lemon Curd Easy Thumbprint Cookies

The post Glazed Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Looking for a healthier peanut butter smoothie? Try my scrumptious Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe w/Avocado. I’ve been perfecting it for the last few weeks and inhaling it daily for breakfast.

This smoothie tastes more like a shake – creamy, chocolaty and peanut buttery. And packed with 25 grams of protein and no added sugar. You can’t really taste the avocado, but it makes for an extra creamy smoothie and adds healthy fats and fiber. (Plus Tom Brady practically subsists on avocados – so there’s that.) And the whole shebang comes in at about 300 calories…. BIG SCORE!

I like telling tales here. If you’re not in the mood, scroll down for the recipe. If you are, hop on down my Hobbit trail with me…

As you know, we’ve been remodeling our kitchen for the last few months. Thrilled to be nearly finished, and just a few minor details left.

Each Monday morning for weeks during the remodel, Jon and I loaded up the back of the suburban and made the trek across town to the local dump, getting rid of various boxing, styrofoam, packaging and whatever other building waste the contractors produced.

The guy dealing with the public in the little entrance booth at the transfer station might as well have been Gandalf himself. He looks like him. Acts like him. A gruff man of few words is a generous description.

I could tell you various entertaining stories (entertaining in hindsight only!) from our visits, but you get the point. It became an exhausting weekly ritual, dealing with him and distributing the contents of the packed suburban into the various labeled dumpsters he barked out.

After the final less than pleasant visit, where Gandalf had obviously not yet sipped his morning coffee… we headed to the Bridge Street Cafe downtown for breakfast. To decompress…. and celebrate ‘THE. END’.

Jon got a ham, cheddar and spinach omelet and I had the peanut butter power smoothie. I’d never tried one there before but it was excellent and tasted just like a thick peanut butter shake with chocolate overtones.

I go way back with peanut butter and chocolate. Peanut butter and chocolate ice cream from Baskin Robbins as a kid. And then there were those incredible peanut butter chocolate shakes at the Clock Restaurant in Greenville, SC years later. Alas… a moment on the lips, forever on the hips …

So back to that yummy, healthier peanut butter power smoothie a few weeks ago. I asked for the ingredient list, and she mentioned almond milk, peanut butter, ice, cocoa and espresso. Healthy! So of course I had to come home and try to replicate it myself.

It was pretty easy to do, except for the creamy part… and that’s where the ripe avocado comes in.

I initially used organic natural peanut butter. It tasted great but was too many calories to use regularly, so I switched to a peanut butter powder (PB Fit) I found at Walmart in the protein powder aisle. (Using the peanut butter powder instead of the peanut butter cut out 150 calories.)

PB Fit has 90% less fat and 1/3 the calories of regular peanut butter. But still all that great peanut butter flavor we love, making it the perfect addition to smoothies!

Place all the ingredients – unsweetened organic almond milk, chocolate protein powder, peanut butter powder, ice and avocado in your blender or Magic Bullet and blend together until smooth and creamy. (Optional: add stevia and espresso powder for even more flavor.) Serve immediately.

Tips for making Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe w/Avocado:

• Use unsweetened organic almond milk.
• Use ripe avocado.
• To cut calories and fat, use peanut butter powder instead of peanut butter. I used PB Fit peanut butter powder.
• Use good quality chocolate flavored protein powder. (I used 365 Everyday Value Natural Chocolate Flavor whey protein powder from Whole Foods)
• Here’s the calorie/nutrition breakdown if you’re interested:
• 1 cup unsweetened organic almond milk = 30 calories, 1 gram protein, 1 gram carb
• 1/2 avocado cubed = 114 calories – 3.5 grams fiber, 1.5 grams protein, 6 grams carbs
• 2 Tablespoons PB Fit peanut butter powder = 50 calories, 6 grams protein, 4 carbs
• Chocolate Protein powder = 1 scoop – 110 calories, 16 grams protein (365 Everyday Value Natural Chocolate Flavor whey protein powder from Whole Foods), 8 grams carbs
• If using peanut butter instead of the peanut butter powder, it adds a whopping extra 150 calories, because 2 tablespoons organic, unsweetened peanut butter = 200 calories
• 2/3 cup ice = zero calories

Print

Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe w/Avocado

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup crushed ice or ice cubes
• 1 cup unsweetened organic almond milk
• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder I used 365 Everyday Value Natural Chocolate Flavor whey protein powder from Whole Foods
• 2 tablespoons I used PB Fit Peanut Butter Powder (or 2 tablespoons peanut butter)
• 1/2 ripe avocado peeled and cubed
• optional: 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
• optional: 1-2 drops stevia

Instructions

• Place all ingredients in blender or Magic Bullet and blend until smooth and creamy.
• Serve immediately!

You may also like this: Blueberry Coconut Almond Smoothie

The post Creamy Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie Recipe w/Avocado appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Wishing you a peaceful weekend and welcome to Favorite Things #4 , where I share what’s percolating in the remaining gray cells. Today just happens to be my firstborn’s birthday. So happy, happy birthday Jonathan! The big 2-0 is just that… BIG! Remembering that poignant moment so long ago when I first saw that precious baby face. Sniff.

It’s been a good weekend around here and hope it has been at your house too. The sick kids here are on the mend. Charlie’s been competing at the state Destination Imagination competition. The sky is azure. Birds are chirping. I can barely see the dirty little snow patches left in the side yard.

Truth: we had a momentary spring lapse yesterday when it SNOWED two inches. (Thankfully already melted.) But other than that hiccup, spring is definitely springing, even if it hasn’t fully sprung in NH yet.

Here’s what what Hudson and I do on Saturday mornings…

This wooly little lamb Marley thinks he’s a pup! Cute.

FYI, sharing a couple great new finds I recently stumbled across:Loving this GuruNanda Natural Mist diffusing mister. It diffuses essential oils straight up and plugs into the wall or a USB outlet. Right now the fresh scent of lemon grass essential oil is in my entryway. Clean, fresh and springy! All natural and no chemicals, the essential oil bottle screws right onto the mister itself. I’m trying lavendar and rosemary oils next. Genius idea.

And here’s a delicious aroma to lure you out of bed on a lazy Sunday morning: Sugar Dusted Beignet Coffee. Savoring this scrumptious new flavor by Community Coffee. Made with 100% select Arabica coffee beans, get it in 12-ounce bags or single-serve pods. Light and sweet, sipping at my kitchen table like I’m parked in a New Orleans street cafe a thousand miles away…

Book recommendation:  Born Survivors: Three Young Mothers and Their Extraordinary Story of Courage, Defiance, and Hope

Amazing read, and true.

“The Nazis murdered their husbands but concentration camp prisoners Priska, Rachel, and Anka would not let evil take their unborn children too—a remarkable true story celebrating three mothers who defied death to give their children life. On the seventieth anniversary of Mauthausen’s liberation from the Nazis by American soldiers, renowned biographer Wendy Holden recounts this extraordinary story of three children united by their mothers’ unbelievable—yet ultimately successful—fight for survival.”

This read is definitely worth your time. Five stars.

Sharing this in honor of my brave, beautiful mom and all the mothers of children with Down syndrome around the globe.

(Hint: grab tissues. I was a faucet.)

I mentioned in my cookie post earlier this week that we’re closing in on finishing the kitchen remodel project. So close! Waiting on just a few more cabinet doors to come in so I can take the snaps.

The project was fun and worth the grief. (I try to be honest here: there was grief involved.)

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough…”  – Melody Beattie

So what are you up to? Wishing you a beautiful weekend, savoring all the little things that make you smile.

XOXO,

Allie

The post Favorite Things #4 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.