Christina's Cranberry Almond Tarts

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

pie crusts

1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into eight pieces
1 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cup frozen cranberries
2 cups unblanched sliced almonds (NOT slivered or chopped)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Measure the cream and butter into a saucepan and heat it over low heat. When the butter has melted completely, remove from heat.

2. To make the caramel, spread the sugar evenly in a perfectly dry, deep 10-inch skillet and place it over medium-low heat.

3. The sugar should turn straw-colored, then gold and then a nutty-brown caramel after about 10 minutes (DO NOT OVERCOOK). If the sugar cooks unevenly, gently tilt or swirl the pan to evenly distribute the sugar. Remove from heat and slowly whisk the cream and butter into the sugar, which can splatter as the cream is added (long sleeves are a good precaution). If the caramel seizes, return it to the heat and continue to stir until it is smooth and creamy. Strain the caramel into a bowl and cool it for 30 minutes.

4. Stir the frozen cranberries and the almonds into the caramel and mix until all the fruit and nuts are coated. Spoon the filling into the partially baked tart dough mounding toward the center.

5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the juices and the caramel are bubbling slowly around the edges. Remove from the oven and let stand for 1 hour, then gently lift the tart ring off the pastry.

6. Carefully transfer the tart to a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Ben's Cornbread, Sausage and Apple Stuffing

My husband is a much better cook than I am, at least when it comes to be inspired and making up new recipes. This is the stuffing he made for Thanksgiving (his first time ever making stuffing, I might add) and it turned out great! For those of you still in doubt, the first time he ever made chili he won a chili cookoff. Yeah, he's that good.

6 C cornbread (1 paula deen recipe), cubed and dried
6 C white bread, cubed and dried
1 lb mild italian sausage
2 TBSP unsalted butter
2 small or 1 med-large Granny Smith apples
1 C chopped celery
1 small-medium onion
1/3 C dried cranberries
1 tsp ground sage
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 C chicken broth

Place all bread cubes in a large bowl. Sprinkle with all seasonings and stir.

Brown sausage. Remove meat from pan, but keep drippings. Add onion, celery and apples to pan with butter and saute until soft. Add cranberries for the last few minutes to rehydrate.

Add sausage, veggie mix and chicken broth to bread and stir to coat. Place in 9x13 pan or 2 9x9 pans. Bake 30 minutes for 9x13 pan or 20 minutes for 2 9x9 pans.

Lorri's Cranberry Shortbread

adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookies book

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries or cherries
zest of half an orange

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.with a rack in center. Combine butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, flour, zest, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon until combined but not too creamy. (I did it in my KitchenAide until the dough started to come together.) Stir in dried cranberries.
2. Pat dough evenly into an 8- or 9-inch-square baking pan. (Line with parchment paper for easy removal.) Bake until just beginning to turn golden, about 30 minutes. Place pan on cooling rack until cool enough to touch, about 20 minutes. Run knife around edges, remove shortbread, and transfer, right side up, to work surface.

Christina's Cranberry Muffins

adapted from Ann Poulson

3/4 c halved cranberries
1/2 c powdered sugar
Mix berries and sugar and let stand.

Sift together:
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c whole-wheat flower
1 T baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 c sugar

Mix and add to dry ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
1 c milk
1/4 c butter, melted

Mix until dampened, do not beat.
Fold in berries.
Put in greased muffin cups.
Bake 20 minutes at 350.
Makes one dozen.

Christina's Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
1 large egg
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 Tbs honey
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup toasted chopped hazelnuts or pecans
3/4 cups white chocolate chunks or chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. By hand or mixer, blend together butter, brown sugar and honey. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. In a large bowl, stir together flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture and mix until combined well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Form into balls and bake on ungreased baking sheet in center of oven until edges are lightly browned and centers are still soft, about 12-15 minutes. Makes 2 1/2 dozen 2-inch cookies.

Christina's Cranberry Pork Chops

1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
4 pork loin chops (about 12 ounces total)
2 teaspoons cooking oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. In a small bowl stir together pepper and celery salt; rub onto both sides of chops. In a medium skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chops and onion rings in hot oil until chops are browned, turning once. Carefully add the 2 tablespoons water to skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes more or until no pink remains and juices run clear. Transfer chops to serving plates; keep warm. Remove onions from juices with a slotted spoon; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, for the sauce, in a medium saucepan combine the cranberries, the 3 tablespoons water, the orange juice concentrate, orange peel, sage, and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat about 10 minutes or until the cranberries plump and mixture thickens. Stir in the onions; heat through. Remove from heat.
3. To serve, spoon about 1/4 cup sauce over each pork chop. Makes 4 servings.

Christina's Orange Cranberry Muffins

1 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for preparing the muffin tin
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus up to 1 tablespoon for topping the muffins, if desired
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup milk
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Put the cranberries and orange juice in a small saucepan, and bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Remove berries from the heat, and set aside to cool and plump.
Lightly brush a 12-muffin tin with butter. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with an electric hand-held mixer in a large bowl, cream the butter, orange zest, and 2/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Remove the bowl from the mixer.
Fold the flour in 3 parts into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk in 2 parts, until just combined. Fold in the cranberries. Do not over mix. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin and sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool muffins in the pan on a rack. Serve warm.