Know what we love to make for Christmas? Popcorn balls! Homemade popcorn balls are a delicious departure from the usual cookies and candies that are offered up during the holidays, and nothing beats a fresh popcorn ball with a cup of hot cocoa. They also look great as a Christmas tree decoration! Homemade popcorn balls are so simple to make, you’ll want to have them year-round.

Start by heating 2 tbsp. of vegetable or canola oil over medium-high heat in a large, deep pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add 1 cup of popcorn kernels. Cover the pot with the lid and agitate the pot constantly over the hot burner while the corn pops. When the popping sounds slow, remove the pot from the heat and dump the popped popcorn into a large bowl that has been greased with butter or cooking spray. Set the popcorn aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 sticks (1 cup) of unsalted butter over low heat. Add 10 cups of miniature marshmallows to the butter. Stir the marshmallow mixture constantly until the marshmallows are completely melted. (At this time, you can also add extract or cocoa powder, or melt some candy in the marshmallow mixture to flavor the popcorn balls. Some of our favorite add-ins are 2 tsp. of Dutch cocoa powder, 1/4 cup of crushed organic mini candy canes or 2 tbsp. of cinnamon imperials.) Remove the marshmallow mixture from the heat and let it cool slightly.

Pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn in the prepared bowl. Grease your hands with butter or cooking spray, then use your fingers to evenly coat the popcorn kernels in the marshmallow. Form the mixture into 16 to 20 popcorn balls.

Serve the popcorn balls immediately or wrap them in decorative plastic wrap to gift later. To display the popcorn balls on the Christmas tree, wrap each popcorn ball in a square of red or green clear cellophane. Gather the excess cellophane at the top of the ball and secure it with a piece of decorative ribbon. After knotting the ribbon around the top tightly, pull the tails up and tie the ends together to form the ribbon into a loop. Hang the popcorn balls on the branches of the Christmas tree by the ribbon loops.

We hope you have as much fun making and eating these treats as we do. Have a sweet weekend!

We hope each and every one of you had a fantastic holiday yesterday! Now, we’re left with a pretty big question: What to do with all that leftover turkey from the big feast? One of our favorite ways to repurpose leftover turkey is to make a sweet and savory turkey salad, studded with dried cranberries, dried apples and chopped walnuts. When served on whole-grain bread, on top of a bed of greens or with crackers, this turkey salad sure takes the cake!

To start, chop up 2 cups of leftover cold turkey breast. Place the chopped turkey in a bowl and add ¼ to ½ cup of mayonnaise or plain Greek yogurt. Stir in 2 tbsp. of Dijon mustard and a small sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Chop up ½ cup each of dried cranberries and dried apples, along with 2 tbsp. of fresh green onions, and add them to the turkey salad. Then, toast ½ cup of chopped walnuts in a skillet over medium-low heat until they’re lightly browned and fragrant. Add the toasted walnuts to the turkey salad, stir it up and you’re all set!

We love to enjoy this turkey salad with a side of leftover sweet potatoes! However, if leftovers aren’t your speed, may we suggest pairing the salad with a handful of sweet and salty veggie chips?

With the holidays approaching, we’ve been testing out some nutty new appetizers. Yesterday, we had a smash hit with pistachio-stuffed dates! These plump, delicious dates filled with soft cheese and pistachios are a perfect start to any meal.

Start with 1 lb. of pitted dates. Cut a slit longways up one side of each date, so that the hollow center in the date is easy to get to and wider. Set the dates aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together 8 oz. of soft cheese, such as goat cheese or cream cheese, with 6 tbsp. of cream, whole milk or almond milk. Add 1 tsp. of clover honey, ¼ tsp. of ground cinnamon and 1 tsp. of fresh grated orange zest to the cheese mixture. Stir until combined. Add 4 tbsp. of chopped, roasted pistachios to the cheese mixture.

Carefully fill each slit date with ½ tsp of the cheese and pistachio mixture and gently squeeze the date shut. (The dates will not close completely after stuffing them.) Sprinkle an additional 2 tbsp. of toasted, chopped pistachios over the stuffed dates. Serve the dates immediately or refrigerate them, covered, for up to a day.

