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.

Bakery Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins are tender, cakey bakery-style muffins with crackly, sugary crunchy muffin tops. Vanilla and almond extracts, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest make these the best lemon poppy seed muffins on the planet.

If you follow along here on the blog, you know I’ve had lemons on the brain for quite some time now. I just can’t help it. When spring and summer finally arrives, I want all things lemon! Last week it was Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes, and a few weeks before it was Lemon Cream Whipped Cream Filling. This week it’s all about these scrumptious Bakery Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins.

When I bite into one of these tender, delicious muffins, I’m taken back a decade or two to a lovely little muffin shop in Greenville, South Carolina where we used to live. The muffin shop on Augusta Road was called The Muffin Ma’am. Cutest name ever. Best muffins ever. The shop was nestled in an uppity little shopping plaza alongside a children’s toy store, The Elephant’s Trunk.

Nearby was an upscale children’s clothing boutique named The Grey Goose. I remember shopping in that little plaza with my girlfriends. It was mostly window shopping mind you, but in my book that counts. And then we’d stroll to The Muffin Ma’am for a hot cup and a top-notch muffin. It was an experience, and nearly impossible to step inside those magical doors and not break into a full-blown cheery “Do You know the Muffin Man” hum.

This simple recipe comes together easily in one bowl. Combine the dry ingredients and sugar in a mixing bowl. Stir in the remaining wet ingredients and mix by hand until just combined.

Pour into muffin tins. Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes until muffin crowns are crackly and just turning golden.

When I was experimenting in the kitchen with this recipe, I was aiming for that tender, cakey muffin, with the crackly, rounded tops and sugary crunch I fondly remember at The Muffin Ma’am. These Bakery Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins with vanilla and almond extracts, also fresh lemon juice and lemon zest are just like those muffins…an experience.

The kind you bake easily on a lazy Saturday morning and savor with your favorite catalog and a hot cup. Hope you enjoy these scrumptious muffins!

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Bakery Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins

Tender, bakery-style lemon poppy seed muffins with crunchy, sugary crackly tope. Made with fresh lemon juice, lemon zest and almond extract.

Course muffin

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1 1/8 cups sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs beaten
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
• Optional: 2 tablespoons white sparkling sugar

Instructions

• Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in mixing bowl
• Mix well with fork.
• Stir in beaten egg, milk, oil, vanilla extract, almond extract, poppy seeds and lemon zest.
• Do not overmix.
• Distribute batter evenly into muffin tin.
• Optional: sprinkle muffin tops with white sparkling sugar.
• Bake at 325° for 30 - 35 minutes until muffin crowns are just turning golden and tops are crackly.

You may also like: Sweet Almond Glazed Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

The post Bakery Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins 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.

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.

Watermelon Salsa: sweet with a bite. Refreshing summer appetizer. Juicy watermelon, jalapeño pepper, sweet red onion, cilantro and mint combine with tart fresh-squeezed lime juice and honeydew melon. The perfect summer salsa twist!

I sure do love watermelon in summertime! Watermelon sherbet, watermelon ice cream, watermelon slushies and watermelon sorbet. And how about an ice cold watermelon triangle? Sweet, juicy and refreshing.

A friend of mine worked in the fields in North Carolina growing up. Today he’s a grandfather, but he hoed the rows as a teenager. Picked the beans, corn and peas.

Loved working with his hands, and it was really hard work. Most days it was sweltering hot out in the fields.

But he smiles about the breaks, that mid-afternoon rush to the watermelon patch with the crew. Smashing open a big, juicy one. Diving into the sweet, face first!

They say if you’re looking for the perfect, ripe watermelon, pick one that feels heavy for its size. It should have a creamy yellow spot on its underside where it ripened in the sun. And you probably know a watermelon is 92% water.

Some people know how to thump a watermelon to tell if it’s good one. I think it must be an art. Kind souls have spied my bewildered face at the bin trying to pick the perfect one. They’ve even volunteered to help.

