I’ve got a quick little how-to post for you today, to show you how fast and easy it is to make those pretty little sugared cranberries you see all over the place this time of year.  I never knew quite how they were made but they looked so lovely, I figured it had to be something complicated.  Turns out it’s easy…like, embarrassingly easy.  Maybe I’m the last to know about this little strategy but just in case I’m not, I thought I’d share it with you.  (Also, side note before I forget.  Today’s holiday giveaway is for some fun food-themed reuseable totes.  Head on over to the giveaway page to learn more and enter!)
 First, combine equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan.  I use ½ cup of each.

Heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is fully dissolved.  That’s a simple syrup!  Remove the pan from the heat and let cool briefly.

Add cranberries to the syrup and stir gently to coat the berries fully.  I use 2 cups and do this in two batches, 1 cup at a time.

Use a strainer or slotted spoon to remove the berries from the pan and drain the excess syrup.

Transfer the berries to a rack over a baking sheet lined with foil.  If some of the smaller berries fall through, it’s really not a big deal.  They’ll still be fine when you coat them.  Let the berries sit to dry for about 1 hour.  This essentially makes them sticky so that the sugar will coat them well.

Then working with a handful at a time, place them in a shallow dish of sugar (I use regular granulated sugar) and roll them around gently until they are fully coated.  Transfer them back to the cooling rack and repeat with the remaining berries.  I cannot get over how pretty they look once they are coated.  I’ve always had a penchant for sparkly things and apparently that even applies to cranberries.

Once they are done, the only challenge is keeping little fingers from sneaking them away.  Who am I kidding though?  I do the very same thing.  The sweet-tart flavor play is kind of addictive, and makes you want to have just one more.  Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.  These lovely little gems can be used in so many ways – to garnish desserts, dress up savory bites, or to simply be enjoyed on their own.  I’d love to hear what you do with them!

Since having kids, it has been wonderful re-experience the magic of the holiday season through their eyes.  Seeing their excitement and wonder at every twinkling light and Christmas tree is just precious.  And seeing the season with this perspective emphasizes even more the fact that as parents, we have the biggest role in creating their memories.  These are the times they will be nostalgic about someday years from now.

Starting new traditions within our own little family is such fun.  We have been baking mountains of cookies, singing lots of carols, and enjoying cozy early mornings gazing at our tree with its pretty white lights.  The season and the chilly weather make me yearn for a warm and comforting breakfast that we all enjoy.  The idea of a winter holiday spin on another favorite breakfast of ours came to mind a few weeks ago, and I haven’t been able to get past it.  This weekend we finally got around to trying it and…well…Caroline climbed onto the table to serve herself seconds (great) and Andrew ended up scraping the baking dish clean.  Since this can be made ahead the night before serving, it is an ideal option for Christmas morning breakfast or brunch.

Side Note: In the spirit of the season of giving, today is the start of a series of giveaways…but this year I’m changing things up and doing it a little differently.  Head on over to the giveaway page to learn how you can help others by entering!

It’s that time of year again.  The one time each year when I make some sort of peppermint treat for all my mint-loving friends.  This year I was trying to choose how best to incorporate some form of mint into our holiday party spread and the idea of a mini cheesecake struck me.  After all, the peanut butter version I made a couple of years ago was a huge hit.  Just as expected, these went over well with everyone but me.  (And Andrew, come to think of it.  He may have inherited my tastebuds.)  These are a quick and easy festive treat is sure to please all the mint-lovers in your life.  And me, I’ll just admire them for their good looks.

This sort of end of the year rush time is just crazy, right?  Day to day life is always busy, but this time of year there are so many additional things added onto the load.  Even when they are fun things like social events, holiday baking, gifting, sending cards, it can all combine to be quite overwhelming.  My best advice – don’t let that happen.  Or even if it does, make sure to carve out some quiet time to spend with your loved ones.  Unplug.  Unwind.  Just be together.  Let all of the hectic holiday buzz slip away and relax, at least for a few hours.  And while you are at it, have a big bowl of comfort food.

For me, this chicken pot pie instantly evokes that sort of homemade-with-love feeling that the best comfort foods bring (even if I am the one who made it).  The first time I ever tried this was with a group of girls who I love dearly, and for that reason it will always hold a special place in my heart…and my stomach.   I recently made the dish again for my family and we agreed it was that perfect sort of Sunday dinner food.  I hope your family enjoys it as much as we do!

Since discovering my love for decorating sugar cookies, the idea of a tree with cookie ornaments has been lying in wait in the back of my mind.  It seemed like such a great idea…but then I thought about it, and over thought it and started to worry that it would never work.  What if the cookies were to fragile and broke?  What if I couldn’t find the right apparatus to hold them?  Finally I decided enough worrying, just do it already!  So, I went for it and you know what?   It was really easy.

Want to make your own cookie tree?  Here’s how I did it:

• First, find the tree – wire like this one, or a more standard miniature decorative tree.  It doesn’t have to be a tree, of course.  I think some random sticks/branches gathered in a vase would make for a beautiful, rustic version.
• Make sugar cookies of your desired shape.  It’s best to use a symmetrical shape so that the cookies hang evenly.  Use a plastic drinking straw to cut a small hole out of each cookie before baking.  (The dough will back up in the straw.  Squeeze it out periodically to keep it cutting nicely.)
• After the cookies are baked and cooled, decorate with royal icing as desired.  You can get as complicated as you like but even very simple designs such as this one can be eye-catching when displayed with creativity.  (If desired, you could decorate both sides of the cookies, but this will make them heavier.  I think one side looks just fine.)
• I brushed mine with a thin layer of pearl dust to add a hint of shimmer to the cookies.
• Once the royal icing is dried, tie loops of twine or ribbon through the holes in the cookies, and hang them on the tree.
• This is meant to be a display centerpiece and as such, it should stand out as the focal point.  Placing the tree on an elevated stand or platter helps feature your work.

*I used a set of scalloped round cutters for the cookies and strung them up with gray baker’s twine.

This general concept could be adapted to fit so many different holidays, themes and events.  I can’t wait to play around with it more!