Welcome!

Welcome to Simple Fare, Fairly Simple. This is a place for me to post recipes of all kinds...along with other miscellaneous fodder from my so-called life here in the south. Who knows what you will find here. Could be anything from my husband...known as IT Guy...to my kids and beautiful grandbabies that are growing up way too fast right before my eyes. But...mostly this will be a place for food. I hope you'll see something you like and if you decide to try something from the list...leave me a comment and let me know!



Showing posts with label cranberry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cranberry. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Orange Cranberry Streusel Muffins

It’s always great to have a muffin lying around, don’t you think? They’re great to have as you’re running out the door, to throw in a lunch or for a late night snack. Hand held treats are the best! And these little muffins are perfect. Sweet and tart and delicious!



Orange Cranberry Streusel Muffins
For the muffins:
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
12 ounce bag cranberries ~ rinsed and drained
3 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar ~ divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons cold butter
1 cup orange juice
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray 18 muffin cups with cooking spray then line with cupcake liners, if desired.
In a medium bowl, combine the cranberries, nuts, orange peel, and 1/2 cup of the sugar. Stir then set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, the remaining 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
Add the orange juice and eggs and mix well.
Add the cranberry mixture and stir to combine.
Fill each prepared muffin cup with the batter up to the top.

For the streusel topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
4 tablespoons cold butter
Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl with a pastry blender or your fingers.
Sprinkle the uncooked muffins with the streusel topping, lightly pressing mixture onto the batter.
Bake for 5 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. 
Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Cool muffins for 10 minutes then remove from the pan. Drizzle with glaze. (Recipe follows)

For the glaze: 
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 - 4 tablespoons orange juice
In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar with enough of the juice to create a glaze. Drizzle over baked muffins.











Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Thanksgiving Eggrolls

Do you have any turkey and dressing left over from Thanksgiving? If you're lucky enough to have even a little bit, you can make these. And I sure hope you've got some gravy and cranberry sauce left, too...because you're going to need it for dipping! I'm a cranberry sauce girl myself but IT Guy went with the gravy. Seriously, guys...these are SO fun and yummy! It's just a different twist on heating up a plate of leftovers and you should try it!

Thanksgiving Eggrolls




Equal amounts turkey and dressing (I used 2 cups of each)
Eggroll wrappers
Leftover gravy
Leftover cranberry relish or sauce
1 egg ~ beaten

Dice turkey.

In a large bowl, crumble the dressing then add the diced turkey.

You want to be able to press the mixture together to it holds it's shape so if your dressing is dry, add some gravy as the "glue".

Measure out about 1/2 cup or so of the turkey mixture and form it into a "log".

Place the mixture about an inch or so from one corner on the eggroll wrapper and fold wrapper up over the mixture. Fold in the sides. Brush some of the beaten egg at the top corner and roll to enclose.

Place eggroll seam side down on a cookie sheet and continue until all ingredients are used.

Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium heat and fry eggrolls until browned on all sides.

Serve with leftover gravy and cranberry sauce for dipping.


The cast of characters. 
The cast of characters.

In a large bowl, crumble the dressing then add the diced turkey. 
In a large bowl, crumble the dressing 
then add the diced turkey.

Measure out about 1/2 cup or so of the turkey mixture and form it into a "log". 
Measure out about 1/2 cup or so 
of the turkey mixture and form 
it into a "log".

Place the mixture about an inch or so from one corner on the eggroll wrapper and fold wrapper up over the mixture. Fold in the sides. Brush some of the beaten egg at the top corner and roll to enclose. 
Place the mixture about an inch 
or so from one corner on the eggroll 
wrapper and fold wrapper up over 
the mixture. Fold in the sides. Brush 
some of the beaten egg at the top 
corner and roll to enclose.

Ready to fry! 
Ready to fry!

Fry until light golden brown. 
Fry until light golden brown.

See? 
See?

Serve with leftover gravy and cranberry sauce! 
Serve with leftover gravy 
and cranberry sauce!

