Tag: cranberries

Fruit, Recipes, Sides

Cranberry Sauce Face/Off

Sarah

Cranberry sauce is VERY serious business. Because it’s my favorite holiday dish, like stuffing, ya know? It’s the only way I can stomach turkey or a big hunk o’ meat, as is traditional for holiday meals. And FYI… I’m not talking about that stuff in a can. I hope you didn’t think that was the case.

canned cranberry sauce
canned cranberry sauce=gross

No, I’m talking about real, whole berry cranberry sauce. Today I’ll be sharing my two best cranberry sauce recipes, just in time for your Christmas dinner.

cranberry sauces in the snow
The magic of cranberry sauce. On the left, the traditional family Cranberry Relish; on the right, a new recipe: Gingered Cranberry-Apricot Sauce.

I love my family’s traditional cranberry relish because it’s tart and sweet at the same time. The sweetness of the citrus pairs perfectly with tangy cranberries. The Cranberry Relish is a snap to make too–from start to finish, this dish takes about 10 minutes, tops. How simple is that? Love it!

Cranberry Relish

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 1 orange, scrubbed and sliced
  • 1 lime, scrubbed and sliced
  • 1/2-3/4 cup sugar

Directions:

Place cranberries in the bowl of a food processor. Add half of the orange and lime [including the rind], and pulse several times to chop. Then add the rest of the orange and lime and pulse a few more times. Pour in 1/4 cup sugar and pulse to combine. Taste and add additional sugar as desired. I usually use about 1/2 cup sugar total, but adjust to your tastes. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Notes:

Feel free to use any type of citrus in this cranberry relish… oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit, clementines, etc. Just be sure to remove the seeds first!

and for recipe #2…

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about trying a cooked cranberry sauce. It wasn’t what I had grown up enjoying. However, I am so glad I gave this Gingered Cranberry-Apricot Sauce a try. The combination of spicy ginger, sweet apricot, and tangy cranberries is fabulous! It’s unlike any cranberry dish I have ever tasted… I made it for Thanksgiving and it’s making a repeat appearance at Christmas. Yum!

Gingered Cranberry-Apricot Sauce [from Woman’s Day]

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 1/2-3/4 cup sugar
  • 1-2 teaspoons ginger
  • 15.25 ounce can apricot halves [I used the lite version in a natural juice]

Directions:

Drain apricots, reserving juice into a measuring cup. Add water to juice to make 1 cup of liquid. Chop apricots into thirds.

In a medium saucepan, combine liquid, cranberries, apricots, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon ginger. Stir together and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20-30 minutes or until the majority of the cranberries have burst. Taste, and add additional sugar or ginger to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Click here for the printable: Cranberry Sauce Face/Off

Question of the Day: Cranberry Sauce… Yea or Nay?

Other, Recipes, Sides

CranApple Stuffing

Sarah

So, the stuffing is one of my favorite parts about Thanksgiving dinner. It’s tied with cranberry relish [not the stuff outta a can here!] and pumpkin pie for the top spot on my plate. Mashed potatoes, turkey, green bean casserole… ehh, I’d take ’em or leave ’em. But stuffing? No way. I gotta have it.

Consequently, when Diana at The Chic Life announced the Healthy Thanksgiving Challenge 2010, I knew that stuffing would be my dish! Except, I think the technical term is “dressing” since it’s not stuffed in anything. But technicalities, people, technicalities!

This stuffing, er–dressing, is fabulous. Crisp, flavorful bread punctuated with sweet apples and cranberries and chunky, crisp but not mushy, carrots and celery, all flavored with garlic and herbs.

CranApple Stuffing - an easy, healthy stuffing recipe bursting with apples, cranberries, and carrots!

And you don’t have to tell anyone, but my stuffing is just a little bit healthier too–multigrain bread instead of white bread, additional fruits and veggies for nutrients and flavor, the omission of sausage, and the addition of wheat germ for protein, fiber, and other nutrients galore.

Hungry already? I am! Here’s the recipe, I’m headed to the fridge… leftovers are callin’ my name!

CranApple Stuffing

  • Servings: 6
  • Print

inspired by Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups multigrain French bread, cut into 1″ cubes
  • 2 tablespoons wheat germ
  • 1/2 cup diced celery [about 2 ribs]
  • 1 cup thinly sliced carrot [1 large]
  • 1 cup peeled and diced apple [1 medium]
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • olive oil

Directions:

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, carrot, apple, and garlic and cook until fragrant and softened, about 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss wheat germ with bread cubes in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, milk, and egg.

After fruits and veggies are softened, stir in cranberries, sage, and thyme. Remove from heat and spoon into bowl with bread cubes.

Pour egg mixture over everything and toss to coat.

Spoon into 1 1/2 quart baking dish, top with freshly ground black pepper, and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours to set before baking.

Then bake in a 350 degree oven, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and top is crispy.

Question of the Day: What’s your favorite healthy substitution?

Cookies, Desserts, Recipes

Monster Cookies

Sarah
Monster cookies
there's nothin' scary about these monsters...

So, I have this problem. It’s really really really hard for me to pick my favorite kind of cookie. I mean seriously. How can I choose between peanut butter, or chocolate chip, or oatmeal cranberry? And what about M&M cookies? Or cookies with peanuts? I’ll pick all of the above, please. But thankfully… sometimes problems have happy endings. Sometimes you can have your cake [cookie?] and eat it too. Now is one of those times.

