Cranberry sauce is incredibly easy to make. If you’ve never made your own, I encourage you to try it this year. This recipe for Triple-Cranberry Sauce takes just minutes to prepare and is lightly flavored with orange and spice. I’ve made it many times and am always pleased with the results.

I always buy King Kelly Orange Marmalade because it’s not as bitter as other marmalades I’ve tried, and I use freshly grated orange zest instead of minced orange peel (zesting is much easier than mincing the peel). I’ve even used regular cranberry juice cocktail (1 cup) when I couldn’t find the frozen concentrate. Either way, taste the cranberry mixture while it’s simmering and add more sugar, orange zest or allspice to your liking.

If you have leftover cranberry sauce, use it in this recipe for Cranberry-Almond Coffee Cake.

Triple-Cranberry Sauce
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine, November 1993

“The Indians and English use them much,” wrote one visitor to New England in 1663, “boyling them with Sugar for Sauce to eat with their Meat, and it is a delicate Sauce.” Although there is little evidence that cranberry sauce was served at the first Thanksgiving, it is assumed that Indians brought it to the feast. This tangy version gets its intense flavor and color from a mixture of fresh and dried cranberries, along with frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate.

Yield: Makes about 2 1/2 cups

1 cup frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed
1/3 cup sugar
1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup dried cranberries (about 2 ounces)
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons minced orange peel (I use orange zest)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Combine cranberry juice concentrate and sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add fresh and dried cranberries and cook until dried berries begin to soften and fresh berries begin to pop, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange marmalade, orange juice, orange peel and allspice. Cool completely. Cover; chill until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Tags: Christmas, cranberry sauce, dried cranberries, frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, holidays, orange juice, orange marmalade, orange zest, Thanksgiving

Pork tenderloin, the most tender cut of pork, is great for entertaining because it’s hard to mess up. Marinated and grilled, this recipe produces meat that is tender,  juicy and flavorful. The orange juice/zest, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and barbecue sauce combination creates a unique marinade and tastes nothing like plain ol’ barbecue sauce. I served the pork with mashed sweet potatoes (seasoned with butter and green onions) and green beans. Delicious!

Speaking of barbecue sauce, you’ll want to use a good quality brand for this recipe. I used Trader Joe’s Bold & Smoky Kansas City Style Barbecue Sauce (D.L. Jardine’s brand is another one I like).

After basting the tenderloins with the marinade, it’s a good idea to cook the pork on all sides for a few minutes to caramelize the sauce (since the raw pork was sitting in the marinade). Enjoy!

Backyard Barbecued Pork Tenderloin
-recipe from Sara Foster’s Casual Cooking: More Fresh Simple Recipes From Foster’s Market

This pork tenderloin is a standard special at the Market. It’s so tender that you can cut it without a knife, so it makes the perfect hot entree to serve to guests who will be eating standing up. Our catering customers often request it sliced so they can serve it with dinner rolls or biscuits as an alternative to ham sandwiches. Serves 4 to 6.

2 1-pound pork tenderloins
For the marinade
1 cup spicy barbecue sauce
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Whisk the barbecue sauce, orange zest and juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Trim the fat and sinew from the tenderloins, rinse them, and pat dry. Place the tenderloins in a shallow glass bowl or in a large sealable bag. Pour the marinade over the tenderloins and turn the pork to coat the tenderloins. Cover the bowl and marinate the park for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal or gas grill.

Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and season on all sides with salt and pepper. Grill the tenderloins for about 15 minutes, basting with the marinade while cooking and turning them to cook all four sides. Move the tenderloins to the side of the grill, close the grill or cover the tenderloins with foil, and cook and baste for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the tenderloins reads 145 degrees F for medium (longer, or until the thermometer reads 160 degrees F, for medium-well pork). Let the tenderloins rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.

Thinly slice the tenderloin and divide the slices evenly among four plates.

Note: Be careful not to overcook pork tenderloin. A perfectly cooked tenderloin may look a little pink in the center when you take if off the grill, but it’ll be moist and juicy after it’s rested for a few minutes do don’t be tempted to cut into it immediately.

Tags: barbecue sauce, bbq, entertaining, garlic, grilling, orange juice, pork tenderloin, red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce

I made these flavorful chicken tacos the other night when we had friends over for dinner. They’re easy, delicious, and the chicken can be made ahead of time and reheated…always a bonus for entertaining!

For the marinade, I substituted 1/2 of a canned chipotle pepper (chopped) and a little of it’s adobo sauce for the jalapeno, and added a bit more OJ to tone down the heat. The chipotles added a nice smoky flavor to the chicken that blended well with the citrus and herb flavors. I offered both flour and corn tortillas for the tacos and served them with a variety of toppings: avocado, sour cream, salsa, etc. YUMM!!!

Citrus & Herb Marinated Chicken Tacos
-recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine (by Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger)
 
The marinade for the chicken is delicious: citrusy, herby, and fresh tasting. Yields enough for 12 small tacos.

