Thursday, December 6, 2012


Hello dear friends . . .
Each year I try to re-post  about making dried orange slices for your tree
and today is the day I am making mine!
Oh my,  the house smells lovely!

* * * * * * *
Do you ever wish to return to a simpler, less harried Christmas time?
I'm not sure if it is even possible but we keep trying !
After a busy, busy sewing season it's difficult to have enough energy to decorate & bake, so we have simplified our routine a bit over the last few years. Yes, I still decorate, but it's mostly simple greens and candles. Yes, I still bake . . . I love it, but I don't worry about having 10 kinds of cookies . . .
3 or 4 favorites will do!

So . . . in this spirit I would like to share one of my favorite decorations of many years!

I dry orange slices to adorn our tree . . I set aside a day to slice and to dry them in the oven. 
The smell throughout the house is amazing!  Once dried and strung on the trees they catch the light and reflect a warm candle glow color!

Here's how!

Set oven at 200 degrees.
Line cookie trays with foil.
Slice navel oranges into about 1/8" or so slices. (eat the scraps to get your vitamin C for winter!)
Lie them on cookie sheets and put into oven . . after about an hour turn them over.
Then maybe after 30 minutes, check and turn again if need be.
They should take about 2 hours, or more as everyones oven heats a little differently.
After about 1.5 hours check often as they can brown quickly.
Now and then one will stick to the foil, gently peel off and turn over.
Make plenty unless you lose a few.
I also add them to wooden bowls filled with homemade popourri, or hang on garlands.
String with a needle and strong thread.

Have fun, sing carols and enjoy a simple Christmas!

Peace,
Lori Ann

6 comments:

jennifer768 said...

A simpler Christmas sounds heavenly!Love the orange slices,thanks for the tutorial.Hugs,Jen

Lori from Notforgotten Farm said...

beautifully simple & I love how the farmhouse smells whist making them ~
Merry Christmas my Friend!

tj said...

...I so agree here. It seems as the older I get the more I long for simplicity both in my every day life and during the holidays.

...I remember your infamous dried sliced oranges from some time ago. I seem to remember a photo where a light was illuminating one dried orange slice on your tree and I remember thinking to myself, "how beautiful!". :o)

...Thank you for the reminder and the tutorial!

...Enjoy your scent-filled day! :o)

...Blessings

Green Creek Primitives said...

Thanks for the recipe, I have been wanting to do that for a long time. Have a fun holiday. Vicky

Primitive Stars said...

Simple is wonderful, love the orange slices, I made mine the other day, smelled up the house........Blessings Francine.

Michelle May-The Raspberry Rabbits said...

I'm all for simple. I can already smell these wonderful slices. Thanks so much for the tutorial.
Hugs!