Confidently, they thump away and finally announce, “This one — it’s perfect!” (But truth be told, the thumps all sound identical to me. Proof I didn’t grow up working on a farm in the south!)

This Watermelon Salsa is quick and easy to make. Dice ripe watermelon, honeydew melon and sweet red onion. Chop fresh cilantro and mint. Mince jalapeño pepper fine. Combine it all with fresh squeezed lime juice and some coarse salt. This is the salsa we’ll be making all summer long at our house.

Play with the amounts of cilantro and mint. It’s a great excuse to taste test along the way. (Not that I’d know or anything.) Give all the ingredients a gentle stir in the bowl and serve immediately with pita chips.

You’ll find that lime juice and salt draw the juice out of the watermelon over time. Just drain some if needed. This salsa is incredibly sweet and delicious, and the watermelon contrasts perfectly with the spicy jalapeño peppers. So fresh. Hope you love it too!

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Watermelon Salsa

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 cups

Ingredients

• 3 cups diced ripe watermelon
• 1 cup diced ripe honeydew melon
• 1 small jalapeño pepper ribs and seeds removed diced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 medium red onion diced
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground salt

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and serve with pita chips.

Notes

Best served immediately or within a few hours. The salt and lime juice draw out the watermelon juice as this salsa sits. Just drain off extra juice as needed.

You may also like: Garden Fresh Mango Salsa

The post Watermelon Salsa appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

French-style crepes are easy to make at home! And these Homemade Fresh Strawberry Crepes are the perfect weekend treat. Make crepes ahead, then fill with fresh strawberries and cream just before serving.

So what is a French-style crepe anyway? By definition it’s a very thin pancake often filled with meat, cheeses, fruits and/or fillings. Crepes are even thinner than Swedish pancakes, and they’re either sweet or savory. Think breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert and snacks.

Crepes: the perfect weekend breakfast!

When the weekend comes, it’s nice to gather around the breakfast table and connect over delicious fare. We can get in the same rut around here for weekend breakfasts. Omelets or scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, coffee cake and fresh fruit. It’s a nice menu, but I wanted to try to something special and a bit gourmet to surprise the boys.

Once in a blue moon we do go out for breakfast, but that gets expensive, especially if you have a family of growing boys like ours. And when they start ordering the large juices, well you can just throw in the towel. The battle has already been lost. We spent a grand total of $80.99 plus a $15 tip on a family breakfast out just last weekend… ouch! (It wasn’t even a fancy schmancy breakfast by the sea, either. Basic omelets etc.)

So I’ve always wanted to make homemade crepes. And then some friends recently downsized and gave me a lovely non-stick Le Creuset 7″ skillet. Very exciting. Once I had the right skillet, I knew I’d try my hand at making crepes. I always thought crepes would be hard to make and that they were always served hot. (Why?)

Since we all love fresh seasonal berries, I thought I’d make Homemade Fresh Strawberry Crepes first. The filling combines easily and if you have sweet strawberries in season, it’s hard to screw this up.

I was very pleasantly surprised at how easy the process is. The crepes were tender and delicious, and the boys and I enjoyed them for lunch today.

The most important thing I learned is that crepe batter is super simple to make and only uses a few ingredients. I also learned that crepes cook very quickly. You can make them ahead and stack/store them in the refrigerator, then fill them just before serving. So next time I serve crepes for weekend brunch, I’ll make the crepes the night before, then stuff them in the morning. Wonderful timesaver!

How to make Homemade Fresh Strawberry Crepes:

Slice up the strawberries, toss them with sugar and let them macerate. (Macerate = draw out the sweet juice!)

Then whip up the easy crepe batter in the blender. (So far so good.)

Then heat the skillet over high heat and spray some non-stick cooking spray on it. Pour in a scant 1/4 cup of batter, and tilt the skillet to swirl the batter evenly all around. Return to the heat.

When the top starts to dry out, flip it over.

