Okay, July 1, Canadians celebrate Canada Day and July 4, our American friends, celebrate July 4 so….I decided this would work for both sides of the border (with one adjustment).
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup dried red cherries
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries (if American or you just want to)
- 1/2 cup water
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp. flour
- 2 lbs. large plums, pitted and cut into chunks
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup regular rolled oats
- 2 tbsp. packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
- 6 tbsp. butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- half and half cream for brushing
In a large skillet, combine the cranberries, cherries and water. Stir in the sugar and 3 tbsp. flour, Cook and stir over a medium heat until hot and bubbly. Stir in the plums and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cream of tartar. With a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center and add the milk all at once.
With a fork stir this until just moistened. Fold and press together until it all comes together.
Pour the fruit mixture into a 9 inch deep pie plate, and take portions of the flour mixture and make small flattened ‘balls’ and lay atop the fruit. Brush the dough with the cream and sprinkle additional brown sugar over.
Bake about 40 minutes until it becomes golden brown and bubbly. Perhaps during the last 10-15 minutes of baking time, you should cover lightly with foil so it doesn’t burn.
Let cool at least 30-45 minutes before serving. Serve with cinnamon whipped cream or the best vanilla ice cream you can buy *Chapman’s.
Green Beans With A Cranberry/Pistachio Dressing
After another trip to Penticton yesterday, it was too late to post a recipe. I’m back now so today,I think this one may be a wonderful addition to the Easter Dinner, coming up soon, so you should be prepared.
- 1 1/2 lbs. fresh green beans
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
- 2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp. parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim stem end from beans, wash before putting into the pot and blanch until tender crisp (about 8 minutes). Drain and put into a bowl of ice water to stop cooking further. Drain and arrange on a small serving platter.
Mix the pistachios, cranberries, pumpkin seeds, garlic and a pinch of salt together. Heat a fry pan with olive oil, add the nuts and cook, stirring constantly until the pistachios are heated through (2 minutes).
Remove from heat and add the vinegar and parsley. Spoon dressing over the beans and serve immediately.
Great addition to your dinner.
Breakfast Muesli For The Holidays
With the busy holiday season closing in, make this ahead of time and then proceed to make a scrumptious breakfast for one and all.
- 2 cups large rolled oats (not instant)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or pistachios, toasted
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup coconut, sweetened
In a large bowl, toast the oats, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes until golden. Transfer to a large bowl.
Toast the pumpkin seeds for about 5 minutes until they puff up, then add the nuts and toast for a further 3-4 minutes, being careful not to burn.
Add these to the oats and stir. Add the coconut and cranberries, mixing well.
To serve: Put a 1/2 cup of yogurt (fruit flavoured or plain, your choice) in the bottom of a pretty glass. Add a scoop of muesli to cover. To this you could add some orange segments if you wish. (or blueberries, raspberries or strawberries (quartered and sweetened)
Cover with another generous serving of yogurt and top with more muesli. Drizzle some honey over the top and serve.
The muesli will make about 4 cups.
Cauliflower Roasted With Fresh Cranberries
Thanksgiving is around the corner (psst…so is Christmas) and this is one recipe to set aside for your wonderful turkey dinner. It is delicious, a bit different but still using, perhaps, one of your favourite vegetables for the celebration.
- 2 medium cauliflower heads, broken into florets (about 2 lbs. each)
- 1 medium onion, cut into wedges (outer skin removed)
- 3-4 tbsp. olive oil
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- freshly grated pepper
- Freshly grated nutmeg
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place the onion and cauliflower in a baking pan and drizzle with the oil and a sprinkle of salt. Toss to coat.
Spread them out in an even layer and roast, uncovered, for 30 minutes. At the 15 minute time, add the cranberries and stir in.
In a saucepan whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, and pepper. Simmer for about 8-10 minutes until thickened.
