I didn’t even mention previously that we’re having prizes here on THLG this weekend. We are. Truth is, you’re ALL winners, but I only have two prizes. So please keep reading to see if You Are The Prize Winner today.

Something mega exciting happened here last Tuesday evening while my family was quietly (?) sitting around the dinner table slurping up finishing the last delicious spoonfuls of Hearty Italian Sausage Soup.

The freezing rain pelted down hard outside, rivulets froze on the dining room window panes. And then at 7:23 p.m. on the dot, drum roll please, the 5,000th person subscribed to Through Her Looking Glass. Yes, 5000.

So woot woot. Party time! I think this is worthy of a celebration, a party for 5,000. And prizes too.

Are you someone who never wins prizes? Then you’re in good company with me. My oldest son, who claims he never wins ANYTHING, just won a $100 gift card to a sports store last month. He entered a contest on FB (or maybe Twitter) and was recently notified he was the winner. Hopefully everyone gets to win something along the way, because it’s exciting! Especially when it’s unexpected.

The biggest prize I ever won took place last year. And interestingly, it was for someone else. I was honestly so incredibly happy for her. Because she has a heart of gold. Many of you know our youngest son Hudson (7) has Down syndrome and autism. He also has learning delays, uses a speech device and wears pull-ups.

Thankfully he’s able to communicate in other ways besides words and brings us all great joy. He’s been a big unexpected blessing in our family. He’s also lucky (as are we) to have a wonderful teacher at school, not to mention a whole slew of dedicated therapists and assistants cheering him on.

One of my fave pics of Hudson when he was three, taken by my friend Linda. And here’s one of my favorite posts about Hudson: Hudson & the Little Yellow School Bus

One morning last year I was visiting my buddy Shashi’s blog and she was running a contest by Smithfield (the pork people). You entered by naming someone in your community who makes a big difference and telling how. It took all of a nano-second to think of Hudson’s teacher, Mrs. Livingstone.

If anyone makes a difference in our world and Hudson’s, she does. And other special education teachers we’ve encountered along the way too. I wrote a few choice words about Mrs. Livingstone in the comment section – about how blessed Hudson and his classmates are to have her for their teacher. I never thought of it again.

Then a month or so later, I got an e-mail from Smithfield saying Hudson’s teacher had won the prize. At first I wondered if it was a hoax. But she got an e-mail too. And then she got the prize — a $1000 gift card to Walmart. Figures. I finally win something big and it’s for someone else. Lol.

But truthfully, I couldn’t have been happier that she won. Of all people, she deserved it. It seems our culture celebrates the sports and movies stars, but the crucial people, those often selfless individuals who educate, shape and mold our most precious assets, our children, not so much. That’s why I was so thrilled she won the gift card.

So back to the prize today on THLG. Even at a virtual party, someone should get a real PRIZE. Don’t you think? But who? You can’t exactly beat a piñata or pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey virtually. Or if you can, I don’t know how. So I thought long and hard about WHO should get the prize. And finally it came to me. Two people will get prizes today.

Prize #1 goes to the very first reader who ever subscribed to THLG and is still a reader here today. Because she had faith in me, even when I didn’t. And that subscriber is, drumroll please…. Carrie W. of Easley, SC. Woot woot!

And Prize #2 goes to the reader who has left the most comments here on THLG since it began in late 2014. And that would be Susie M. of Columbia, SC. Congrats m’aam – and thanks for all the time and energy you’ve graciously spent being so supportive here!

I thought the prizes should be baking related, since it’s the Brick Street Chocolate Cake and other baking recipes that seem to bring in the most readers.

So the prizes today are $50 gift cards to King Arthur Flour Store in Norwich, VT. My favorite haunt for quality baking supplies.

I wish it was a larger gift card ladies, but in the food blogosphere, I’m still relatively tiny. (If only we were talking waist size.)

So hint hint folks: DO recommend THLG to your baking friends, so the prizes will be bigger next time. Lol.

Have fun shopping Carrie and Susie – I’ll e-mail you soon to confirm your snail-mail addresses. (And so glad King Arthur ships, because you’re not exactly a hop, skip and a jump away from Norwich, VT.) Maybe some day you’ll visit King Arthur in person – and I could come along for the ride. Not that I’m inviting myself along or anything. (Well, maybe.) I do love a good field trip as much as the next girlfriend, and it would be an adventure for sure.