And voila! A beautiful, golden crepe. Not bad, eh?

While the crepes cool, whip up the easy filling in the blender or food processor – just a few ingredients!

Spoon creamy filling and fresh strawberries in the center of a crepe, then fold in half and in half again. Garnish with more fresh berries, whipped cream and a fresh herb sprig if desired.

And there you have it folks: scrumptious Homemade Fresh Strawberry Crepes for all to enjoy! Gourmet and delicious.

Tips for making perfect crepes:

• Skillet should be nice and hot. Heat over high heat initially, but you’ll probably need to turn it down to medium once the skillet is fully heated. (Definitely turn down the heat if the cooking spray starts smoking.)
• I used non-stick cooking spray ‘Pam’ with good success.
• A non-stick skillet is nice if you have one. The 7″ size worked well for me.
• It should take about 1-3 minutes to cook each crepe, depending on how high the heat is.
• Flip your crepe when it starts to look dry on the top.
• If you love making (and eating!) crepes, a crepe pan is a good investment. It’s non-stick and has lower sides for easier access and flipping.
• Use a thin metal spatula to easily loosen edges to remove and/or flip crepes.
• Cool crepes before filling.
• Place filling(s) on top, then roll or fold crepes.

Other crepe recipes you may enjoy: Blueberry Crepes with Honey Whipped Cream, Lemon Cheese Cake Crepes and Paleo Crepes with Strawberries.

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Homemade Strawberry Crepes

Easy recipe to make Homemade Strawberry Crepes.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine French

Keyword crepe, crepe recipe, easy crepe, homemade strawberry crepe, stawberry crepe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 8 7" crepes

Author Allie

Equipment

• 7" non-stick skillet
• thin metal spatula
• non-stick cooking spray, like Pam

Ingredients

Crepes:

• 2 large fresh eggs room temperature
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup flour all purpose
• 1 tablespoon butter melted
• optional 1-2 tablespoons white granulated sugar (if you prefer a sweeter crepe)

Strawberry Filling:

• 3 cups strawberries, fresh sliced
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
• whipped cream for garnish

Instructions

How to make crepes:

• Process milk and eggs together in blender for 30 seconds.
• Keep speed low, and slowly add flour and butter, processing just until blended.
• Heat skillet over high heat until thoroughly heated.
• Lightly grease a 7" skillet with non-stick cooking spray.
• Pour scant 1/4 cup of batter onto heated skillet, picking up pan by the handle and tilting pan so the batter swirls over entire bottom of pan evenly.
• Return pan to the heat.
• Cook until bottom of crepe is turning golden, 1-2 minutes.
• Gently loosen edges from skillet and flip to brown the other side.
• Remove from skillet, and repeat process until you have cooked all crepes.

Strawberry Filling:

• Hull and slice strawberries. Lightly toss with white sugar. Set aside.
• Whip cottage cheese in a blender or food processor on high speed. Process until smooth.
• In a small mixing bowl, stir in smooth cottage cheese, sour cream, vanilla extract and powdered sugar.
• Fill crepes with a dollop of cheese mixture and strawberries on top.
• Fold crepe over in half and then in half again.
• Top with more berries and whipped cream.
• Garnish with fresh green lemon balm or mint sprig.

You may also like: Strawberry Cheesecake

The post Homemade Fresh Strawberry Crepes 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.

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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.

If you’re a blueberry lover like me, then this Blueberry Pound Cake recipe is for you! It’s a moist, dense, buttery cake packed with plump, juicy blueberries. Top with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you’re set!

Jump to Recipe

Blueberry Season Means Blueberry Pound Cake!

Blueberry picking season is just around the corner here in New England, and I’m so excited. A homemade blueberry pound cake is New England summer at its finest, and delicious cakes like this are served in Maine restaurants all summer long. And my Jon loves all things blueberry. And I remember as kids we used to buy blueberry jelly beans, share the whole bag in one sitting. We’re not eating so many jelly beans these days in our forties … But we do like fresh blueberries best, and we pick pounds of New Hampshire blueberries every July to enjoy fresh or freeze to use throughout the Fall and Winter.

