Cranberry Muffins

With all the Thanksgiving meal-prep craziness this week, don't forget that a good day starts with a good breakfast!

Cranberry Muffins
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes
Prep time: 15 minutes   Bake time: 35-40 minutes

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plain yogurt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups chopped frozen cranberries, thawed


1.  Preheat oven to 375.

2.  In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Fold in yogurt.

I love using applesauce in baking.

3.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg and salt; stir into the creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. 

Standard dry ingredients

4.  Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two thirds full. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove to a wire rack.  

Yummy yummy batter!

This is the PERFECT time of year to make these because cranberries are on sale!!  I like to crab a few bags and toss them in my freezer to enjoy all winter long.  The best part about making a batch (or double batch) of muffins is you're set for breakfast for a least a few days.  Just grab and munch as you assemble the prep for the rest of your Thanksgiving meal!  Or, if you have more time, savor the deliciousness of these, hot and buttered, with a glorious cup of coffee or tea.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............

Cranberry Sauce

It's my favorite time of year!!  There's a crispy bite in the air.  Sweatpants and cozy blankets become the evening norm.  People tend to be a little nicer, a little more considerate (after all, Santa is watching).

And then there's The Food.  Yes, I meant to capitalize that.  Because there's your day-to-day food and then there's Holiday Food.  God bless Holiday Food!!

One of my favorite things about the holidays, and yes I have a lot of favorite things, is the chance to get together with family.  This year is thankfully no exception!  And instead of imposing on the host to make the entire Thanksgiving Dinner with all the trimmings, we are doing things potluck style.  Of course I asked to pleasepleaseprettyplease bring the cranberry sauce.

And I ain't talking about the stuff in the can either.  Trust me, of everything on your table, cranberry sauce is the EASIEST thing to make and so flavorful, you'll forget all about the convenience of the canned kind.

Cranberry Sauce
Recipe from Rachael Ray

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick 
2 tsp grated fresh ginger 
2 tsp orange zest 
1/4 tsp salt 
1/8 tsp ground cloves 
One 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries

1.  In a medium saucepan, combine the water with the sugar, cinnamon stick, fresh ginger, orange peel, salt and cloves. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the cranberries and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 8 minutes.

Seriously kick-butt flavors going on

2.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and remove the cinnamon stick. Let cool.

Gorgeous ruby gems!

Can we talk about how easy this is?  First, you make a simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar, boiled until the sugar dissolves).  Then you add a whole bunch of stuff to it that taste FANTASTIC with cranberries: fresh ginger, orange zest, cloves, cinnamon.  Add your berries and let it boil until it's thickened and looks like cranberry sauce.  See?  Easy!

This is a truly amazing complement to your turkey dinner.  It's also quite fabulous stirred into your morning oatmeal with some toasted pecans or walnuts.  Mix it will a little yogurt, or use as an refreshing alternative on top of ice cream.  If you really want to go crazy, add a dollup of Dijon mustard and slather all over a pork tenderloin for a couple hours before roasting.  Y.U.M.  

Believe me when I say you'll be doubling this recipe just to make sure you have leftovers to play with!

Cranberry Zucchini Bread

It's Fall.  That means cranberries, apples, and gourds are plentiful.  Oh how I LOVE the smells of fruits and vegetables roasting, baking, cooking away!! Thanks to a friend, I got my hands on 5 lbs of fresh cranberries.  Do you know how much 5 lbs of cranberries is?  It's about 19 cups, give or take.  Yeah, that's a lot.

But I'm good with a lot.  That's when I get to gleefully make recipes like these.

Thankfully, this recipe makes two loaves.  I made this on Sunday and one loaf is already gone.  We're actually halfway through the second.

Yup, it's a worthy recipe to welcome Fall.

Cranberry Zucchini Bread
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients.  

Great way to use up the last of your garden's zucchini

2.  In another bowl, beat eggs; add zucchini, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until blended. Fold in the cranberries and walnuts. 

Yeah, I forgot to chop the berries.  I'll remember next time.

3.  Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. x 5-in. x 3-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. 

Your house will smell like Thanksgiving while these are baking!

Cranberry Ribs

When I think of ribs, I usually think Summertime Barbecue.  Smoke hanging rich and thick in the air.  Spicy, sweet sauce that gets everywhere.  Sticky fingers that are just begging to be licked clean.  Yeah, good times.