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Cranberry Almond Orange Crunch

Cranberries and orange just scream Thanksgiving to me. I love that combo! So when I bought something similar to this from my granddaughter's girl scout troop, I knew I'd go broke buying it so I set about making my own. This stuff is stinkin' good! This is the kind of thing you leave out on your counter and nibble at as you walk by then realize you've nibbled the whole thing away and it's time to make more. So you make more then snack on it until it's gone and the vicious cycle begins. Worth it? Definitely yes...worth every bite!

Cranberry Almond Orange Crunch

2 cups whole almonds
1 cup dried cranberries (I used Craisins)
1 cup sugar
1 egg white
Juice from 1/2 an orange
Zest from 1 orange

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray a rimmed cookie sheet with baking spray or line with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whip the egg white with the orange juice and orange zest.

Add the almond and dried cranberries and stir to coat.

Sprinkle the sugar over the almond mixture and toss to coat.

Spread mixture onto prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour, tossing every 15 minutes.

Cool.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

White Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies

We went to a potluck a while back and one of the things I brought were these cookies. I left a few at home for the family to munch on but took the majority to the potluck. It was a rainy day and we were one of the first to leave so of course I had to take my cookies with me. I guess they went over pretty well, because as we were leaving, people were asking me...."are those the cookies?" "did you make those?" "can I have a couple before you leave?". So my hopes that I would be taking some home were quickly dashed as I looked into the container and saw just a few left. We came home, I had one, IT Guy had a couple and then there was one lonely little cookie left and it was in crumbs. Right about then my mom called and asked if there were any cookies left. IT Guy told her the condition of the ONE that was left and she said, "that's okay. Save it for me." So I'm guessing these were a success. What do you think?

White Chocolate Dipped 
Cranberry Pecan Oatmeal Cookies



3/4 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups quick oats
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup Craisins
1 cup chopped pecans (plus a little extra for sprinkling)
1 12-ounce package white chocolate chips ~ melted


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine shortening, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, water and vanilla in a stand mixer. Cream together until smooth.

Add flour, oats, salt and baking soda. Beat until mixed well. Add Craisins and pecans.

Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheets and bake for 12- 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Let set on cookie sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Dip half of cooled cookie into melted white chocolate, sprinkle with a little chopped pecans and allow chocolate to harden.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Let's get going! 
Let's get going!

Combine shortening, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, water and vanilla. 
Combine shortening, brown sugar, 
granulated sugar, egg, water and vanilla.

Add flour, oats, salt and baking soda. 
Add flour, oats, salt and baking soda.

Add Craisins and pecans. 
Add Craisins and pecans.

Plop.... 
Plop....

...bake. Cool. 
...bake. Cool.

Dip cooled cookies into the melted chocolate. 
Dip cooled cookies 
into the melted chocolate.

Like this! 
Like this!

Enjoy!! 
Enjoy!!

Monday, October 19, 2015

White Chocolate Cranberry Pistachio Bark

I need you guys to file this little gem away so you'll have it to make in a few weeks when your holiday baking starts because you're going to need it. I made this a few weeks back and I loved it. I thought...oh man....for a quick and easy candy, this stuff is incredible. Then I wondered why it sat on my counter, not being eaten, for several days. Usually IT Guy is all over anything sweet but he wasn't touching this. My first thought was that he didn't like it or he had gone temporarily insane or something because he was walking by this stuff like it was invisible. Turns out the joke was on me. Apparently, I hadn't given him the "all clear" sign that he was free to eat it. When I asked why he wasn't eating it, he told me he didn't want to "get in trouble" for eating it and was waiting for me to take pictures. So after our little misunderstanding was cleared up and he was able to eat it....boy did he eat it. I think it was gone in less than two days. He loved it! Really...it's SO easy but SO good. It's very pretty and would look so nice tucked into little cellophane bags to giveaway. Love, love, love simple, yummy and pretty treats!