We mostly eat blueberries straight, but we also like putting them in baked oatmeal, blueberry tarts, blueberry shortbread, and even homemade blueberry ice cream. But we especially love eating this delicious Blueberry Pound Cake. And trust me, you will, too!

Cake recipes can be tricky, but this has gotta be one of the easiest cakes I’ve ever baked. There are no special tricks or temperature settings. It always turns out a beautiful golden brown, looks gorgeous with the sparkling white sugar on top. So, grab your fork, and get ready to dig in!

Key Ingredients

You only need few fresh ingredients and some pantry staples to make this delicious and easy blueberry pound cake, including: a pint of fresh or frozen blueberries (washed and drained), all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, unsalted butter (softened to room temperature), eggs (also at room temperature), granulated sugar, pure vanilla extract, white sparkling sugar or turbinado sugar for sprinkling, and fresh whipped cream for serving.

How To Make Blueberry Pound Cake

1. Prep: Preheat your oven to 325°, and toss the washed, drained blueberries with 1/4 cup flour. Set aside. Sift remaining flour with baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
2. Make the Cake Batter: Separately in mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar together with hand or stand mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, but still being careful not to over-mix. Add vanilla, and beat until fluffy. Fold in the dry ingredients by hand into batter until well blended (it’s OK to see streaks of flour). Gently fold in the blueberries, being careful not to burst them.
3. Bake: Pour into greased and floured 10″ tube pan. Sprinkle with the sparkling white sugar, and bake for one hour and 15 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and tests done. (You can stick a toothpick into the center. if it comes out clean, it’s ready.)
4. Cool: Allow the blueberry pound cake to cool cake in tube pan for 10 minutes. Using a sharp knife, carefully separate cake from the edges of the pan and around the tube in the middle. Carefully remove the cake from pan, and cool on a baking rack.
5. Serve: Slice the cake, and serve with fresh whipped cream, grated lemon zest, and some mint leaves. Enjoy!

Tip: A fresh slice of Blueberry Pound Cake is delicious served with Triple Easy Homemade Lemonade!

Tips and Variations

• Toss your blueberries in a little flour before folding into the pound cake batter to keep them from sinking to the bottom.
• Measure all the ingredients carefully beforehand, and have them at room temperature — especially the butter and eggs in this case — to prevent lumps and to ensure a smooth cake batter.
• Don’t over-mix the batter. Mix on low speed and until ingredients are just incorporated. It’s OK to still see streaks of flour.
• Bake on your middle oven rack, and start checking at the 55-minute mark. However, if the top isn’t even golden brown, don’t open your oven yet. Repeatedly opening and closing the oven to check a cake before it’s done causes it to fall.
• Switch up the berries in this pound cake recipe! Raspberries, sliced strawberries, blackberries, and even cranberries would be delicious here.
• Double-up the blueberry flavor by serving this homemade pound cake with my favorite blueberry ice cream.
• Or keep it simple by serving warms with a pad of softened butter and a glass of cold milk!

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions

• Store cooled, leftover blueberry pound cake in an airtight container on the counter at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freeze this cake whole or by the slice for up to 3 months. Wrap securely in plastic wrap, then store in a freezer-safe, airtight container or plastic bag.
• Reheat this homemade pound cake by letting it come to room temperature from chilled or frozen, warming in the microwave, or toasting in the oven.

MORE CAKE RECIPES TO TRY

• Sugared Cranberry Pound Cake
• Candied Lemon Cheese Cake
• Brick Street Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Cupcakes
• Lemon Pound Cake
• Candied Lemon Cheesecake

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Blueberry Pound Cake

A moist, dense, buttery pound cake packed with plump, juicy blueberries.

