Maple & Bacon Spiced Almonds

 

I always make spicy candied almonds (or pecans) for salads,

but the addition of bacon...oh my!!!  I just know you will 

love this one!

What you need:

2 1/2 cups raw almonds

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

5 strips of  center cut bacon, chopped up

Generous cracks of sea salt

 

Use kitchen shears to rough cut 5 strips of bacon and place in

a pan over medium/high heat.  

Separately:  preheat oven to 325

 Brown the bacon bits thoroughly, then remove the bacon 

from the pan. Center cut bacon does not render much fat

so there will be about a tablspoon of bacon fat in the pan. 

Leave it in the pan.  

IF YOU ARE USING LEFTOVER BACON FOR THIS

RECIPE, ADD 1 T. OF BUTTER TO THE HOT PAN AND 

CARRY ON WITH THE RECIPE.

Add the raw almonds and maple syrup to the bacon fat, in the

pan over medium/high heat.

Stir and coat.  Allow the maple syrup to bubble and reduce, 

while stirring constantly for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, all of the almonds should be coated in thick

maple syrup reduction. 

Turn off heat and return the bacon bits to the pan, along with

cayenne pepper (if you want a bigger kick, add more), and

a very generous dusting of sea salt. Stir to incorporate.

Pour the mixture onto a parchment paper lined sheet tray and

spread the almonds and bacon out into a single layer

Place the sheet tray in the preheated oven and cook for 7-9 minutes.

Remove pan from the oven and allow the coated almonds 15-20 

minutes to cool.  Then, try not eating them all.

 

Allow to cool completely, at least 1 hour before packaging up.

I am packaging up the almonds to give as gifts.  

This time of year you can find adorable containers in every store, 

otherwise, store the almonds in a sealed container or bag at room temperature.

Enjoy!

xo

Gift wrapping tip, to simplify your Christmas!

I am pulling out some gifts I have stashed away the last few months, 

and wanted to share my quick and easy tips for Christmas 

morning presents, for kids.

Seriously, I feel like this is a game changer!

 

 Items that arrive in a perfect box, I wrap and those 

are gifts from us ('us' being Zac & me).  

 Instead of searching for boxes and gift bags, irregular

shaped items are gifts from Santa, and are tucked

under the tree, sans wrapping, on Christmas morning!

This is great in more ways than saving you time on searching

for a box or gift bag, it also saves from the question you 

will ask yourself at 11pm on Christmas Eve, which

is the paper that Santa is using??? Seriously, 

kids notice everything...no more wrapping paper slip ups!

Hope this helps.  

 xo.

Dark Chocolate Almond Toffee Pretzel Bites

 

Daaaang, that's a mouthful of a title...and by mouthful I mean you are literally going to want to stuff your mouth full of these tasty bite size morsels!  Side note: aren't they extra scrumptious, nesting in the cutie vintage bowl that once belonged to my grandma?!? Love!

Create a double boiler by placing a couple inches of water in a
saucepan and topthe pan with a glass or stainless bowl. 
Over medium heat slowly melt the chocolate 

(equal parts Ghiradelli bittersweet and semi-sweet is my winning combo)

Once the chocolate is completely melted, set up an assembly line.

On the counter set up mini pretzels, the bowl of melted 

chocolate on a towel (you might have to pop the bowl back over 

heat for a minute, to loosen it back up) and plates of toffee bits 

and raw almonds.

Line baking sheets with parchment.

Dip the pretzel in the chocolate, shaking off excess.  Then set on the toffee,

place an almond on the chocolate (where it will stay put, once the chocolate sets).

 Use your fingers to toss a bit of toffee on the remaining chocolate 

(toffee will be sticking to the bottom as well...the more the merrier!)

Place dipped and candied pretzels on a parchment

lined baking sheet to set up.  It will only take about

an hour for the chocolate to fully set.  Good luck 

waiting that long!

Place set candies in a dish or better yet package up to share with

friends, teachers, neighbors, etc.  This would be a delicious addition

to a cookie exchange, in my humble opinion.

Enjoy!  So easy!

xo.

Deck the Halls...

Hodge Podge cuteness, if you ask me! 

It all started with some bulbs...I bought loads of shatter proof bulbs

at Target after last Christmas.  Great deals and I just knew I would

find a tree-free purpose for them, this holiday.  New (deeply discounted) 

bulbs, a few old bulbs, fish line...and I was off.

This old dresser (a fantastic mid-century Craigslist find) usually is

the base for family photos, some family art and the candles (as seen).

I pulled the photos and art and moved in some holiday cheer.

My mom gave me the Twinkle sign years ago and it is still a holiday favorite 

and looks cutie with the (once again,a cheapy find at Target) felted trees.  

I pulled out my trifle dish, filled it with bulbs and balanced it with a holiday postcard 

that I plopped in a frame (the postcard looks vintage, which I totally love).

Simply plopping the glitter bulbs on top of the well used 

candles adds quick and instant holiday pizazz.  To add a bit 

 more dimension, I threw the remaining bulbs (that were housed in 

a tube, 8 bulbs total, in the $1 section at Target...which I 

 proudly paid 50 cents for) in a vintage mason jar.  

The BE MERRY sign was also sourced from the 

$1 section at Target (again, a 50 cent score!)

I just picked the table runner up at Home Goods (because, as they 

say, Home Goods makes you happy) and pulled out a rad enamel bowl

that I picked up years ago at a garage sale (for $1...for reals) and filled it

with several of my favorite, oversize bulbs.  I filled a vintage mason jar with the

 garland beads I usually string from a cut tree.  I topped my favorite little cake

stand with a glass dome (filled with bulbs).  Major props to that cute little

dome.  I picked it up at Goodwill (it was the topper of a wooden cheese board).

I just bought the topper, for $1.  Keep watch for them, as they seem to be plentiful 

on the shelves of thrift stores, and make a wonderful statement for a birthday cupcake,

stack of cookies or...a pile of Christmas bulbs. 

I want to live in this potpourri of colorful holiday cheer!

Seriously, how fab is this bowl?  I am mildly obsessed with it's beat up beauty!

I went fish line crazy with the table lighting.  Super random, yet balanced.

Logi has stood on the table no less than 10 times and asked me,

 is it snowing? while she bangs these around.  Lawdy!

Super simple, quick and wicked cheap holiday creation!!!

I purchased a few packages of faux greenery 

garland (last winter, after season sale, of course)

knowing that I wanted to doll up the stairs.

Using fish line I bundled random bulbs and 

tied to the posts.

Bundle of bulbs!

I tucked this gorgeous winter picture of my nieces

on my metro rack of crazy.  It looks perfect.

In other news...

Logi is ready to take on winter!