Put the cauliflower and onion mix into a large bowl and pour the sauce over. Stir to coat well. Sprinkle with some freshly grated nutmeg. (very lightly so as not to overpower).
Watch the faces of those around the table….they will absolutely love this and will want you to make it a favourite addition to the holidays.
Go ahead…say it! Damn, I did this….
Bars Layered And Gooey
Everyone I know loves chocolate (except my husband) and when put together like these are—wonderful! So yummy!
- Pam spray
- 3/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup icing sugar
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- pinch of coarse salt
- 3/4 cup rolled oats (not instant)
- 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cup pistachios, chopped and toasted
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1 – 14 oz. can condensed milk
- 2 cups shredded coconut
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 cookie sheet with parchment paper, leaving a bit of an overhang on the short ends. Spray a light coating of Pam over the paper.
In a processor, pulse together the butter, icing sugar, flour and salt until it resembles a coarse meal. Add the oats and pulse until just combined. Press the dough into the baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes. Should be lightly browned and firm.
Now, scatter the chips, nuts amd cranberries on top of the crust. Drizzle with condensed milk and top with coconut. Bake until the coconut is golden, about 18-20 minutes. Let cool completely then cut into 18 squares.
These will keep (get this) for about 3 days in an airtight container. As if! They won’t last 10 minutes. Guaranteed.
Caramel Corn With A Difference
Okay, lots of television watching with the Olympics and then, of course, are the weekends. Well, a new treat is begging to be made. Here it is….
- 12 cups of popped popcorn
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cups chopped pecans or pistachios
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup corn syrup
- 2 tbsp. orange juice
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a very large bowl mix together the popcorn, cranberries and nuts and set aside.
In a saucepan stir together the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup and cook until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Add the orange juice and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add the vanilla and baking soda (will fizz up) Now the fun begins.
Pour the liquid over the popcorn and stir to coat all the popcorn. Spread out onto a parchment covered baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Cool down and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.
Cranberry-Port Ices
This might be the answer for having a dessert after a heavy meal. It is light, cold, refreshing and a perfect balance between sweet and tart (not sour).
- 3 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup of a deep ruby red port (the alcohol is cooked off and the flavour remains)
- 3 strips of lemon peel (each one about 3 inches long), plus 1 tbsp. lemon juice
Bring all the ingredients to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the berries are tender (18-20 minutes).
Let this cool down for 15 minutes and remove the zest. In two batches, puree the mixture in your blender until smooth and strain to remove the seeds. Squeeze through the seive with the back of a wooden spoon and discard the solids.
Put in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator to get cold.
Pour into an ice cream maker and process according to the directions of your machine. When ready, transfer to an airtight container . Be sure to place this in the freezer for at least one hour before serving.
Yum!
Blackberry/Cranberry Coffee Cake
This recipe is very popular with all who have eaten it. Always asking for the recipe. Here it is.
- 2 1/3 cups of flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tsps. baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup Crisco oil
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh blackberries
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together 2 cups of the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl. In your electric mixer, beat the eggs until frothy and add the milk and oil.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour and mix together until blended. Add the cranberries and carefully fold in the blackberries so as not to break them up. Place in a greased tube or bundt pan.
Now mix together the remaining flour, brown sugar, butter, nuts and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake batter. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes.
Cool the cake in the pan for about 10 minutes then invert on your prettiest cake plate. “Damn I did this”……AGAIN! When plating, add a dollop of whipped cream and a couple of blackberries.
Pears with Everything Dessert
Pears are a very understated fruit and this one brings it to the forefront, for elegance, taste and presentation.
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- pinch of ground cloves
- 4 firm, ripe red skinned pears, halved and cored
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/3 cup whipping cream
- 4 oz. white melting chocolate discs
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
Mix the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl. Place pear halves, cut side up in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish sprayed with nonstick spray. Drizzle with the melted butter and now top with the sugar mixture.