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 35 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Allie Taylor

Ingredients

• 1 pint blueberries washed and drained
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon sparkling white sugar or turbinado sugar
• optional: serve with whipped cream

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Toss washed, drained blueberries with 1/4 cup flour, set aside.
• Sift remaining flour with baking powder and salt, set aside.
• Separately in mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together with hand or stand mixer.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add vanilla and beat until fluffy.
• Fold dry ingredients (by hand) into batter until well blended.
• Gently stir in berries.
• Pour into greased and floured 10" tube pan.
• Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sparkling white sugar or turbinado sugar.
• Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cake is golden brown and tests done.
• 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 - also use the knife to separate the the cake from the bottom of the pan.)
• Carefully remove the cake from pan and cool on a baking rack.

Notes

If you use frozen blueberries, make sure they are completely thawed and drained.

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

King Arthur Best Birthday Cupcakes are tender, vanilla cupcakes piped with luscious chocolate buttercream. Sprinkles or not, they’re hands down the best birthday cupcakes ever. Hint: they disappear FAST! This is King Arthur’s signature recipe of the year for 2019.

If you’re unfamiliar with King Arthur, they’re pretty much the baking authority in New England, IMHO. Their test kitchens and quality baking supplies and ingredients create the best quality baked goods. That’s why these cupcakes are THE best!

In March my extended family gathered at a restaurant in Massachusetts to celebrate my dad’s #80! Sweet times. I made these cupcakes for the first time and brought them along.

Cupcakes Are Easier to Bake than Cake!

For me, cupcakes are simpler to make than a birthday cake and much easier to travel with. There is no struggle centering names or sentiments in frosting or any intricate decorating to worry about.

With cupcakes, there are no cake layers to level or fillings to prepare. And best of all, no need to cut perfect cake slices!

Cupcakes are the perfect self-contained little party. A big frosting swirl, candles and a few sprinkles make them extra special. Stack them on a tiered stand and now you’ve got drama!

This weekend is my Hudson’s 9th birthday. Every birthday for Hudson is just a little bittersweet. Hudson has Down syndrome and autism and is about two years old developmentally. He’s also non-verbal. His favorite day of the year is definitely his birthday.

It’s not about the cake or presents, he doesn’t care about either. It’s all about the happy birthday song and blowing out his candles. This year I’m making him these special Birthday Cupcakes.

The truth is, he has a lot of sensory issues that include food. So while he may not even taste one, we’ll be more than happy to help him out! Mostly he’ll relish blowing out every last candle on all 28 cupcakes. And we’ll be cheering him on.

How to Pipe These Cupcakes:

• Use a pastry bag and coupling with a Wilton 1M star tip

Tips for making King Arthur Best Birthday Cupcakes:

• This recipe makes 28 cupcakes. Don’t try to make it into 24 like I did the first time. These cupcakes bake flat, and excess batter spills over, rather than rising higher.
• Use a scant quarter cup batter for each cupcake.
• Stagger baking in your oven to bake these evenly. (Bake cupcake pans one at a time , rather than simultaneously on different oven racks.) Or lucky you if you have a double oven.
• Since you’re baking this recipe into 28 cupcakes, you’ll have a baking pan with some empty cupcake holes. For even heating of the pan and even baking, fill empty cupcake pan holes with about an inch of water.
• Definitely use cupcake liners to bake this cupcake. (I prefer foil.)
• To keep cupcake wrappers bright, bake in foil cupcake papers first, then add a pretty cupcake paper liner after baking when cupcakes are cool.
• Find more tips for baking these amazing King Arthur Best Birthday Cupcakes here.
• Use a pastry bag and coupling with a Wilton 1M star tip

Other cupcake recipes you may enjoy: Funfetti Birthday Cupcakes, Red Velvet Birthday Cupcakes, and Small Batch Vanilla Cupcakes.