2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice    
2 to 3 jalapeño chiles, stemmed and seeded
7 cloves garlic
1 Tbs. black peppercorns
1 Tbs. salt
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems included (about 1 cup)
2 lb. chicken legs and thighs

In a food processor or blender, combine 1/3 cup of the orange juice, the jalapeños, garlic, peppercorns, and salt. Purée until the peppercorns are completely crushed. Add the cilantro and remaining 1/3 cup orange juice and purée until smooth. In a ceramic or glass ovenproof dish, toss the chicken with the marinade, rubbing it on to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.

Heat the oven to 350°F. Bake the chicken in the pan it was marinated in until the meat easily pulls away from the bone, about 40 min. Set the chicken aside to cool. Pour the juices from the pan into a bowl or cup and reserve. Refrigerate the juices so that the fat rises to the top. When the chicken is cool, remove the skin and shred the meat into bite-size pieces. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days.

When ready to serve, skim off the fat that has risen to the top of the reserved cooking juices. Use the remaining liquid to moisten the shredded chicken as you reheat it.

I’m linked to these blog parties:
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
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Tuesday Tastes
Tuesday’s at the Table
Ruby Tuesday
Real Food Wednesday
Idea Sharin’ Wednesday
Whatever Goes Wednesday

Tags: chicken thighs, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno chiles, orange juice, peppercorns

These orange-scented muffins are moist, not too sweet and studded with chocolate chips. I’m eating one now between sips of freshly brewed French roast coffee…Yumm! I got the recipe out of the Fresh Every Day Cookbook by Sara Foster. She calls the muffins Orange Chocolate Muffins, but I renamed them Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins since they’re not really chocolate muffins (other than the chocolate chips).

I followed the recipe as written, using Trader Joe’s High Fiber cereal in place of All Bran or bran flakes. The addition of the fiber cereal means you’re getting some roughage along with your chocolate. See…chocolate can be healthy! Next time I make them, I’ll definitely add dried cranberries, too, since I love the flavor combo of chocolate, orange and cranberry.

Orange Chocolate Muffins
-recipe from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes From Foster’s Market by Sara Foster

These are best served warm, fresh from the oven. Makes 12 large muffins.

1/2 cup bran flakes or All Bran cereal
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
Grated zest of 2 oranges and 1/2 cup of their juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Line 12 large muffin cups with liners and spray the top of the pan with vegetable oil spray or grease lightly.

Stir the bran flakes, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together in a large bowl.

In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the egg and mix to combine. Add the sour cream, orange zest and juice, and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Add the bran-flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment of an electric mixer until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips to combine. Do not mix any more than necessary.

Use a 1/3-cup measure or ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them to just below the rim of the cup. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, until a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted in the center of a muffin and the muffins spring back when touched. Let the muffins rest for about 5 minutes before turning them out. Serve immediately or cool on a wire rack.

Tags: bran cereal, butter, chocolate chips, Muffins, orange, orange juice, orange zest, sour cream

This salad is soooo good! I love the mixture of citrus, soy sauce and sesame oil for the dressing, and the combination of moist chicken, crunchy vegetables and tender greens…delicious! I made it for my Mom’s birthday luncheon recently and everybody loved it (especially Mom)!

I substituted fresh spinach for the watercress, and added some Sriracha Hot Chile Sauce to the dressing for a little kick. To make the salad a meal, I served it with a variety of spring rolls that I got at Trader Joe’s. Yumm!

For other recipe ideas, check out: Friday Favorites, Foodie Friday, Finer Things Friday, Friday Food, It’s a Hodgepodge Friday.

Chicken Salad with Crunchy Vegetables and Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette
-recipe from Fresh Every Day: More Great Recipes From Foster’s Market by Sara Foster

I’m always looking for new ways to satisfy my customers’ insatiable appetites for chicken salad. This one can be made several hours in advance, so it’s the perfect thing to take to the office for lunch or on a picnic. If you like to eat lots of vegetables, toss in a handful of shredded savoy or napa cabbage, snow peas, or julienned carrots for more crunch.

Serves 4 to 6.

4 cups shredded cooked chicken (one 3 1/2 to 4-pound roasted chicken)
2 ribs bok choy or celery stalks, sliced on the diagonal into 1/4″ pieces
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
2 cups watercress, washed and trimmed of tough stems
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine the chicken, bok choy or celery, red pepper, cilantro, scallions, and 1/2 cup of the vinaigrette in a large bowl and toss to mix. Add the watercress and more vinaigrette to taste. Season with salt and pepper and toss again gently. Divide the salad evenly among individual plates or place on a large platter and serve immediately.

Note: If you make this salad to serve later, add the watercress and toss with the dressing just before serving.

Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette

Makes about 1 cup

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
2 tablespoons light soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger (about 1 2″ piece)
2 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup canola or safflower oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Stir the orange zest and juice, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, ginger, scallions, and garlic together in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the sesame and canola oils until they are incorporated. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the sesame seeds just before serving. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to serve for up to 1 week.

Tags: bok choy, Chicken, cilantro, ginger, honey, orange juice, rice wine vinegar, Salad, sesame oil, sesame seeds, sesame vinaigrette, soy sauce