Recipe: Dried Orange Ornaments

This year we cut down our Christmas tree at a farm in the Santa Cruz mountains. We brought it home, propped it up in a stand, and strung lights around it. We don’t yet have any ornaments, so I made some from oranges. The process couldn’t be simpler. All you do is thinly slice the oranges (or any citrus fruits), arrange them in a single layer on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet, and dry them in a low oven. Depending on how thin the orange slices are, they take anywhere from 4 to 6 hours in a 250°F oven. If your oven can be set to 200°F, that’s even better. Once the slices are completely dry, poke a hole through each one and string it up with twine. You can use them to decorate a tree, adorn a wrapped gift, or make a festive garland. As a little bonus, drying oranges makes your home smell wonderful.