Cranberry Muffins

Since we're on the 'cranberry' page...I just wanted to share with you another delicious cranberry recipe! Who can resist fresh Cranberry Muffins, straight from the oven, fresh and homemade. So easy to prepare so moist, and delicious! Still using up my fresh frozen cranberries which I can no longer find in any supermarkets, so you have had to 'squirrel' away your very own! A few days ago, I made stuffing with fresh cranberries pre-cooked and folded in to the stuffing. Looked a little strange reddish in color, but oh, so good with roasted chicken!

These muffins were so incredibly good, I just wish I had saved more fresh cranberries in my freezer. There's so many ways to use up fresh cranberries. I will either look for frozen ones at Whole Foods or will have to wait till November again! For some reason,

I noticed in some of the Hungarian food bloggers' posts about muffins verses cupcakes...so if you make small muffins and put frosting on it...does that become a cupcake?...or is it the same thing...muffins with frosting?...I have never heard of such a thing! It's either muffins, or cupcakes! Seems to me that cupcakes get the frosting on them, and muffins may have a yummy glaze...but never, ever frosting! ...and anyway, cupcakes are more moist and delicate, and muffins seem to be more dense. I love the large muffins, but the regular basic size work just fine!

Today, was such a beautiful, pleasant, breezy, and sunny day, here in S. Florida, and especially on the beach, now that we have our beach back after practically losing the entire beach...due to heavy rains, and winds for the last few months, the beach erosion was terrible. We got tons, and tons. of sand being brought in, and have our beach back again to enjoy. Just wondering what will happen in the next 20 or 30 years from now...are we going to be washed away by the ocean?...seems like the beach erosion is such a problem here...wonder if 'global warming has anything to do with it! I would upload some photos for you re: the beach erosion problem, but that would be another long story that I would not want to get involved with on my 'food blog' at this time... (not that I haven't done that in the past.)

Cranberry Muffins
recipe; courtesy of Ocean Spray

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

2 cups Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Mix sugar and butter together in a medium mixing bowl until completely blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a separate medium mixing bowl. Add this alternately with the milk to the butter mixture. Stir in nuts and cranberries. Spoon into 12 paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full with batter.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.

I  haven't promoted any of my other recipes in a long time, but I'm really fond of my Blueberry Muffins, especially with the added sour cream to it...do try these, and forget about the calories or the added fat from the sour cream. Just enjoy, and have a wonderful week! Hugs, Elisabeth

Sour Cream-Blueberry Muffins

Berry Galette

It truly summertime...unless you happen to live in Australia, or Argentina (for example)...then you can have your 'hot chocolate', your 'hearty' stews, and all the 'heart and soul' warming foods that are good for keeping the chills away. Anyway; even in South Florida, we're in the midst of the berry season for sure, and what better way to express the summer...than, to make all the light salads, and the berry and fruit based desserts.

Just this past Sunday, it was a beautiful and sunny morning...as I was reading the Sunday Palm Beach Post, sipping my coffee, I happen to notice in their Dash magazine, which we get once a month, and the Parade magazine every Sunday...either way, they both contribute seasonal recipes once a month!
With all the cookbooks, and I mean...tons of them at my daughter's house, plus my own, and all the recent cooking magazines, collected recipes...and the Internet...whewww...sheesh; it's so hard to decide on something, other than a recipe 'hitting you in the face'...at the spur of the moment!

(notice, how the first photo I took indoors with natural light...and the second, I 'staged it outside in the glorious sun light...well, not directly, but knowing in 2hrs the clouds will cover the skies, and the 'downpour' of rain will begin...non-stop. The swimming pool is practically overflowing, and the 'self cleaning vacuum for the pool 'konked out'...sigh!

All I can tell you that this is the best dough I have stumbled upon for fresh fruit based pies, tarts, or a
'free form' galette which is the easiest to make...it has the zest of 1 lemon, and also the juice of the same lemon, after you used the zest, and add the juice to the dough.

Berry Galette 

by: Dash

Ingredients

• Juice and zest of ½ lemon (I used 1 whole)
• 1⅓ cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, divided (I used 1 1/2 cups)
• ½ tsp kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1 stick (½ cup) plus 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (I used sea salt)
• 2 Tbsp sugar, plus 1 tsp for sprinkling
• 1 lb strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 heaping cup blueberries (about 6 oz)
• 1 large egg white

  Directions

• Combine lemon juice with enough ice water to make ¼ cup lemon water. In bowl of a food processor, mix 1⅓ cups flour, ½ tsp salt, and lemon zest until combined. Add 1 stick butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with pea-sized bits. Drizzle in lemon water and pulse until dough just comes together.
• Scrape dough onto a work surface, then press into a flat disk. Cover tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 450˚F. In a large bowl, whisk remaining 2 Tbsp flour, 2 Tbsp sugar, and a pinch salt. Add strawberries and blueberries and stir to thoroughly combine, scraping down sides with a rubber spatula.
• Place refrigerated dough on a lightly floured work surface. 
• Roll into a 12-inch round, then transfer to a parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet. Mound berry mixture in center, leaving a 2-inch border. Gently fold in crust, pleating edges to enclose. Whisk egg white with 1 Tbsp water, then brush egg mixture onto crust and sprinkle with remaining 1 tsp sugar.
• Transfer baking sheet to oven, lower heat to 425˚F, and bake until crust is golden, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes, then serve warm or at room temperature.