Bake in a preheated oven of 400 degrees for about 30 minutes until the pears are tender, all the while spooning the sugar mixture over the pears halfway through the baking. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
Bring the cream barely to the boil, add the chopped white chocolate and whisk until it has melted completely and is a smooth texture.
Place one pear half on each pretty serving plate, stir the sugar mixture in the baking dish and spoon over the pears. Sprinkle with the almonds and cranberries and while the chocolate is still very warm, drizzle over the pears and serve immediately.
After all the ooohs and aahhs, say calmly to yourself…damn I did this.
Chicken Rollups With Apricots and Cranberries
How many chicken recipes do you know? How many do you use? I’ll bet it is probably the same 5 all the time. Am I right? Well, here is one more to at least try and I will bet it becomes in the top 3 that you make.
- 1 1/3 cups dried apricots, chopped
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 3 tbsp. honey
- 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 2/3 cup panko crumbs or more if needed for coating
- 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped fine
- 1 tbsp. flour
- 2 tbsp. shredded Manchego cheese
- 1 tsp. Spanish paprika
- generous pinch of: sugar, salt and crushed dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp. each of garlic powder and onion powder
- 1 tbsp. Crisco oil
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 3 quart rectangular baking dish with Pam spray.
Stir together the apricots, cranberries, honey and ginger and set aside.
Stir together the panko crumbs, parsley, flour, cheese, paprika, sugar, salt, oregano, garlic and onion powders. Add the Crisco oil and mix together.
With the chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap, use a meat mallet and pound out to about 1/4 inch thick. Use 1/4 cup of the fruit mixture and place in the middle of each breast. Roll up and fold in both ends. Secure these with toothpicks.
Now, carefully dip into the egg mixture and roll in the panko crumbs. Set in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the snipped parsley over the top and bake for about 40 minutes, until thoroughly cooked through. Remove the toothpicks before plating and serve with buttered egg noodles or just a simple salad.
Gourmet looking dinner, easy on the diet and quick to make.
Maple Cranberry Sauce
I have always made my own cranberry sauce and this one is another version. The ginger, orange and maple syrup brings it up another level. It is easy and everyone will enjoy it. Serve with turkey or ham. Yummy.
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
- 12 oz. fresh cranberries, rinsed
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tbsp. grated orange rind
- 4 tbsp. crystalized ginger, diced
- 1/2 cup diced pecans
- 2 tbsp. Grand Marnier liqueur
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar with the water and orange juice. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the berries and cook until they start to pop open. Now stir in the maple syrup, orange rind and ginger. Simmer for a further 5 minutes. Add the pecans, stir in and remove from heat. Stir in the Grand Marnier.
Cool until warm, ladle in sterilzed jars, cap and now cool completely.
Store until ready to serve. The sauce will thicken on its own while chilling.
You will never buy another can of cranberry sauce again. Promise…..
Cranberry/Pistachio Cheesecake
Diet? This is a whole new food group…..
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
- 2 tsp. grated orange peel, divided
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3-8 oz. packages room temperature cream cheese
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 3 lightly beaten eggs
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped coarsely
- 1/4 cup white cranberry juice
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup coarsely chopped pistachios, skins removed
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. To make the crust, combine crumbs, one tsp orange peel and melted butter. Mix well together and press in an eight inch spring form pan. Set aside.
In a bowl cream together, sugar, cream cheese and flour for about five minutes to ensure it is smooth. Mix in the eggs and remaining orange peel until combined. Fold in the juice and berries. Pour this into the spring form pan and top with fresh cranberries.
Bake for about forty minutes until a three inch area around edge of pan appears set when gently shaken. Cool on a rack for twenty minutes and run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake and let it cool another thirty minutes or until completely cooled. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours.
Note: To prevent cheesecake from ‘cracking’, set a small pan of water in the oven under the cake pan. The moisture prevents the cake from cracking and it comes out looking so professional.
The combination of the cranberries and pistachios is amazing. Yup! Another favourite.