Cranberry Orange Muffins - Small Batch

Wonderful bakery style muffins bursting with the sweet tart flavors of fresh cranberries and bright orange citrus.  The perfect winter breakfast treat!

Cranberry Orange Muffins

If you follow me then you know that MGG and I love our weekend breakfasts.  Since the pandemic has started baking has become a weekly pleasure.  The other day MGG was talking about how he misses Trader Joe's since he hasn't been in 10 months.  He mentioned a particular item, Cranberry Orange Bread, that was discontinued quite a while back.  He asked me to make him some because he loved it so much.  I was more than happy to oblige!  At first I was set on making a quick bread but then due to the cooking time (50-60 minutes) I decided to make muffin instead since he was hovering around the kitchen waiting to start cooking breakfast.  

Muffins only take 18-20 minutes to bake so they are a quicker item to throw together when the crowd is starving!  Not only are muffins great for breakfast or brunch, they are perfect for grab and go snacks, as well as a sweet with coffee or hot tea.  These muffins in particular use fresh cranberries that give you a bite or tartness and are filled with orange flavors from juice, zest, and a bit of orange extract.  Orange and cranberry are one of those perfect combinations like peanut butter and jelly, that just go together.  These muffins will leave you warm and satisfied, and possibly reaching for the next one!

What Ingredients do I need?

• eggs
• milk
• orange juice
• canola oil
• flour
• sugar
• baking powder
• salt
• orange zest
• orange extract - optional
• fresh cranberries - you can use dried if you like but they won't give you as much flavor as fresh.  In the winter I buy bags of fresh cranberries and freeze them!

Substitutions and Variations

• Walnuts, almonds, or pecans would be a good addition
• You can leave out the extract, or use vanilla if you like
• Store bought orange juice works well in this recipe
• Dried cranberries will work but will not provide as much freshness or tartness.
• Dried cherries can be substituted for the cranberries
• Gluten free flour may be substituted
• Sugar substitutes may be used instead of sugar
• Use sour cream, yogurt, or buttermilk instead of milk

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• 1st rule of them when making muffins is not to "overmix" the batter.  You want it batter to just come together.  Little spots of flour is okay.
• To get high muffin tops turn your oven up to 400 degrees.
• Make sure you are using fresh baking powder.  To test put 1/2 teaspoon into 1/4 cup of boiling water.  If it bubbles, you are good.
• Purchase a 6 well muffin tin for small batches
• Double the recipe for 12 muffins
• Muffins can be frozen individually and kept for 3 months

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Cranberry Orange Muffins

yield:  6 muffins

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons orange zest

1/2 cup fresh cranberries, rough chopped

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a 6 well muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.

To a large bowl add the egg, milk, orange juice, canola oil, and orange extract.  Whisk to combine.  Add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and orange zest to the bowl.  Stir until just combined.  Do not overmix.  Fold in the chopped cranberries.

Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter evenly among the 6 muffin wells.  Place in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until the tops are golden brown and set.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Remove from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack.  Serve.

Other Muffin recipes you may like:

• Mexican Hot Chocolate Muffins
• Cherry Almond Muffins
• Celebration Muffins
• Lemon Blueberry Muffins
• Bakery Style Banana Nut Muffins
• Strawberry Sour Cream Muffins
• Three Citrus Muffins

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

Have dessert ready when you are by making this Slow Cooker Apple Crisp.  It's filled with warm cinnamon apples and topped with a crunchy oat topping that's perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

During the winter we love the abundance of apples that are in season and eat them in a variety of ways.  One of my favorites is to eat them for dessert as in apple pie, or apple crisp.  Today's version is cooked in the slow cooker.  This allows you to be hands free and dessert will be ready when you are.  Love that!

Perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, warm apples coated in toasty cinnamon are topped with a crunchy almond oatmeal brown sugar mixture that make this dessert irresistible.  Make sure to ready the tips as I have a trick for you so the topping doesn't get all soggy.

What do I need to make apple crisp?

• Slow cooker
• Knife
• Apple corer
• Vegetable peeler
• Mixing bowls
• Rubber spatula

What Ingredients do I need?

