Christmas in March!

Last week I got to meet with a friend I haven't seen since Christmas, and she gave me several belated (and much appreciated) Christmas gifts, including this cute tin of Alice in Wonderland Tea from Adagio!

I'd not heard of this herbal blend, but I loved the scent and sight that greeted me when I opened the tin!

This tea contains green rooibos, apple pieces, raspberry leaves, raspberries, strawberries, natural strawberry flavor, natural creme flavor, blue cornflowers, and rose petals. I loved the taste, which had only the merest hint of the rose and tasted mostly like a nice, lightly fruit-flavored rooibos. (And isn't it lovely?)

I had some to accompany my afternoon snack of what is just about my favorite sweet in the world, that super easy toffee you make with saltines!

I assume all of you have made this about a million times, but here's the recipe just in case someone has not.

Easy Toffee

20 saltines
1 stick butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Pecans or other nuts, as desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and arrange saltines in four rows of five crackers each. Fold foil tightly around edges of saltines to create a "rim" to the foil. Melt butter and brown sugar in microwave and combine well. Pour mixture over saltines, bake for five minutes, and remove pan from oven. Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot saltines and allow to soften for about two minutes, then spread chocolate evenly over saltines. Add pecans and let the toffee cool in refrigerator for an hour or two before serving. Break into pieces and try not to scarf it down in one sitting! (This, by the way, is the half-size recipe, which is all I will let myself make because this stuff is crazy good. People sometimes make this at the holidays and call it "Christmas Crack," and there's a good reason for that!)