To me, monster cookies are so great because they combine the best of the best. A peanut butter, oatmeal based cookie dough with bits of chocolate and nuts and dried fruit and candy. Ohmygoodnessdeliciousamazement. Plus, they can be totally customized to your desires and tastes and preferences without changing the integrity of the cookie. So, honestly, there isn’t much to say about these fantastic treats other than make them now. Because you know they’ll be good. As your custom creation they better be! 🙂

Monster Cookies [from Brown Eyed Baker]

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon corn syrup
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • sprinkle salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups chunky peanut butter
  • 4 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts
  • 1/2 cup pretzel M&Ms
  • 1/2 cup plain M&Ms
  • 1/4 cup butterscotch chips
  • 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Add eggs, sugars, vanilla, corn syrup, baking soda, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. In a small bowl, whisk together butter and peanut butter. Fold into the egg mixture, then add flour and oats and mix to combine. Finally, fold in the add-ins [peanuts, M&Ms, chips, and cranberries]–I used a wooden spoon to do so because the bowl of my mixer was practically overflowing! Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to set.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove from fridge and scoop dough onto cookie sheets in rounded tablespoons, using the spoon to press down slightly on each ball of dough to flatten it a little. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.

Note:

I made 24 cookies and one 8-inch cookie cake in a pie pan. The cookie cake was the result of an abundance of add-ins; I just pressed all the extras into the remaining dough. It was yummy!

Click here for the printable version: Monster Cookies

Question of the Day: What’s your favorite kind of cookie?

Breakfast, Recipes, Scones

Cran-Tan-Oat Scones

Sarah
Cran-Tan-Oat Scones
fresh outta the oven!

This recipe is all iTunes’ fault. So if you hate it, blame iTunes, okay? But if you love it, well, then you can thank me for using iTunes. 🙂

Confused? Let me back up.

I have a big project for school due today, and have been at my computer more hours  than I have not recently. Bummer, huh? So I’ve been listening to iTunes, particularly their Genius mixes made with my music. I was a little surprised to hear “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” to come on in the Country mix… especially because it’s classified as “Holiday,” not “Country.” I normally have a strict provision against listening to Christmas music until Thanksgiving weekend, but this time, it was forced upon me.

Naturally, the lover of baking I am, I began to wonder what holiday-inspired treat I could make as a procrastination device that wouldn’t be too seasonal. I had wanted to whip up some cookies but I was swayed.

Enter Cran-Tan-Oat Scones.

Sweet cranberries. Chewy oats. A hint of citrus. A touch of sweetness.

Perfect for fall. Perfect for Thanksgiving morning. You should try ’em now first though, just as a test run…

Cran-Tan-Oat Scones
the goods…

…and remember, it’s iTunes’ fault. I think I’ll still use iTunes though, these scones are pretty darn tasty.

Cran-Tan-Oat Scones

  • Servings: 8
  • Print

adapted from Eat Better America

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 tablespoons butter, chilled
  • 2 cups oatmeal
  • 6 ounces vanilla yogurt
  • zest of 1 tangerine
  • 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • sugar
  • cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lighly flour a large baking sheet. In a mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to combine flours, brown sugar, and baking soda. Zest 3/4 of the peel of 1 tangerine into the mix and stir to combine. Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the yogurt, then stir in the rest along with the cranberries, egg, and oatmeal. Mixture will be sticky and loose–don’t worry if it doesn’t stay together.

Scoop dough out onto the prepared pan. Using your hands, press and shape dough into an 8 inch circle. Brush dough with remaining yogurt, then sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and tangerine zest.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown along the edges. Cut into 8 wedges and serve warm.

Note:

I ended up baking this for about 15 minutes, then cutting into wedges and baking a few more minutes because they weren’t cooking well in the center.

Question of the Day: When do you break out the seasonal treats, music, & decorations? I’m usually a strict Thanksgiving weekend purist… but now, we will see!

Breakfast, Muffins, Recipes

Cran-Oat Muffins

Sarah

I love muffins. They’re just so easy and fun to eat. And they’re cute too. And yummy. On that note, I made muffins the other night.

Cran-Oat Muffins | thepajamachef.com

These were great. Not my favorite muffins ever, but pretty darn close. [That title is reserved for pumpkin chocolate chip muffins which I will be making in the fall when pumpkin returns to the grocery stores… I can’t WAIT!] These muffins remind me of fall. Delicious spices, sweet-tart cranberries, and the texture of oats. Incredible.

Cran-Oat Muffins | thepajamachef.com

Cran-Oat Muffins

  • Servings: 20
  • Print

from Dorie Greenspan’s Baking From My Home to Yours, adapted by OvenLove and me

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups unsweetened natural applesauce
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour [I used 3/4 cup all-purpose + 1/2 cup whole wheat]
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon + 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin tins with either paper or foil muffin cups, or if you’re fancy, use silicone muffin tins or cups. I would love these!

muffin cupsOr this:

Muffin tinAnyways… let’s get going on those muff muffs!

In a medium bowl, use a whisk to combine eggs, applesauce, oil, and buttermilk until combined. Make sure the eggs are fully incorporated… for some reason I had troubles with that.

Then, using a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and pumpkin pie spice. Remove 1/2 teaspoon of the dry ingredients and toss with the cranberries to coat. Mix oats and cranberries into the bowl. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Spoon batter into muffin cups [I got about 20 muffins out of this batter].

Then, make the topping by stirring together the brown sugar, pecans, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Top each muffin with a teaspoon of topping and press down gently into the batter so it sticks. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Notes:

If I were to make these again, which I do want to do because they were delicious, I would probably decrease the amount of granulated sugar to 1/2 or 2/3 cup. I just thought they were way too sweet, especially with the brown sugar-based topping. Also, I’d increase the amount of cranberries to 3/4 cup. I wanted more! My husband agreed with the cranberry idea, but didn’t find these too sweet at all, so it’s all about personal taste I guess!