• apples (I chose 4 granny smith and 4 Jazz apples for flavor variety)
• lemon juice (helps the apples from turning brown)
• brown sugar (light or dark)
• cinnamon (good quality cinnamon)
• oatmeal
• sliced almonds
• flour
• butter

Substitutions and Variations

• substitute chopped pecans for the almonds (I typically use pecans in my crisps but wanted to change it up a bit)
• use coconut oil instead of butter to make this vegan
• use a variety of apples instead of just granny smith.  Jazz, envy, honeycrips, braeburn, and cortland are all good baking apples.
• Serve this with ice cream
• Drizzle with caramel
• Serve this as a hot breakfast (do I dare??)
• Substitute pears for apples
• Add cranberries to the apple mixture
• Add blueberries to the apple mixture

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• To keep the topping from getting soggy, place several paper towels over the slow cooker and then place the lid on it.  This will catch the moisture that develops.
• Use a good cinnamon since it is the star of the show
• Use ripe firm cooking apples
• Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-8 hours

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Slow Cooker Apple Crisp

serves 6-8

8 apples, peeled, cored and thinly-sliced (I used a mixture of Granny Smith and Envy)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons melted butter

In a large mixing bowl add peeled, cored, and sliced apples.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and toss to coat. Sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon and toss until evenly coated.   Pour the entire mixture into the slow cooker insert, making sure the apples are spread our evenly.  

In a medium bowl add the oats, almonds, flour, sugar, and cinnamon.  Mix to combine.  Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture, and then stir until well coated.  Top the apples with the oat mixture, trying to cover most of the apples.

Place several paper towels on top of the slow cooker, and place the lid on top.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 6-8 hours until the apples are soft and easily pierced with a knife.  Serve in individual bowls with ice cream if desired.

Homemade Hummus Topped with a Simple Israeli Salad

An essential dip is taken up a notch by topping it with a simple salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion.  Once you make the homemade version of hummus you won't ever go back to store bought!

Homemade Hummus Topped with a Simple Israeli Salad

Hummus is a very popular dish and it's quite healthy to eat.  Even better when it's topped with a a wonderful salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onion!  All you need to make this is a few ingredients such as chickpeas (garbanzo beans), tahini, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, Sriracha, and olive oil.  With the exception of the tahini you probabaly have all the other ingredients.  

Oh and I forgot to mention....It's so EASY to make!

We eat hummus as a snack in our house all the time.  It's great as an appetizer as well.  With the addition of the salad you can turn this dish into a light lunch, or a side dish with dinner like we do.  This would also be great for game day or BBQs in the summer.  You could even make these into individual portions by serving them in clear party cups with a wedge of pita tucked inside.  Too cute! 

 

What Ingredients do I need?

• Canned Chickpeas or Garbanzo beans
• Tahini - sesame seed paste found in the grocery in either ethnic foods, or with the condiments
• Olive oil
• garlic
• lemon juice
• cumin
• Sriracha (optional) for heat
• salt & pepper

Substitutions and Variations

This is a base recipe for hummus. You can make variations by adding different ingredients to change the flavor such as:

• roasted red bell peppers
• avocado
• black beans instead of chickpeas
• eggplant
• sun-dried tomatoes
• mashed sweet potatoes
• fresh spinach and feta cheese
• lemon and cilantro

Kitchen Tips and Notes

• start with quality ingredients - since there are only a handful buy the best you can find. (fresh garlic, real lemons etc.)

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Homemade Hummus Topped with a Simple Israeli Salad

serves 6-8

Hummus:
1 15 oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup tahini (ground sesame paste)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice 
3 tablespoons chopped garlic 
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad:
1 large English cucumber, unpeeled, halved, and diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
3/4 cup red onion, diced 

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

Toasted naan or pita bread, for serving 

Place the chickpeas, tahini, 1/2 cup lemon juice, garlic, cumin, Sriracha, in a food processor.  Add in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper.  Process until the mixture is smooth.  If this is too thick to spread add in a few tablespoons of water until it is spreadable.

In a large bowl add the cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion.  Add 1/3 cup olive oil and the 1/4 cup lemon juice that remains.  Stir to combine.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Spoon the hummus onto a large serving platter creating a raised edge on the sides.  Using a slotted spoon, top the hummus with the vegetable salad leaving an edge of hummus all around.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Serve with mini naan bread or pita.