cranberry crumb coffee cake

Cranberry Crumb Coffee Cake

Cake:

1/2 cup, 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

4 heaping cups fresh cranberries, divided

Crumble:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup, 1 stick butter, melted

Prepare cake first:

Spray 9×13 baking pan with pan release.

In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.

In mixing bowl at medium speed, beat sugar, butter, orange and lemon zests until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, scrapping bowl as necessary.  Add vanilla.  Turn mixer speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients, then the sour cream, then the remaining dry ingredient mixture.  Lightly fold in 2 cups of the cranberries, whole.

Transfer batter to baking pan and spread into an even layer.  Cut remaining 2 cups of cranberries in half.  Top cake batter in baking pan with cut cranberries.

Prepare the crumble:

In medium bowl, mix together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.  Add butter and mix with fingers until mixture forms crumbs.

Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over the top of the batter mixture.  Bake in 350 degree oven for approximately 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

enjoy xo

 

 

 

homemade holiday eggnog

Homemade Holiday Eggnog

12 eggs, separated

2 cups granulated sugar, separated

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 quarts heavy cream

1 cup bourbon

1 cup brandy

freshly grated nutmeg for dusting

In mixing bowl, beat yolks, 1 cups sugar and salt until very light.  Gradually beat in cream.  Gradually beat in bourbon and brandy and set aside.

In second mixing bowl, beat egg whites.  Gradually add remaining cup of sugar and beat until soft peaks form.

Fold both mixtures together, refrigerating until served.  Best made at least a day before serving.

Dust top of eggnog in glass with nutmeg.

enjoy xo

whole berry cranberry sauce

Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

3 cups fresh cranberries

1 1/4 cups fresh squeezed orange juice

Zest of one orange

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 tablespoons grand marnier

Place first four ingredients in small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a slow boil stirring regularly.

Turn heat to low and allow cranberries to simmer for 10- 15 minutes still stirring regularly.  Cranberries will pop, break and turn into a wonderful thick lumpy sauce.

When cranberries are cooked, stir in grand marnier.

Allow sauce to cool.  Store in air tight container in refrigerator.

xo enjoy

 

mashed sweet potatoes

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into like size chunks

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons half and half or heavy cream

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 heaping teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Place all ingredients in saucepan with lid.  Cover and cook over low heat stirring occasionally until potatoes are soft and falling apart.

Remove from heat and mash potatoes completely or until desired constancy with fork.

enjoy xo

cranberry nut bread

Cranberry Nut Bread

1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries cut in half

1 cup sugar, divided

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

grated rind of 1 orange plus enough orange juice to make 1 cup liquid

1/4 cup half and half

2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Mix cranberries with 1/2 cup sugar in large mixing bowl.  Zest orange over sugared cranberries.

Sift all dry ingredients, including remaining 1/2 cup sugar, over cranberries in bowl.  Add walnuts.

Combine egg, orange juice, melted butter and half and half together.  Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix until combined and damp.

Spray loaf pan with pan release.  Add batter to pan and sprinkle with granulated sugar if desired.  Bake in 350 degree oven 50 -55 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Allow to cool before slicing and serving.

enjoy xo

fresh rosemary spiced walnuts

Fresh Rosemary Spiced Walnuts

2 1/2 cups walnut halves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Place nuts in bowl.

Measure sugar, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne into small bowl.

In small saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil.  Add the rosemary to warm oil and stir until aromatic, just a minute.  Pour the seasoned oil over the nuts and toss.  Add spice mixture and stir to coat walnuts evenly.

Line a baking sheet with foil.  Place nuts on baking sheet and bake in 300 degree oven until toasted, about 20 minutes.  Either serve warm or allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

This recipe is adapted from a Williams-Sonoma recipe.

enjoy xo

sugared pecans

Sugared Pecans

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 egg whites

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 cups pecan halves

Put sugar, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg in gallon size zip lock bag.  Shake to mix.

In mixing bowl, beat egg whites, water and vanilla until just beginning to froth.  Add pecans to egg mixture and stir to coat well.

Using a slotted spoon, lift pecans out of egg mixture and place into bag with sugar mixture.  Seal bag and move ingredients until pecans are well coated.

Line baking sheet with foil.  Place coated pecans on baking sheet.  Bake in 300 degree oven for 30 minutes tossing pecans with a fork halfway through baking.  Allow pecans to cool before storing in airtight container until serving.

enjoy xo

 

martha washington balls

Martha Washington Balls

1/2 cup, one stick butter, room temperature

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups shredded coconut, lightly packed

2 cups pecans, crushed

3 cups powdered sugar

6 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

1 block paraffin wax, broken into at least 6 pieces

1 tablespoon butter for coating hands when rolling balls

Begin beating butter and sweetened condensed milk at low speed.  Continue to beat while adding vanilla, pecans and coconut.

Slowly add powdered sugar and beat very slowly until mixture is mixed.  Mixture will be heavy and full.  Cover mixture in bowl and refrigerate overnight or until ready to roll.

With buttered hands, roll filling mixture into balls, placing balls on wax paper lined baking sheet.  Place full sheets in freezer to chill balls through.

In double boiler, melt chocolate chips and wax over low heat stirring occasionally until mixture is smooth.  Using toothpick, dip chilled balls one at a time into melted chocolate mixture.  Place balls back onto lined baking sheet twisting toothpick to remove ball.

Chill dipped balls again before layering between wax paper sheets in air tight container(s) to store.

enjoy xo

 

 

jam filled thumbprint cookies

Jam Filled Thumbprint Cookies

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 egg, separated

1 1/4 cup flour, sifted

3/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

1/2 cup of your favorite jam or preserves

Begin by beating butter in mixing bowl.  Add sugar.  Add extracts and egg yolk and beat until light and fluffy.

Gently mix in flour.  Press dough together with hands.  Wrap in film and refrigerate several hours or overnight until firm.

Remove dough from fridge.  Beat remaining egg white lightly with fork.  Place nuts in small bowl.  Spray baking sheet with pan release.

Shape dough into small balls, dip each ball in egg white and then coat with nuts.  Place on baking sheet.  Indent each cookie in the middle with your thumb.  Place small dollop of jam or preserves in each indent.

Bake at 300 degrees for 22-24 minutes.

enjoy xo