Wish I could send you all a prize. Some of you are mousie quiet and drop in to read. Thanks for dropping by! Some of you kindly share your favorite recipes to give me ideas. Thanks! Some comment. (Which lets me know someone actually reads my posts, and thanks for the kind words.) And some of you e-mail behind the scenes with encouragement or share your own poignant life stories with me.

It’s always a pleasure to hear from you. Because what’s the use of living, learning and growing if we don’t pass on what we learn along the way? Sharing our stories is therapeutic (at least for me!) and reminds us we aren’t alone on the journey.

And while I can’t send gift cards to everyone, I do wish you all a restful, joy-filled weekend.

XOXO,

Allie

The post Keep Reading to See If You Are The Prize Winner Today appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Hi friends, and a very happy weekend to you! Talking about a Sparkling Little Gem here today. Hoping things are well in your neck of the woods. I’m actually in a different neck of the woods today, just one state up and over: Vermont! It’s school vacation week in NH, and we were glad to sneak away with the kids for a little R & R.

The truth is, there hasn’t been much R & R this week after all. We arrived in Vermont with one of the kids already sick and the germs have unfortunately traveled and morphed, as they so often do. We’ve spent most of our time running back and forth to the drugstore on gingerale and kleenex runs, tripping over Bernie signs coming and going. (Vermonters sure love their Bernie.) But seriously, yesterday we finally got out of the house. We visited Goodrich Maple Farm, Cabot Creamery and Diamond Hill General Store. Though sadly not everyone was able to go along due to the unpleasant plague that has been plaguing us. (And I had to google how to spell “plaguing”.)

I love Vermont for many reasons, one of them being the King Arthur Flour Store that’s located in Norwich. I’m always up for a trip to King Arthur, especially since they did their extensive remodel a few years ago! If you’re ever in the area, don’t miss it! I’m hoping to stop on our way home.

I love talking about things that really matter to me here, and hopefully you’re interested too. I’ve shared about LittleGemsUSA before. Leslie is a dear friend and I’m always amazed to hear the good she’s up to in her Chicago corner of the world. Leslie has a mission to raise money through her jewelry company to help under-privileged women and children both at home and around the globe.

I went on-line shopping a few weeks ago and bought this leather wrap bracelet for a birthday gift from LittleGemsUSA. It’s a fun piece, and also a good feeling knowing I’m helping children in need. I wanted to show you the bracelet because it’s so pretty, though the point of this post isn’t necessarily to encourage you to buy jewelry. (Though it’s not a bad idea with Mother’s Day right around the corner.) It’s more to share how one caring heart can make an incredible difference in the lives of others. Leslie has a full-time job, but runs LittleGemsUSA on the side to support charitable projects. Today she’s telling us about helping under-privileged children in Rwanda attend school. Here’s an update Leslie recently posted on her own blog, in her own words about one precious, Sparkling Little Gem:

“I’m writing today because it’s been far too long since I’ve updated you on one of our beautiful sponsored children! I will not be sharing his name for privacy, but I will share a picture or two and a little bit I know about him.

This student has a smile that hits you straight in the heart.  You know that he’s got to be a bundle of fun to have in class and oh so charming.

He is 7 years old and his name means “it is well”.  I could learn a lesson in just his name.  He’s the oldest in his family and has a little brother. I can’t wait to meet him some day as well. They MAKE cars and enjoy playing with them. (Notice the artwork in his thank you note below….I think that’s a car on the right.)

He also enjoys playing ball. Maybe a future soccer star?? He owns a cat and was so proud of it that he ran to get it to show Laura (from our charity Love Alive International) when she was in town.

If he got to pick his favorite meal it would consist of rice, macaroni and cassava.  When he grows up, he wants to be a driver.  I hope he’s a good one (at least better than me).

The post Sparkling Little Gem appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Met a dear friend in California last summer to attend a conference. Following, tacked on a few delightful days visiting my lovely cousin. Among other fun activities, she and her family treated me to a coastal brunch at Wilma’s Patio on Balboa Island in Newport Beach. She and I ordered Eggs Benedict and weren’t disappointed. Such a wonderful treat.

After brunch, we strolled the boardwalk,

 Saw beautiful sights on the water,

Admired the quaint, charming homes along the boardwalk.

Well just last week, the King Arthur’s Baker’s Catalogue arrived in my mailbox. So what’s on the cover, but Eggs Benedict. The feature recipe was for homemade english muffins, but the pictures reminded me of the fabulous dish we savored at Wilma’s Patio last summer.