What are some of your favorite nutty holiday appetizers?

Thanksgiving is less than a week away! In honor of one of our favorite holidays, we thought we’d share the recipe for a favorite holiday side dish. Twice-baked sweet potatoes with spicy and sweet pecan topping are sure to please your whole family.

To start, wash and dry six whole sweet potatoes. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork to release the steam while they bake. Wrap each potato in a sheet of aluminum foil and bake the potatoes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 45 minutes, or until they’re cooked and soft all the way through. Unwrap the potatoes and set them aside until they’re cool to the touch.

Slice the cooled potatoes in half longways and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl (keeping the skins intact). Stir in ¼ cup of light brown sugar, 4 tbsp. of butter, ½ cup of cream cheese and 1 tsp. of pumpkin pie spice. Spoon the mixture back into the sweet potato skins and place the filled skins on a baking sheet.

Top each twice-baked sweet potato with 1 tsp. of light brown sugar, 1 tbsp. of chopped pecans and a sprinkling of ground cinnamon. Bake the potatoes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes, or until the filling is hot and the topping is fragrant and slightly brown.

What are some of your favorite nutty side dishes for Thanksgiving?

Hip, hip, hooray, it’s National Sundae Day! Even though it’s getting chillier all the time, we still love to indulge in a sweet and delicious ice cream sundae. One of our favorite sundaes is vanilla ice cream topped with warm, homemade, nutty praline topping.

To make our favorite sundae topping, place half a stick (4 tbsp.) of unsalted butter in a medium saucepan. Melt the butter over low heat, stirring constantly, until it’s completely melted. Add 1-1/4 cups of brown sugar, 2 cups of mini marshmallows, ¼ tsp. of salt and 2 tbsp. of light corn syrup. Stirring the ice cream topping constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over low heat and allow it to boil for one minute. Remove the topping from the heat and let it cool for five to 10 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of full-fat evaporated milk, 1 tsp. of pure vanilla extract and 2 cups of chopped pecans. Drizzle the warm praline topping over vanilla ice cream, top it with a few extra pecans and serve your yummy sundae immediately.

You can store this ice cream topping in the refrigerator for up to a week. Just heat it up in the microwave or on the stove over low heat before serving!

What’s your favorite nutty sundae?

Ah, poppy seeds. We think they complete just about any baked good with their deliciously nutty flavor and delicate crunch. But did you know that poppy seeds also pack a rather powerful nutritional punch? It’s true!

Besides being just plain tasty, a serving of poppy seeds contains 13 percent of your daily requirement of calcium. These tiny seeds offer up a healthy dose of vitamin A, vitamin C and iron. Poppyseeds can also help our feathered friends. They soothe digestive issues in many wild birds, so make sure to add them to your custom birdseed mixture!

Poppy seeds are mainstays in recipes from cuisines around the world, including Ukranian and Polish dishes. However, we have some favorite recipes of our own that feature these delectable seeds. Check out our featured recipes for Almond Poppy Cake, Lemon Poppyseed Muffins and Four Seed Bread. Smart Stew, which contains root vegetables and pumpkin, is also a great treat. You can even stir poppyseeds into your favorite salad dressing recipe, or add a few teaspoons of the seeds to pancake and waffle batter. They’re also delicious on the outside of homemade buns and bagels.

What are some of your favorite ways to cook with poppy seeds? Do you have a special recipe for poppy seed bread or cookies that you just have to share? We’d love to hear more!

At first glance, you might wonder whether you should eat these corn cupcakes at the start of your meal (because of the corn) or as a dessert (because of the cupcake).  But look closely and you’ll be amazed!

Our friend, Martha, decorated these delicious cupcakes with candy!

The “corn” is made from yellow Jelly Belly Buttered Popcorn and white Jelly Belly French Vanilla.  The “butter” is made from banana split chews.

What a delightful idea for a fall dessert!

