CRANBERRY ORANGE COOKIES

 ~ Jo Cooks

COOKIES
1 c. butter, at room temperature
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 T. orange zest
1 t. vanilla
2 T. orange juice
2 1/2 c. flour
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped

GLAZE
1 c. powdered sugar
2 T. orange juice 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

In large bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed for two minutes. Add egg, zest, vanilla, and juice; mix one minute or until totally combined. Add flour, baking soda, and salt to bowl and mix on low until just combined. Fold in chopped cranberries.  

Use a medium cookie scoop to form balls and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges are slightly golden. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

While cookies cool, whisk icing ingredients together. Use a teaspoon to drizzle glaze over cooled cookies and allow to set before serving.

Makes about four dozen.

Notes: I get closer to three dozen cookies with a medium scoop and about five dozen with a small scoop. The picture was taken after using fresh cranberries. I get different results with frozen and prefer fresh. I use silicone baking mats instead of parchment paper. If you like coconut, try coconut cranberry chews for a cookie that's similar to this one, but with a few changes. 

COSTA RICAN-STYLE TILAPIA WITH PINEAPPLE, BLACK BEANS, AND RICE

~ Food Network

1 c. long grain white rice
2 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. orange juice
3 limes, divided - one juiced and two sliced
2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. finely chopped cilantro, divided - plus more for garnish
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. sugar
salt & pepper
4 5-7 oz. tilapia fillets, rinsed and patted dry
2 c. salsa
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 c. diced fresh pineapple

Combine the rice and broth in a pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 20 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed.

While rice is cooking, whisk orange juice, lime juice, oil, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, garlic, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Add tilapia to the marinade, turning to coat, and marinate in fridge for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Stir together the cooked rice, salsa, beans, pineapple, and remaining 2 tablespoons of cilantro in a 2-3 qt. baking dish. Remove tilapia from marinade, reserving marinade, and lay over the rice mixture. Pour reserved marinade over the fish. Layer the lime slices over the fish.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until fish flakes easily and is opaque. Garnish with more cilantro before serving.

Notes: I've used both brown and white rice, bottled lime juice instead of fresh limes, crockpot beans from the freezer instead of canned beans, and both fresh and canned pineapple.

STEAK SALAD

~ Bethany Weathersby

SALAD
lettuce and/or spinach
grilled steak, cut into bite sized pieces
feta, crumbled
red bell pepper, chopped
walnuts, almonds, or other nut, chopped

DRESSING
orange and/or lemon juice
olive oil
salt & pepper

Use the greens as a base, season the meat however you like before grilling, then sprinkle as much of the toppings as you want over the top.  Use whatever amount of the dressing ingredients suits your tastes.

Notes: We've made this with both seasoned pork and beef steaks and it's delicious, with or without the dressing. 

CRANBERRY SAUCE

~ allrecipes

12 oz. cranberries
1 c. white sugar
1 c. orange juice

In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the orange juice. Stir in the cranberries and cook until the cranberries start to pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and place sauce in a bowl. Cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools.

Notes: This is so good! After reading the reviews on allrecipes, I use 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar, plus a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or cloves.

ORANGE LENTIL SOUP

~ Rachel Smart's Recipes

1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
olive oil
1 1/3 c. lentils
3/4 c. orange juice
2 carrots, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/4 t. thyme
4 c. broth
1/2 c. water

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil at bottom of pan, then add all other ingredients. Simmer 40 minutes until lentils are tender.

Makes about six cups.

Notes: The orange flavor is pretty mild, so I use extra juice in place of the water. Sometimes I grate the carrots instead of chopping them.

Linked up at: Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight - beans

LUSCIOUS SLUSH PUNCH

~ allrecipes

2 1/2 c. white sugar
6 c. water
6 oz. strawberry flavored gelatin mix
46 oz. can pineapple juice
2/3 c. lemon juice
1 qt. orange juice
4 liters lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage

In a large pot, combine sugar, water, and strawberry flavored gelatin. Boil for 3 minutes. Stir in pineapple juice, lemon juice, and orange juice. Divide mixture in half, and freeze in 2 separate containers.

When ready to serve, place the frozen contents of one container in a punch bowl, and stir in 1 bottle of lemon-lime soda until slushy.

Notes: After reading several of the reviews, I only use one cup of sugar and freeze the base in two gallon-sized freezer bags. I pull one out an hour before serving and pull the second out when the punch bowl is about half empty.

Linked up at: Eat at Home - pineapple

BAKED CHICKEN TERIYAKI

~ Tannis Johnson / Collector of Recipes

2 t. cornstarch
2 t. water
1/4 c. white sugar
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. low sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. cider vinegar
1/4 c. orange juice or pineapple juice
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/4 t. ground black pepper
8 skinless chicken thighs

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the first 10 ingredients in a bowl. Place chicken pieces in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour sauce over chicken and turn to thoroughly coat.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Turn pieces over, and bake for another 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

Notes: I sometimes use juice from a can of pineapple, then chop the pineapple and add it to the rice that I serve the chicken over.