There’s something elegant about Eggs Benedict, even the name. It’s fare for royalty. (Perfect for the likes of you and me!) I did a little research, and there’s apparently great speculation on the origin of the original Eggs Benedict recipe, which dates back to the 1800’s. Don’t know who gets the credit, noone really knows. I’m not so interested in that, just the next delicious forkful! So for the first time ever, I bought the simple ingredients this past weekend, tried my hand at making eggs benedict. It was fast and easy, worthy of breakfast, brunch, lunch, even a light dinner. My only regret is I didn’t make it earlier in my “career.” Jon loved it too.

Eggs Benedict is a simple dish, consisting of a toasted english muffin, layered with ham or bacon, then a poached or soft-cooked fried egg. Drench with hollandaise sauce, and garnish with chopped scallions. There are many eggs benedict versions, the one I made was meatless. I used a thick tomato slice in place of ham or bacon, and served with a side of roasted asparagus. Store bought english muffins and a hollandaise sauce mix kept it simple. It was also delicious! We had it for dinner. (Even lit the candles.)

Print

Simple Eggs Benedict

Simple Eggs Benedict: delicious and worthy of breakfast, lunch or dinner. Serve with a side of roasted asparagus.

Course Breakfast

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 4 english muffins split
• 8 eggs poached or fried over easy
• 1 packet hollandaise sauce mix prepared
• butter or mayonnaise
• 2 to matoes sliced into rounds
• salt and pepper
• optional: 8 slices pre-cooked ham or bacon
• optional: chopped scallions for garnish

Instructions

• Prepare hollandaise sauce according to package directions.
• Cover, keep warm on stove.
• Toast english muffins.
• Lightly spread toasted muffins with butter or mayonnaise.
• Place tomato slices (or ham or bacon) on hot toasted muffins.
• Sprinkle tomatoes lightly with salt and pepper.
• Place poached or fried eggs on top of tomato rounds.
• Drench with warm hollandaise sauce.
• Garnish with chopped scallions if desired.
• Serve immediately, or keep for a short time in a warm oven.

Notes

So many excellent variations on Eggs Benedict. I recently saw Eggs Benedict topped with slices of ripe avocado. Yum!

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Wahoo!!! THLG field trip to King Arthur Flour today!

Tucked in the hills of rural Norwich, VT off Route 5 is the beautiful and newly renovated King Arthur Flour campus.

A 100% employee-owned company, King Arthur Flour began in 1790.

I get really excited about King Arthur Flour. King Arthur is all about pure ingredients, excellent baking supplies, and bringing joy to others through baking. Makes me smile just to step inside. There’s the Baker’s Store, Bakery, Cafe and Baking Education Center. I’ve not taken a cooking class there. (Yet.)

 Love the vaulted beam ceiling in the Baker’s Store and Cafe.

You’ll find everything you could possibly need for baking.

And more. (Jon gets nervous when I come here.)

Need a spatula?

Among other things, I bought the KAF popover mix,

And baked these yummy popovers later. Lots of happy boys at my house.

How ’bout CHOCOLATE? The chocolate comes in 2 lb. triangle blocks like this.

So many dizzying choices on the shelves!

Boy I’d love to snag this wooden sign, make a dining room table. It’d be difficult to tuck under my arm, and could only work if I lived at the Biltmore. (Besides, it would be larceny.)

Check out this fancy chalk board wreath. Lots ‘o JOY!

Now we’re peeking into that all important room, the Bakery! (And Cervantes had it right.)

 A closer peek at the bread artisans at work!

Check out the many delights behind the glass at the Cafe….

Oo oo oo! See the whoopee pies? (Pumpkin today.)

So many great lunch choices in the Cafe…I chose Carrot Ginger Bisque, with a baguette.

Love the pictures…

Nice to see the local Maine support…:)

The best way to enjoy King Arthur Flour is with good friends! King Arthur is an experience in every sense of the word. From shopping, to bread baking, to lunch in the Cafe…I’ve never been disappointed by a King Arthur visit. If you’re a foodie and baker, put it on your bucket list. If you like to shop, add it to the list.

King Arthur also puts out a great catalog, The Baker’s Catalogue. So if you’re too far to visit, the free catalog is an experience in itself: excellent photography, inspiration, recipes and of course, shopping! Plan a visit today: King Arthur

Related post: Sugarbush Farms

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I get the same repeat question in my house day after day, by multiple interested parties. You probably do too. “So what’s for dinner?” And when I say Homemade Pizza, there’s great rejoicing. Everyone in our house loves Homemade Pizza, and we often have it on Friday nights. While it takes more time to make than ordering in, it’s not the huge all afternoon project I once imagined it to be. This recipe is so simple, tastes fabulous and is also significantly cheaper. You’ll need about an hour and a half from start to finish. Mixing and kneading the dough takes about 10 minutes. (I use a stand-mixer for kneading, but a video is included below for hand kneading instructions.)

