Archive for February, 2012

This recipe starts with a story.

See, our local grocery store ran a “traffic stopper” deal on Oranges throughout January. Super yummy oranges. From California. And these oranges were sold in 8lb. bags – on sale – every monday – all month. We may or may not have purchased 7 bags (56 lbs.) of oranges throughout the month. We ate plenty of them fresh, juiced even more of them (ah, fresh squeezed orange juice), and made these muffins. We may or may not have made them more than once.

Ok, back to the oranges.

We had lots. I tried making Cranberry-Orange bread once before. It was less than successful. Maybe it was the recipe I used. But the flavor… the flavor was something was craving. So I got my google on and started searching. There were plenty of things I liked about this recipe or that, but nothing quite perfect. So, I went ahead and took this from that recipe, and that from another. I wanted to get a nice orange-infusion. And I had the oranges to make it happen. So, after a bit of adding and subtracting, we have the following recipe.

One that I may or may not be making again today.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

2 1/4c. flour
3/4c. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4. tsp. salt
1/4. tsp. baking soda
4 Tbsp. zested orange peel
3/4 c.  freshly squeezed orange juice (about 3 oranges)*
optional: 3-4 Tbsp of the pulpy orange innards (just adds a little extra orangy-goodness)
1 Tbsp. milk
1/4 c. melted butter
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c.  dried cranberries**

Preheat oven to 400˚ and prepare muffin tins (grease tin or line with paper/foil cups)

In a large bowl combine dry ingredients. Whisk together.
In a separate bowl combine orange juice, zest, and pulp with melted butter, milk, and egg.

Add wet ingredients to dry, stirring just until incorporated.
Fold in cranberries

Bake for 15-2o min. Until tops are a light golden.

*Orange juice made from concentrate or otherwise purchased can be used if necessary.
**If using fresh cranberries, add 1 1/2 c. instead.

So there you have it. They are SOOO GOOD! And I am totally making them again today!