Oh and for the record, this recipe is not like that.

Sure it's still ribs, and there's a sauce, but these are done in a slow cooker instead of a grill or smoker.  Oh yeah...  These ribs sit in a berry bath all day in the slow cooker.  The result is meat SO TENDER that the bones just slide right out.  You could try and eat these with your hands, but I'd recommend a fork since the meat doesn't stay on the "stick", as Gavin calls it.

And my favorite part is that it doesn't have to be summer to enjoy these.

Cranberry Ribs
Recipe adapted from my brother

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water [Psst! If your berries are still frozen then consider using only 1/3 cup]
1 Granny Smith apple, or other preferred TART apple, diced (about 1 cup)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 – 4 lbs. ribs
1 lg. onion, sliced
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1-2 tbsp water, optional

1.  Combine cranberries, syrup, brown sugar, water and diced apple in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and simmer 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in mustard, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. 

I really enjoy making cranberry sauce. It's so EASY! Plus my house smells great.

2.  Layer onion on bottom of crock pot. Put ribs on onion and spoon sauce evenly over ribs. Cook on LOW 7 – 9 hours. 

If you can get it all to fit, try to lay the ribs fat side UP

3.  Remove ribs to a platter. Strain juices into a sauce pan. Use cornstarch mixture to thicken sauce like gravy if desired. 

Fork required, knife not necessary.  The meat melts like butter!

When I started this blog, one of the many questions I'd get about cooking is how I can make so many from-scratch recipes after working a full day.  My answer: I take my short-cuts whenever and wherever I can.  In this case, make the sauce the night before.  It's literally as simple as dumping a bunch of stuff in a pot, bring it to a boil, and then let it simmer on low a while.  Then the next morning, before you head out for the day, take the FIVE MINUTES to slice up the onion (which you could also do ahead if you like), lay the ribs on top and then pour over the sauce.

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Just in case you may have missed this about me, I need to make something abundantly clear: I loathe zucchini.  Despise.  Hate.  Oh yeah, I'm using the strong ugly words today.

I remember when I was around 10 (maybe 9??), my mom cooked some zucchini and yellow squash for dinner.  My parents had this rule that we always had to eat a little bit of the foods we said we didn't like.  Since I have now learned first-hand that children's taste buds are so finicky, I completely understand why they had that rule.  I, however, already knew at my young age that I didn't like zucchini and never would like zucchini.  I sat at the dinner table for HOURS that night, refusing to eat it.  My mom didn't make zucchini and yellow squash again.

Now, despite this clearly intense abhorrence, I am trying to cook more with it.  Zucchini is full of great vitamins and minerals, and it's super cheap during it's peak season.  So I play around with it and see if I can develop a taste for it.  And if I can't, then I just sneak it into things so that it's there giving me all the healthy and cheap benefits but without actually tasting it.

This is one of the Sneaky Recipes that has me begging friends for their surplus garden zucchinis.  I. Love. This. Bread!

Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Recipe adapted from JoyofBaking.com

3 cups shredded raw zucchini
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (not Dutch-processed)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 cup safflower or canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 cup granulated white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips 

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in the center of the oven. Grease (or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray) two 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pans. Set aside. 

2.  Grate the zucchini, using a medium sized grater or food processor (I highly recommend the FP; saves SO MUCH TIME, especially if you have a large zucchini). Set aside. 

Hello Zucchini.  Prepare to be shredded.

 
3.  In a large bowl whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground allspice. Set aside. 

This looks like hot cocoa mix.

4.  In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the oil, applesauce, sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract until well blended (about 2 minutes). Fold in the grated zucchini. Add the flour mixture, beating just until combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips. 

What once was yucky is about to become major YUMMY

5.  Scrape the batter into the prepared pans and bake until the bread has risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 to 65 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the breads from the pans and cool completely. 

Moist, rich, glorious

Some days I'm not sure if this is really a bread, because it feels like I'm eating a decadent cake!  And it certainly doesn't taste like anything healthy, yet I manage to use a TON of shredded zucchini, whole wheat flour, applesauce, and only a little heart-healthy canola oil.  Excellent!

Oh, and feel free to have fun when it comes to the add-ins.  This bread would be great with some chopped nuts in it.  And I have been known to use my current favorite chip, milk chocolate and peanut butter swirl, in place of the semi-sweet.  What would you put into this bread?