(Optional: Check out King Arthur Pizza Dough Flavor. It adds cheese and garlic to the crust, a little extra Italian boost. I often add 4 teaspoons to this dough recipe.)

A pizza stone in the oven is helpful. It helps achieve a crispy bottom crust that stays chewy on the inside. But a pizza stone isn’t necessary. I’ve made homemade pizza for years before I had the stone. Following is the basic recipe for both the pizza dough and sauce. (Note: you’ll have extra pizza sauce.) Make it unique: add your own cheese and topping combinations. Our favorite toppings are mushrooms, peppers, onions and crumbled Italian sausage. I top it off with mozzarella or a pre-packaged four cheese pizza blend I get at the grocery store.

Print

Homemade Pizza Recipe

Easy homemade pizza crust and sauce recipe. Add toppings to make it your own.

Prep Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 28 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Allie Taylor www.ThroughHerLookingGlass.com

Ingredients

• Dough:
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups very warm water
• 1 packet instant dry yeast or 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
• 6 cups flour
• optional: 4 teaspoons King Arthur Pizza Dough Flavor
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese or more!
• Sauce:
• 1 large 28 ounce can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 clove garlic
• 5 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
• Topping suggestions:
• olives
• artichokes
• spinach
• mushrooms
• peppers
• onions
• Italian sausage
• pepperoni
• hamburger
• bacon

Instructions

• Dough:
• Mix sugar, salt, vegetable oil, warm water and instant yeast.
• Stir in six cups flour (and optional king Arthur Pizza Dough Flavor) until dough ball forms.
• Knead for 3-5 minutes on floured surface.
• Place dough in a large greased bowl, covered, in warm area 'til dough doubles in size, about an hour.
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
• Punch dough down and divide in half.
• Roll out into two 16" circles and place on 16" greased round pans.
• Sauce:
• Combine all sauce ingredients in saucepan on stovetop.
• Simmer, covered, for 10 - 15 minutes or longer.
• To make pizza:
• Spread sauce on top of prepared dough.
• Top with vegetables, cheese and meat toppings of your choice.
• Bake at 475 degrees on the lowest oven rack, begin checking at 8 minutes.
• Watch closely and remove from oven when it's just how you like it.

Notes

To create a warm (not hot!) place for the dough to rise, turn your oven on to the lowest setting for just a few minutes, 'til it's warm. Then TURN THE OVEN OFF and open the door, letting some of the heat out. Cover the dough in the greased bowl, shut the oven door, and let it rise inside the warm oven. (The trick is to remember to REMOVE the rising dough before preheating the oven to 475 degrees for baking.)

Knead dough for 3-5 minutes (or use a heavy-duty stand mixer), then let rise in a warm place ’til it doubles in size.

FYI, this is the kind of yeast I use. I keep it in the freezer in an airtight container, and it keeps several years that way. (I bought mine at BJ’s.)

As the dough rises,  prepare your vegetable toppings. I like to sauté veggies with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. They taste great sautéed  and the water content reduces, keeps the crust from getting soggy later.

Simmer the homemade sauce.

Punch down the dough, divide in half, then roll out.

 Spread the sauce, top with veggies if you like. Be creative!

Top with your choice of meats and cheeses and bake on the lowest rack in your oven.

Nothing beats homemade, hot pizza fresh from your own oven!

Mmmmmm…enjoy every bite.

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This silly “conservation” soap, manufactured in Cranston, RI is sure to bring a smile and can be found at The Vermont Country Store.  http://www.vermontcountrystore.com  I found it in the store but not on-line, FYI. (I don’t suggest gifting this soap cavalierly!)

It’s far more bless-ed (fun!) to give than receive. We all know that. I’ve been having fun planning my gifting for Christmas. It’s not necessarily the what or the dollar amount, but the thought behind the giving that brings me joy.