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King Arthur Best Birthday Cupcakes

Servings 28 cupcakes

Ingredients

Cupcakes

• 2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour or Gluten-Free Measure for Measure King Arthur Flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 large organic eggs at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons butter cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 1 7/8 cup natural cocoa powder sifted
• 1 1/2 cups plus 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar or more
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 4 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups butter softened

Instructions

Cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 325°. Baking rack should be in the center of the oven.
• Line cupcake pans with 28 cupcake liners, foil is preferred.
• Spoon flour loosely into measuring cup and level off.
• In a small bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl or electric stand mixer bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vanilla and almond extract.
• Beat batter until thickened and golden in color, for about two minutes at medium high speed with whisk attachment.
• If you don't have a whisk attachment, beat with paddle mixer attachment or electric hand mixer on medium high for about 5 minutes.
• Scrape down bottom and sides of bowl and mix again quickly until all is combined.
• Batter should be thick and yellow and fall in ribbons from the beaters.
• Add dry ingredients to the batter and fold in by hand or on low mixer speed until just combined.
• Scrape down bottom and sides and mix again until just combined. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring milk to a simmer.
• Remove milk from heat and gently stir in butter pieces and vegetable oil, until butter is fully melted.
• Slowly stir hot milk mixture into cake batter by hand or using low speed on an electric mixer.
• Scrape down bowl sides and bottom and mix again just to combine.
• Divide the batter equally among 28 cupcake liners. (You will use a scant 1/4 cup batter for each cupcake.)
• Fill any empty cupcake pan holes with 1 " water to facilitate even baking/pan temperature.
• Bake in center rack of preheated 325° oven for 25 - 28 minutes. (Check at 25 minutes.)
• For most even baking, bake one pan at a time.
• Cupcakes will start to brown on the edges when they are ready.
• Remove from oven and place on wire racks to cool.
• While still hot, gently loosen cupcakes edges from pan with a sharp knife if needed.
• Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• In large mixing bowl or stand mixer, stir together sifted cocoa powder, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and salt.
• Stir in hot water and vanilla, scraping bowl afterwards.
• Add butter and remaining powdered sugar.
• Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle, beat frosting at medium high speed for 1-2 minutes, stopping halfway through beating to scrape down bottom and sides of bowl.
• If frosting is the right consistency, decorate cupcakes.
• If too thick or stiff, beat in more hot water, a teaspoon at a time.
• If frosting is too thin, beat in more powdered sugar, 1/4 cup at a time.

You may also like: Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/Vanilla Bean Frosting

The post King Arthur Best Birthday Cupcakes appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.

Crispy, cheesy and oh so addictive! Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños are the most coveted game day appetizer on the planet. Fresh jalapeños are stuffed with a cream cheese cheddar mixture, then wrapped with bacon. Baked to smoky perfection, these are unforgettably delicious and spicy poppers. You can’t stop at one!

You’ll love these bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers! I recently tried making them at home for the first time.

It won’t be my last, they were such a hit! (They also happen to be Keto friendly, low carb and gluten free! So hip hip hurray!)

Slice fresh jalapeños in half lengthwise and be sure to remove all seeds and membranes. (A grapefruit spoon or grapefruit knife works great for this.) The capsaicin (what makes peppers hot!) is located in the seeds and membranes.

If you don’t care for spicy heat, try stuffing red and orange sweet mini-peppers. Or stuff a mixture of jalapeño and sweet red and yellow mini-peppers for a smorgasbord sure to please every palate!

The cheesy filling mixture is so easy to whip up. Mix softened cream cheese with shredded cheddar or monterey jack, seasonings, chopped green onion and fresh minced garlic.

Pre-cook bacon until just soft, so it wraps easily around the stuffed jalapeños. Nine minutes at 375° worked nicely for me.

Wrap stuffed jalapeño with the lightly pre-cooked bacon, tucking ends underneath and securing tightly with a toothpick. Bake for 20 minutes at 425° or until golden brown. For milder flavor, bake for 45-50 minutes at 350°. Broil a minute or two at the end if the bacon needs crisping, but watch closely!

Or grill these outside (use a grill mat) for 18 – 20 minutes, flipping partway through baking. Enjoy!