White Chocolate 
Cranberry Pistachio Bark



1 12-ounce bag white chocolate chips
1 cup Craisins or dried cranberries
1 cup pistachios ~ shelled and chopped

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips for 1 - 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted.

Spread a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper onto your work surface.

Pour melted chocolate onto the paper and spread to desired thickness. (We like ours on the thin side.)

Immediately sprinkle the Craisins and pistachios onto the chocolate, pressing down to make sure they are embedded into the chocolate.

Allow to harden for an hour or so then break into chunks.  

The line-up for this quick and easy treat! 
The line-up for this quick and easy treat!

Melt the chocolate. 
Melt the chocolate.

Spread out to desired thickness. 
Spread out to desired thickness.

Add the Craisins and pistachios then allow to harden. 
Add the Craisins and pistachios 
then allow to harden.

Break into chunks and eat! 
Break into chunks and eat!

Friday, November 14, 2014

Cranberry, Brie and Turkey Pizza

Who always has leftover Thanksgiving food? I know I do. Who gets tired of the same old reheated food? Me, that's who. Have you tried using your leftovers for pizza? There are a LOT of traditional Thanksgiving foods out there, right? But how many would make it on to a pizza? So when I was trying to come up with a combo I thought would be good...turkey and cranberry sauce rang my bell! Of course you need cheese on a pizza, so Brie was the natural choice for this. Let me tell you guys....this is fantastic! The cranberry sauce with it's tartness and the Brie is so creamy...it really dresses up the turkey. All of this on top of a delicious Mama Mary's Flatbread pizza crust. I used my homemade cranberry sauce but if you want, store bought works, too. If you're a fruit/meat person, you're going to love this. The thing I love most about Mama Mary's Flatbreads is that they come 4 to pack. So if you've got LOTS of Thanksgiving leftovers, let people get creative with their toppings! Go crazy! You've got to think outside of the pizza box, so to speak. That's what makes food fun! Try this pizza for a snack or it would work great as an appetizer, too. 

Click HERE to get the coupon.


Click HERE to visit Mama Mary's website for more great recipes and ideas.

Click HERE to "like" Mama Mary's Facebook page.

Cranberry, Brie and Turkey Pizza



1 Mama Mary's pizza crust ~ I used their Flatbread
1 cup cranberry sauce ~ store bought or homemade
1 8-ounce wheel of Brie cheese
1 cup leftover turkey ~ large dice
1/2 cup chopped pecans ~ optional

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spread cranberry sauce over the crust. 

Pinch off small pieces of the Brie and scatter over the cranberry sauce.

Then sprinkle the turkey over the cheese and then top with more Brie.

Sprinkle with pecans, if using.

Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.

Allow to stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Let's go! 
Let's go!

Spread the cranberry sauce on the crust. Then some brie. 

Spread the cranberry sauce 
on the crust. Then some brie.

Then scatter some turkey and some more Brie on top. And pecans if you're using those. 

Then scatter some turkey and 
some more Brie on top. And 
pecans if you're using those.

Bake it up and enjoy every bite! 

Bake it up and enjoy every bite!

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Homemade Cranberry Relish

Have you ever made your own cranberry relish? Did you know that it's 100 times better than anything you can buy in the store? And did you know that it's so simple that you'll wonder why you never made it before? Well, I am here to help you solve that problem. You can whip this up in a matter of a few minutes and the end result will be a luscious, slightly tart mixture of cranberries, sugar and orange that will have you wondering why you've never made it before now.

Homemade Cranberry Relish



1 12-ounce bag cranberries
1 cup orange juice
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Put everything in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.

Turn the heat down and simmer for about 30 minutes until the cranberries break down and mixture becomes thick.

Store in a covered container until ready to use. 

This is great as a side or served on hot biscuits! 

Makes about 2 cups.


Here's all you need! 
Here's all you need!

Put everything in a saucepan. 
Put everything in a saucepan.

Bring to a boil. Skim off the foam if you want. Or not. 
Bring to a boil. Skim off the foam 
if you want. Or not.

Then let it simmer a while. 
Then let it simmer a while.