This week I’m thinking about stocking stuffers and creating The Sophisticated Christmas Stocking. So let’s up the ante a little. Not in dollars, but in joyful, thoughtful giving. Yes, let’s up the “thoughtfulness” ante. Here are some ideas:

How about a little mousie cheese board and spreader from New Hampshire Bowl and Board?  www.newhampshirebowlandboard.com  (I found this one at 103 Artisans Marketplace in Chester, Vermont  www.103artisanmarketplace.com )

You’ll need  some gourmet Vermont cheese for the board. Check out Cobb Hill. I liked the Ascutney Mountain.  cobbhillcheese.com/buy-cheese  Or choose something extra special from Cabot Cheese.  http://www.cabotcheese.coop/pages/our_products/  I love Cabot’s Artisan Reserve Cheese. http://www.cabotcheese.coop/artisan-reserve-cheddar  A stick of hard salami would be a great addition to The Sophisticated Christmas Stocking!

How about a personalized coupon date book for your sweetheart from www.datevitation.com? They give you over five hundred ideas and make it easy for you to design online.

This mason jar soap dispenser turns an ordinary mason jar into a soap dispenser. Cute for the kitchen or bathroom. I found this at the Vermont Country Store. http://www.vermontcountrystore.com

How about a set of specialty extracts for The Sophisticated Christmas Stocking? I got these at King Arthur Flour in Norwich, Vermont. I use the Maple Flavor for Maple Walnut Biscotti. The Fiori Di Sicilia flavors cakes and muffins. I’ve used the Eggnog Flavor in sugar cookies. You’ll find a huge assortment of high quality flavorings and extracts at http://search.kingarthurflour.com/search?w=extracts%20and%20flavoring&af=type:products

I loved this book Gift from the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of Charles Lindbergh. It will make you think, in a good way. Anne was amazing: a gifted author, wife and mother. She was a thinker.  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_14?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=gifts+from+the+sea+by+anne+morrow+lindbergh&sprefix=gifts+from+the%2Cstripbooks%2C236

I devoured the above insightful book in about three hours on a flight to California last summer. Check it out here. http://www.amazon.com/Essentialism-Disciplined-Pursuit-Greg-McKeown/dp/0804137382/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1418266528&sr=1-1&keywords=essentialism+the+disciplined+pursuit+of+less&pebp=1418266531516

Not all spices are created equal. A friend gave me this set for my birthday last year. WOW! She’s a great gift giver, and I love these. The Vietnamese cinnamon is wonderful. Penzeys is known for their high quality spices and mixes. https://www.penzeys.com  Penzeys Spices is located in Arlington, Massachusetts.

I just discovered this wonderful hand and body scrub locally at Arcadya Salon & Spa. This month’s specialty is Ginger and Vanilla, made of European Dead Sea Salts and natural oils. Arcadya actually makes it! It smells so incredible you’ll want to eat it from the jar with a spoon. (Don’t.) This is a rare treat, and the same product used for the pampering treatments at Arcadya Spa. Message my friend Joni for more information or to order.  www.ArcadyaSalon.com

You could make some homemade Vanilla Bean Maple Syrup. That would be a very welcome gift. Directions here: http://throughherlookingglass.com/?p=1156

You can buy this rich nourishing cream at the Moon Dog Cafe in Chester, Vermont. You can also get it at Amazon.com.  http://www.amazon.com/Naturally-European-GINGER-Luxury-Butter/dp/B004JEV2GE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1416949776&sr=8-3&keywords=ginger+%26+lime+luxury+cream  

How about a nice garlic press?  Check out this one: http://www.amazon.com/Prepworks-Progressive-International-GIGP-93-Non-Stick/dp/B0000DZ10V/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1418267296&sr=8-8&keywords=garlic+press 

A funky roll of duck tape would be nice. Everyone needs duck tape. I got mine locally at Five Below. http://www.fivebelow.com

A favorite cocktail or martini recipe attached to a shot would be nice. (Or a couple coupons redeemable for different bottles of international beer you’ve previously stashed in the fridge.)

Give a “coupon” for a homemade pizza date night “in”. Attach it to this great Pizza Dough Flavor from King Arthur Flour. The cheeses and spices make homemade pizza dough extra special. http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/pizza-dough-flavor-4-oz-jar

A few more ideas:

• A  delicious bottle of wine mead from www.Artesanomead.com in Groton, Vermont.  “Located in beautiful Groton, Vermont, Artesano produces high quality, hand crafted meads from local Vermont honey and fruit. Small batch sizes and attention to detail transform one of nature’s sweetest gifts to a fine wine that can be enjoyed throughout the year.”
• Carwash coupon book
• Gourmet coffee and tea
• Starbucks giftcard
• Movie tickets
• Homemade treats – peppermint bark, sugared pecans, jams and jellies
• Nuts and fruit

Have fun spoiling the wonderful people in your life this Christmas. Hope this list was helpful. Please comment below and share your stocking stuffer ideas with the rest of us!

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