Overnight Baked French Toast

I planned to make this glorious brown-sugar crusted rich, eggy Overnight Baked French Toast for this morning, but ended up having to make it three days earlier...only having to freeze most of it along with the berries!

I was so thrilled to find this awesome recipe in the Good Housekeeping Cookbook 125th Anniversary edition, which I rented from the local library and I'm so tempted to buy this book. I do have an older copy from 1986 which also has great recipes but no photos, only drawing illustrations. I got a pleasant surprise invite from my daughter and hubby to join them for the weekend in Orlando. Lora, for her Food and Wine Conference, and Fabrizio for his cooking demonstration at the Culinary Institute...so, I was with my sweet grandchildren enjoying fun stuff at the hotel. It was raining all weekend long, even in Orlando, Florida but it's always nice to get away for the weekend!

If you visit Orlando and wish to stay at a nice hotel...about 20 minutes by car, or bus (which is FREE) to go to Disney World.... I highly recommend the Shingle Creek Hotel

Overnight Baked French Toast
 from: The Good Housekeeping Cookbook

12 slices firm white bread
6 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
1 tablespoon maple syrup

Arrange bread slices in four stacks in 8-inch square baking dish.

In a blender, combine eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and blend until mixture is smooth. Slowly pour egg mixture over bread slices; press bread down to absorb egg mixture, spooning egg mixture over any uncovered bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In small bowl, stir brown sugar, butter, and maple syrup until combined. Spread evenly over each stack of bread. Bake until knife inserted 1 inch from center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.

To serve, cut each stack diagonally in half. Makes 8 servings.

Linking to: Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage
                 Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherines Corner

Blueberry recipes

Still having plenty of issues with my new Windows 8...new camera, and now I purchased a new HP printer/scanner to be compatible with the new PC. Will just have to have patience in getting all the equipment together and will create a harmonious effect...as soon as it is all completed.

In the meantime, I will be posting a couple of old favorites from my blog, and a new one that I just discovered through Pinterest!

Click on the title to find this gorgeous Blueberry Mini Tart with  ... mascarpone cream filling!

I've been buying so much blueberries lately, just enjoying them sprinkled on my shredded wheat cereal in the morning, but will be making some nice desserts soon. I saved this gorgeous mini tart on my Pinterest board...the photos are amazing; professional photography...no doubt!
Always curious to find the actual source it came from, and I found it! Gladly sharing it with you!

Photo and recipe from a previous post of mine

LEMON BLUEBERRY BREAD
adapted  from The New Basic Cookbook

TOPPING (Streusel)
 1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup un-bleached all purpose flour
4 Tbsp=1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1  teaspoon ground cinnamon

Stir the topping ingredients together in a small bowl, and set aside.

For the Bread/Tea Cake:

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup sour cream
4 Tbsp=1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh blueberris
Zest of 1 lemon
after zesting lemon, use the juice from it

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9x5inch loaf pan with cooking spray
In a medium bowl, stir the sugar, sugar, milk, sour cream, butter, and eggs together, until smooth.
In a larger bowl, toss together,. the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the wet ingredients into it, and add the juice of the 1 lemon.
Carefully, fold in the blueberries, and the lemon zest, to combine.

Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, and sprinkle with the topping, carefully patting it down a little.
Bake on 375 degrees for the first 30 minutes...lower the temperature to 325 degree F. and bake for an addition 25 minutes until topping is deep golden, and has formed a nice crunchy and thick crust.
Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes on a wire rack and transfer the loaf pan to continue cooling. Makes 1 loaf

 I would like to show off my new thrift find...a "fire king" oven proof blue glass loaf pan that I purchased at Goodwill, for $1.99. It's not as deep as your "pyrex" glass loafpans, but it really is pretty, and has a nice design on it. Besides the fact that it's such a bargain, this seems to be an antique from the sixties, or seventies. Have not seen one like that at all.

Sicilian Puttanesca Sauce 

my own recipe (recipe by Elisabeth)

(photo and recipe from a previous post of mine)

4 large ripe tomatoes
1/2 cup of white, or red wine ( I used white)
8 oil cured olives, or other black olives, pitted
4 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
also, extra for drizzling on top
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
6 anchovies, rolled in capers (optional)
a handful of white mushrooms, sliced (optional)
12 fresh basil leaves
a handful of Italian fresh parsley (optional)
1 lb. fusili lunghi, or spaghetti
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
grated Parmesan cheese

First thing you must do, is to drop whole tomatoes in boiling water, to blanch them, just enough to see the skin loosening, and taking them out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon. Add more water to the large pot that the tomatoes were blanching in, to boil the pasta. Run tomatoes under cold water to remove the skin, easier. Chop the tomatoes into small chunks, removing the hard core.

Heat the garlic an the crushed red pepper in a large skillet, adding the olive oil, over medium-high heat. Add the wine, let it cook down a little, and add the mushrooms, and cook until it sweats, and liquids released. Add the  chopped tomatoes, and cook for a few minutes. Do not let the tomatoes get soft, leave them in chunks. Add the olives, and anchovies with the capers, stir and heat though until it comes to a boil. Turn off heat, and cover, until you are ready to incorporate with the pasta. Drain pasta, reserving a small amount of pasta water, to add to the sauce if needed. Serve pasta in a large pasta bowl, adding the sauce on top, and drizzle with additional olive oil, and snipped basil, and parsley. Pass the Parmesan cheese. Serves 4. Absolutely divine pasta, you will ever taste!