Water with Apple Cinnamony Goodness

Does anyone actually drink as much water as they should? I know I certainly don’t. When there are so many options of things to drink, water just seems boring. Well, there are easy ways of making it not only more interesting, but delicious. Since it's apple season right now, I decided to make apple cinnamon water.

Here’s what you’ll need: 

• 1-2 apples
• 1 cinnamon stick 

Yep, that’s it. Just two ingredients. It really couldn’t be simpler. Drop your cinnamon stick into the bottom of a pitcher.

The variety of apple doesn’t really matter, just use whatever your favorite is. I would recommend using ones grown without pesticides, though. My apples were pretty small, so I used two, but if yours is bigger than mine, one should be plenty. Give it a good wash, then cut it into pieces something like this.

Drop the pieces on top of the cinnamon stick.

Ice isn’t strictly necessary, but I like to use it because it helps to keep the apples, which are very floaty, beneath the surface of the water.

Then just fill the pitcher the rest of the way with cold water and place it in the fridge overnight. The next day, you will have surprisingly delicious, apple cinnamon infused water.

What’s your favorite flavor of infused water? 

It's Beginning to Smell a lot like Christmas

Ahhh, the smell of cinnamon.  Nothing else makes me think more of Christmastime than that.  For a short time when Hubby and I were younger, we had a Dippin’ Dots franchise in a mall.  During the holiday season, the nut store would move in.  You know the nuts I’m talking about.  The ones you can smell for like 8 blocks.  Usually they sell cinnamon almonds, but I used to sit there all day smelling their nuts and would visit often.  That’s how I eventually figured out they made pecans too, just not as many or as often.  The almonds are pretty amazing, but the pecans… there are no words.  Now, I’m going to show you how to make them yourself at home.

Here’s what you’ll need: 

• 4 cups pecans
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 ½ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt 

Before you get started on anything else, go ahead and preheat your oven to 250° and line a sheet pan or a large roasting pan with parchment.  (Or you can just butter it if you don’t mind washing it when you’re done.  Next up, measure your sugar, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl. 

Whisk them together until everything is evenly distributed, then set it aside. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine your egg white and vanilla.

With your mixer (or a whisk if you prefer) beat until it’s nice and frothy. 

Add the pecans.

Stir thoroughly.  It’ll take a minute or two, but you want your nuts completely coated. 

Pour on the sugar mixture.

And stir some more.  All of the sugar should be moistened and the vast majority of it stuck to your nuts. 

Pour the pecans onto your prepared pan.

Spread them out so there’s basically a single layer.

Bake at 250° for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.  When they’re done, they’ll be dry and no longer sticky. 

Allow them to cool just long enough that you won’t burn yourself and start devouring.  Wait, I mean, let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container.  (Yeah right)

What reminds you most of the holiday season?