Tips for making Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños:

• Look for uniform 3-4″ jalapeño peppers so the poppers cook evenly.
• Use gloves when working with jalapeños to slice and remove seeds and membranes. (Jalapeños can easily burn your fingers depending on the heat factor.  And whatever you do, don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth!)
• Use a grapefruit spoon or grapefruit knife to easily remove seeds and membranes.
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy clean up. Or spray pan with cooking spray.
• You can freeze bacon-wrapped stuffed jalapeños ahead of time. Wrap stuffed peppers with partially cooked bacon. Don’t bake, but freeze individually on a sheet ’til frozen, then transfer to a ziploc bag (air removed) for later use. Poppers will keep this way for several months tightly sealed in the freezer.
• If you can’t handle the heat, but like the idea of jalapeño poppers, try a mix of mini sweet peppers instead. Or make a mixed tray of jalapeño and mini sweet peppers for all to enjoy.
• Pre-cook bacon in the oven, until just softened, 9 mins. at 375°.
• Bake poppers at 350° for 45 – 50 minutes for a milder, smoky flavor or at 425° for 20 minutes for bolder flavor. Broil if needed for a minute at the end to crisp them up, but watch closely.
• If grilling outside, grill for 18-20 minutes, using a grill mat to reduce flare ups. Cook upside down first, then flip after 5-7 minutes.
• Try stuffing with filling, wrapping in pre-cooked bacon and freezing for about ten minutes before baking. This helps cheesy  mixture to stay inside the jalapeños while baking.
• If you don’t have bacon on hand, try sprinkling real bacon bits on top!

Other jalapeño recipes you may enjoy: Jalapeño Popper Chicken Dip, Cheesy Jalapeño Bacon Steak Fries and Strawberry Jalapeno Salsa.

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Scrumptious Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños (Keto, Low Carb & Gluten-Free!)

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 16 poppers

Ingredients

• 1, 8 oz. brick softened cream cheese (not whipped or spreadable cream cheese, and not Neufchâtel cream cheese)
• 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar OR shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 clove minced garlic or more
• 1 green onion green and white parts diced small
• 8 washed fresh Jalapeño peppers (or 8 - 10 mini red and yellow peppers, or a mixture of both)
• 16 slices bacon not thick cut or real bacon bits

Instructions

• Line baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
• Pre-bake sliced bacon on the baking sheet in the oven at 375° for 9 minutes. (Should still be soft and pliable.) Set aside to cool.
• Mix cream cheese in mixing bowl until smooth and creamy with no lumps. (An electric hand mixer works great for this.)
• Stir salt and pepper, shredded cheese, fresh minced garlic and diced green onion into cream cheese until thoroughly combined.
• Set aside cheese mixture.
• Slice clean jalapeño peppers (or sweet mini-peppers) in half length-wise. (A good sharp knife is helpful!)
• Remove jalapeño seeds and membranes and discard. (A small melon baller, grapefruit spoon or grapefruit knife works well for this.)
• Stuff each pepper half with cream cheese mixture.
• Wrap each stuffed pepper half with one slice of pre-cooked bacon and secure with a wooden toothpick.
• Place cheese stuffed, bacon wrapped jalapeños on a parchment or foil lined baking sheet.
• Optional: At this point you may freeze stuffed peppers for ten minutes or so, to help contain the cheese while baking!
• TO BAKE: Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350° for milder flavor, or 20 - 25 minutes at 425° for bolder flavor.
• If needed, broil for a minute or two at the end to crisp up the bacon. (WATCH CLOSELY!)
• TO GRILL: Grill for 20 minutes, using a grill mat to reduce flareups. Start with the poppers upside down first, then flip right side up 5-6 minutes into grilling. Then grill 10 minutes or more until bacon is crisp.)

You may also like: Original Chipotle Guacamole

The post Scrumptious Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeños (Keto, Low Carb & Gluten-Free!) appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.