As the weather turns a wee bit chillier, we love to curl up with a nice, hot cup of herbal tea in the evening! Some herbal teas even have the added bonus of offering up some great nutritional and health benefits! Three of our favorites are hibiscus tea, spearmint tea and chamomile tea.

Hibiscus tea is a slightly tart, bright red brew that will perk you right up! The dried flowers are rich in flavanoids and antioxidants, and the almost berrylike flavor will take you back to the warm days of summer. Many people also drink hibiscus tea to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol. To make a deliciously spicy hibiscus tea blend, place two dried hibiscus flowers in a teapot, along with half of a cinnamon stick and a small knob of peeled fresh ginger. Pour one cup of boiling water over the mixture and steep the tea for five to 10 minutes. Strain the hibiscus tea into a mug and sweeten it with honey, if desired.

Spearmint tea is a fantastic after-dinner beverage. We’ve found that it aids with digestion and can help settle upset stomachs. It’s also quite refreshing! To prepare spearmint tea, measure 1 to 1-1/2 tsp. of jasmine green tea into a teapot. Add 1 tbsp. of spearmint and 1 cup of boiling water, then let the tea steep for about 10 minutes. Serve the tea with sugar or honey to enhance the mint flavor.

Chamomile makes a soothing tea that’s perfect for pre-bedtime relaxation. Put 1 tbsp. of dried chamomile flowers into a teapot and pour 1 cup of boiling water over them. Let the brew steep for five to 10 minutes, then strain the tea and add a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of honey.

What are some of your favorite varieties of herbal tea?

Besides offering a wide selection of snacks and goodies, NutsOnline also carries quite a few products for projects both in and out of the kitchen. One of our favorites, citric acid, has quite a few uses!

Citric acid, also known as lemon salt or sour salt, is a completely natural acid that’s derived from fruit. In fact, it’s what gives citrus fruits their tart bite. It’s often found in calcium supplements because it has been shown to help your bones absorb calcium more easily.

One of the most common uses of citric acid is in cooking and baking. Citric acid can add a tart punch to candies and soft drinks. In fact, the white, powdery coating on the outside of many sour gummies and hard candies is often a mixture of citric acid and sugar! The acid also acts as a preservative in foods such as bread, ice cream and cheese.

Of course, citric acid isn’t just reserved for edibles. Many people add the acid to commercial dishwasher detergent or create homemade detergent from mixture of citric acid, borax and baking soda. The acid removes hard water deposits from dishes, the dishwasher’s interior and the drain pipes. A solution of citric acid and water can also be used to clean tile floors.

One of the most interesting ways to use citric acid is to make homemade bath bombs. These fizzy balls foam up in the tub, making bathtime more refreshing and fun! To make a batch of bath bombs, mix 3 cups of baking soda with 1-1/2 cups of citric acid. Stir in 30 to 40 drops of your favorite essential oil, one drop at a time, along with a few drops of food coloring, if desired. Pack the bath bombs tightly into bath bomb molds (found at your local craft store) and let the bombs dry until they’re solid. Easy and amazing!

Have you ever worked with citric acid? What are some of your favorite uses?

We’ve been hearing a lot lately about a special California treat called a date shake. It caught our interest immediately! What could be more delicious than a cool, creamy beverage flavored with our plump and delicious dates?

We gave a few recipes a whirl, and these shakes sure are something! Here’s the recipe we love for this chilly treat.

To start, chop up 1/3 of a cup of pitted dates. Put the dates in a small bowl and sprinkle 2 tbsp. of warm water over them. Let them soften up for about five minutes, then drain the water from the bowl and dump the dates in a blender pitcher.

Add one peeled, frozen banana to the pitcher, along with 2 cups of almond milk or cow’s milk, 1/2 cup of vanilla ice cream of frozen yogurt, and a handful of ice cubes. Blend up the mixture until you have a smooth, frosty concoction, and serve it topped with whipped cream and ground nutmeg. Delicious!

Have you ever had a date shake? What are some of your favorite variations? We’d love to hear more about our new favorite treat!