Candied orange peel is one of my favorite treats, yet for some reason I’ve only made it once since I was a little girl. When I saw beautiful, seasonal Royal Mandarins at my local grocery store, I knew I had to candy their gorgeous peels. This is such a simple recipe, and also creates orange simple syrup and orange sugar, three recipes in one!My mother is a very smart woman. From a very young age she taught me that cooking and food were a lot of fun. I realize that sometimes this caused her more work than it was worth. For instance, at age two I put a plastic Cool Whip (yes, we did eat Cool Whip growing up) container in the broiler before we went off to a church event. Imagine how traumatized I was when we came home to a house full of black, oily smoke and a screeching fire alarm. I was certain that an ancient dragon had turned our little home into his fiery den and was bellowing a warning to stay away. I think it took a few weeks, but my excitement for cooking was renewed, this time with an element of caution.
Smoothie Bowl with Mango, Cranberry, and Banana
This mango cranberry smoothie bowl is pretty in pink, and refreshingly tart with a hint of natural sweetness from banana. It’s a cheerful healthy breakfast to start your day!