Candied Pomegranate-Mandarin Orange Peel

Combining the sweetness of fresh citrus with just a hint of tart pomegranate, this Candied Pomegranate-Mandarin Orange Peel is a must-make for the holiday season...

I know that the holiday season is usually all about the peppermint and gingerbread and eggnog (and trust me- I love all of those flavors too!), but for me there is nothing more festive than the combination of sweet orange with tart pomegranate or cranberries. 

Maybe it is the color combo of the bright orange and the jeweled red. Maybe it's because I need a pop of sweet & tart flavor to give me a break from all of the warm spices and zippy mint that we are bombarded with this time of the year. But this citrusy, sweet & tart combo is a treat not only for my taste buds, but for my eyes as well. :)

Candied orange peel is one of those recipes I have been wanting to try for myself for a while now. I have made candied lemon slices before, but never orange peel. 

I used mandarin oranges (aka, Halos or Cuties) for this recipe mostly because my youngest is obsessed with them, but it seems like we can never get through an entire bag of them before they go bad. So this candied orange peel recipe is a great way to use up a few of them. And since mandarins are much smaller then regular navel oranges, their peels are already the perfect size for candying. 

Toasted Pecan Pie Crust Mix Gift with Free Printable

Get a head start on those holiday hostess and teacher gifts now with this easy to make Toasted Pecan Pie Crust Mix Gift...

I am sort of a sucker for fun foodie gifts for the holidays.  I love making and giving them. And I love receiving them.  

I mean first of all, food is universal. We all eat it, right? ;)

So you can whip up cookie mixes or make fudge (or this Toasted Pecan Pie Crust Mix), and they make the perfect gifts for anyone on your holiday list. 

Everyone has seen the layered cookie mixes in jars by now, right? I mean, you really can't even open Pinterest these days without at least seeing one or two on that first page. Baking cookies is always synonymous with the holidays.  

But pie baking is too! Except that it usually takes a little more effort to make pies. But gifting this Toasted Pecan Pie Crust Mix takes a little of the work out of that holiday pie making for those favorite hostesses, teacher, and foodies in your life... :)