Orange Cranberry Bread

Me: Mom, I'm at the grocery store. Could you tell me the ingredients for that fabulous cranberry bread you make?
Mom: Oh! I just use the recipe on the back of the bag of cranberries.
Me: Oh. That's easy.

So here, my friends, is the Ocean Spray Orange Cranberry Bread!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup orange juice

1 T grated orange peel

2 T vegetable oil

1 egg, well beaten

1 1/2 cup cranberries, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)



Preheat oven to 350*
Grease 9x5 loaf pan
Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
Add orange juice, grated peel, vegetable oil and egg.  Mix well.
Add cranberries and optional nuts.
Spread into loaf pan.
Bake for 55 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from pan.  Slice, serve and enjoy!

As a bonus, I got to use the Cuisinart to chop all those cranberries in record time!  I also got to see the look on Laura's face as she insisted on eating a raw cranberry.  They are tart!

Peanut Sauce

This is a great toddler-friendly dipping sauce, which I pair with Chicken Satay.  Just leave out the spicier ingredients in both recipes!

Ingredients:
3/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C peanut butter (smooth)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground ginger
4 T sugar
2 tsp white wine
1/2 C canola oil
1/2 C water
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly minced garlic

Blend all of the ingredients in saucepan over medium high heat and bring to a boil.
Boil for about 5 minutes.
Sauce will thicken slightly.
Sauce can store in air tight container in refrigerator for at least a week.

Serve over cooked noodles (about 3/4 of the sauce for 1 lb of pasta).
Makes a great dipping sauce for broccoli, sugar snap peas, snow peas, chicken or shrimp.

Corn Casserole

A friend made this for dinner on a recent visit.  It was absolutely delicious, toddler-friendly and easy to make.  I plan on making this again very soon.  And possibly as part of Thanksgiving dinner!

Preheat oven to 400*

2 cans corn (drained) or frozen (thawed)

1 can Campbell’s cream of celery soup

1 onion, chopped

A couple of sticks of celery, chopped up (optional)

1 small jar pimentos (drained)

1 or 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (depending on how much cheese you want!)

Mix all together.

Spray baking dish with cooking spray and then put mixed ingredients into dish.

Crush up Ritz crackers and sprinkle on top.

Pour some melted butter on the crackers.

Bake at 400* degrees for about 45 minutes.

Slow Cooker Butter Chicken

I haven't tried this recipe yet, but am eager to give it a chance!

Stir-fry on medium heat until chicken has color and onions are translucent:
4-6 boneless chicken thighs, cubed
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T butter
2 T oil

Transfer to crockpot and add:
15 green cardamom pods held in cheesecloth (um... could I just add some ground cardamom??)
2 tsp curry powder
1 T curry paste (mild for me!!)
1 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
2 tsp tandoori masala
1 tsp garam masala
1 can coconut milk
1 cup plain yogurt
1 can tomato paste
Salt to taste

Mix gently and cook on high heat 4-6 hours or low heat 6-8 hours
Serve with basmati rice and warm naan bread.

Rose Sangria

We enjoyed some very tasty sangria at a wine festival recently.  The vineyard giving out the sangria wasn't that great, but they sure knew how to mask some flawed wines!

Rose Sangria
makes 1 gallon

Mix:
1 bottle rose wine
1 bottle sweet white wine (recipe calls for Traminette)
1 cup sugar

Add:
1 liter lemonade
1 liter gingerale
2 cups strawberries, diced

Keep an eye out for this at the upcoming BadBash!

Apple Pie

My mom always made the best apple pie.  When I begged her for the recipe, it turns out I didn't have too far too look.  Fannie Farmer, once again, coming through with simple and delicious recipes.  Of course, my mom tweaked the recipe here and there.  Here is her verison!

Basic dough for 9" 2 crust pie (Um... I use Pillsbury in the dairy section...)
3/4 cup sugar
dash of salt
2 tsp cinnamon (or even a dash or two more)
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup flour
6-8 large, firm, tart apples (about 10 cups)
2 tbls butter

Preheat over to 425*
Line a pie plate with half the pastry dough
Mix the sugar, salt cinnamon, nutmeg and flour in a large bowl
Peel, core and slice apples and toss them in the sugar mixture, coating them well
Pile them into the lined pan and dot with butter
Roll out the top crust and drape it over the pie. Crimp the edges and cut several vents in the top.
Roll out top crust on cutting board.  Use cookie cutters to cut pretty shapes.  Position shapes over the pie to make a pretty design.  Pretty pies are tasty pies.
Bake 10 minutes at 425*
Lower the heat to 350*, bake 30-40 minutes more or until the apples are tender when pierced with a skewer and the crust is browned.

Serve warm, cold, a la mode, with a glass of milk, with a glass of dessert wine.  Just enjoy!

Sloppy Joes

Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
1 pound ground lean beef or turkey
1/2 onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 carrot, chopped
1 1/2 cups summer squash, diced
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon mild chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 ounces cheddar cheese, thinly sliced
6 hamburger buns

Tip: I also added a healthy dollop of ketchup to add sweetness and flavor.

Preparation
1. Preheat the broiler. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the ground beef or turkey until browned, about 7 minutes. Add the onion and sauté 2 minutes. Add the carrot and sauté 2 minutes. Add the squash and sauté 1 minute more.

2. Stir in the tomato paste and 1 1/2 cups water, stirring until the paste has dissolved. Add the garlic, chili powder, paprika, and oregano, and season with the salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until the mixture has thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Divide the cheese among the bottom halves of the hamburger buns. Transfer both halves of the buns to the broiler, open-faced, and toast until the cheese has melted and the top buns are toasted.

4. Remove the buns from the oven and fill each sandwich with the squash-and-meat mixture. Serve immediately.

This had my toddler (who eats like a bird) asking for "moh"!