Tasty treats for the holidays (or anytime!)...

Margaret just whipped up one of her favorite appetizers to take to a holiday party here in the condo community this evening. It's another recipe that her mom made for all family gatherings - Marinated Mushrooms. Here's the recipe if you'd like to make them a tradition in your house, too:

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 T brown sugar
1 t salt
1 t prepared mustard
1 t dried parsley flakes
1 t granulated garlic (Margaret's addition to the original)
1 small white onion sliced very thinly and separated into rings
2 6 oz. jars of mushroom caps drained

Combine all ingredients except mushroom in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add mushrooms and simmer 5-6 minutes. Chill in a covered bowl several hours. Drain before serving.

These are so simple and sooooooo good, guaranteed to make you a kitchen hero with all who taste them! Margaret also tried a new treat last evening that is equally tasty, though just a little more time consuming, Orange Pecans:

4 cups (about 1 lb.) of pecan halves
1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 t ground cinnamon

Toast the pecans on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Combine orange juice concentrate, sugar and cinnamon in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Add pecans to mixture to coat and drop individually on cookie sheets covered with aluminum foil a quarter inch or so apart. Let set until firm.

It was all we could do to stay out of them last night! (We're sharing them at tonight's festivities, too.) A nice twist on pralines or other candied pecans. We suspect they'll show up here on Christmas Day, too.
Happy Holiday food fixing to you all!