White Chocolate-Cranberry Biscotti

I must confess I love baking and cooking with cranberries. I use either fresh and dried cranberries or both on the same recipe. I always have dried cranberries in my pantry and fresh cranberries in my freezer. This evening I am in the mood to try one new recipe from the Taste of Home, here. I have baked biscotti previously and all the biscotti recipes use lots of nuts but not this recipe, that caught my attention. And since I love using cranberries and I have all the ingredients at hand, I have to give it a try.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:
In a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in vanilla.
Combine flour and baking powder;
Gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Stir in cranberries and chocolate chips. Divide dough into 4 portions (dough is pretty sticky but manageable)
On 2 baking sheets lined with silicone mat.
Shape each portion into a 10-in. (to 12-in.) x 2-in. strip.
Bake at 350° for 22-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool for 5-10 minutes.
Transfer to a cutting board; cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 1-in. slices.
Place cut side down on lined baking sheets.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove to wire racks to cool.
Store in an airtight container.
Yield: 4-1/2 dozen.

Cranberry Muffins

I was asked to bake some muffins for our Christmas Ornament & Breakfast gathering this past Saturday, my first thought was to bake cranberry muffins. I used bake cranberry quick breads every Christmas but had stopped baking them several years ago. While I will always love my cranberry bread recipe, I also like to try new recipes :)  And I found this recipe from Taste Of Home here supposedly award winning recipe.

I have to agree, these muffins were so crumbly and light tasting, crowd pleasing .. I thought ;) . It will work great for breakfast or tea time treats and especially looks very festive for Christmas!

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh cranberries, quartered
8 tablespoons sugar
1-3/4 cups self raising baking flour
1 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Cinnamon-sugar

Directions:
1. Sprinkle cranberries with 2 tablespoons sugar; set aside.
2. Measure flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
3. In the mixer, beat oil and remaining tablespoons sugar.
4. Add egg to mixer.
5. Alternate milk and flour mixture to mixer.
6. Scoop 1/3 of cranberries and add to mixer and mix well.
7. Fill (paper lined) standard muffin cups. Sprinkle evenly with cranberries on each muffin and with cinnamon-sugar.
8. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden stick comes out clean.

Yield: 12 standard-size.

Balsamic Root Vegetables

Though Thanksgiving was just 2 weeks ago and we just had Roasted Turkey, I am roasting another Turkey today but I am not making the grand Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings. I still need to make at least a side dish to pair and compliment well with the toasty turkey for dinner.

I found this recipe from this myRecipe site -
Balsamic Root Vegetables, and like always, I have put in my personal twist and modify the recipe a little and make the healthy version without losing too much of the favor... my test tasty approves and like it and I am happy.

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato
1 yukon potato
1 medium size carrot
1/2 onion
3/4 cup fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 pinch salt
1/pinch ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon basic

Preparation

1. Peel first 3 ingredients, and cut into chunk 1 1/2-inch pieces.

2. Combine potatoes, sweet potata, carrots, onions, and cranberries in a lightly greased 3-qt medium pot over medium heat.

4. Add in the rest of the ingredients into pot and stir well.

5. Cover and let vegetable simmer for 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.