It will cook down and become nice and thick like this. 
It will cook down and become 
nice and thick like this.

Enjoy! 
Enjoy!

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Cranberry Orange Honey Butter

This is such a wonderful flavored butter. Slightly sweet, a little tart...it's just so great. Actually you can make it as sweet as you want depending on your personal taste. Slathered on a hot biscuit or piece of bread? Oh my! And how fun to make this for gifts? Great for the holidays...or anytime!

Cranberry Orange Honey Butter



2 sticks butter ~ softened
3/4 cup dried cranberries (like Craisins)
Zest of 1 orange
1/3 cup honey (or more if you want it sweeter)

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until blended. Scrape down the inside of the processor to ensure an even mixture. 

Store in a covered container in the fridge.Bring to room temperature before serving.

Place in little jars to give as gifts or wrap in parchment paper.

Okay....here's all you need. 

Okay....here's all you need.

Plop everything into your food processor and whirl away until the mixture is combined. It's okay if there are larger chunks of the cranberries in there. That makes it good. Just scrape down the sides of the food processor once in a while to get everything combined really well. 

Plop everything into your food 
processor and whirl away until 
the mixture is combined. It's 
okay if there are larger chunks 
of the cranberries in there. That 
makes it good. Just scrape down 
the sides of the food processor 
once in a while to get everything 
combined really well.

Then put the butter in a covered container! Chill! 

Then put the butter in a 
covered container! Chill!

If you want, you can wrap small portions in parchment paper as hostess gifts. Put desired amount of butter on a piece of parchment paper. 

If you want, you can wrap 
small portions in parchment 
paper as hostess gifts. Put 
desired amount of butter 
on a piece of parchment paper.

Bring the bottom of the paper over the top and place a ruler or a pastry scraper on the far side of the paper...up against the butter. 

Bring the bottom of the paper over 
the top and place a ruler or a pastry 
scraper on the far side of the 
paper...up against the butter.

Then holding on to the far side of the paper, pull the ruler or scraper toward you to gather up the butter inside. It will look like a little log. 

Then holding on to the far side of 
the paper, pull the ruler or scraper 
toward you to gather up the butter 
inside. It will look like a little log.

Then fold up the edges and roll to close the paper. 

Then fold up the edges 
and roll to close the paper.

Wrap with ribbon or twine, slap on tag on it and you're good to go! 

Wrap with ribbon or twine, slap 
on tag on it and you're good to go!

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Orange Frosted Cranberry Cookies

Oh my, but these are tasty! My sister-in-law gave me this recipe and I had it for a long time before I made it, but can I just say....I could kick myself for waiting so long to make them!! They are heavenly!! If you are in any way a fan of the orange/cranberry combo...then this cookie is for YOU!!


Frosted Orange Cranberry Cookies





Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

1 cup sugar 
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 egg

Combine sugars and butter until smooth then add orange peel, orange juice and egg. Mix until well combined.

Add:

2 ½ cups flour

½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups Craisins
½ cup pecans (optional)

Bake 12 – 14 minutes or until edges and bottoms of cookies are lightly browned. Remove to wire rack and allow to cool completely, about 30 minutes before dipping. 


Orange Dipping Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon grated orange peel

2 – 3 tablespoons orange juice


Combine in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Frost cookies with about a teaspoon of glaze and let harden.


Makes  3 dozen cookies


Here's all the stuff for the cookie....
Here's all the stuff for the cookie....

...and all you need for the frosting.
...and all you need for the frosting.

Sugars and butter ready to go....then add the oraange peel, orange juice and egg.
Sugars and butter ready to go....
then add the orange peel, orange juice and egg.

Mix it all up then add the Craisins.
Mix it all up then add the Craisins.

Ready to scoop!
Ready to scoop!

Scooped!
Scooped!

Here's the frosting all combined...and waiting to dunk the cookies.
Here's the frosting all combined...
and waiting to dunk the cookies.

Don't these look great?? Well, they taste even better!
Don't these look great?? 
Well, they taste even better!