Cranberry Bread

by Linda

 

 

 

 

Today, I'm sharing a recipe that has been passed down for generations and it's still a good one. It's a simple straight-up cranberry loaf. Nothing fancy, nothing fussy.

 

There is no shortage of cranberry bread recipes on the internet. A Google search will reveal cranberry-orange, cranberry-apple, cranberry raisin, cranberry-pumpkin, cranberry-egg nog, cranberry-zucchini, cranberry-pecan, cranberry-walnut, cranberry-pistachio. It can be made into scones, muffins, soda bread, coffee cake. The sky's the limit.

 

But I bet my grandmother rarely strayed from this simple recipe. And why would she? It's delicious! Perfect toasted! Perfect with tea or coffee! Not too sweet! Just perfect!

 

First the recipe-

 

Cranberry Bread

 

1 cup cranberries

2 cups flour

3/4 cup sugar

3 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup melted butter

1 tsp. vanilla

 

Beat eggs, milk, butter and vanilla in a bowl

 

Combine dry ingredients in another bowl.

 

Blend egg mixture into dry mixture, add cranberries.

 

Pour into greased loaf pan.

 

Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees

 

Makes 1 loaf.

 

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That's it. Easy peasy!

 

Now for some tips and hints!

 

 

Because whole cranberries tend to sink in batter, chop the cranberries so they will be distributed throughout the loaf.

 

 

See all the bits of cranberries in there?

 

 



 

How about baking the cranberry bread in cute mason jars to give out as gifts at Chritsmas? The small mason jars will hold about a cupcake size piece of cranberry bread, perfect for 1 person!

 

 

If you want to make some mason jar cakes, spray the inside of sterilized jars with Pam, fill the jars about 2/3 full, use a deep pan to make it easier to get them in and out of the oven. Watch the cooking time, test with a toothpick, small jars only need about 20 minutes, medium jars about 30 minutes and large jars about 45 minutes. While the jars are baking, put mason lids in hot water to sterilize. As soon as you take the jars out of the oven, dry a lid and place it on the jar. Add the screw band. As the jar seals, you will hear a little pop. Once the jars are cool, test to be sure they are sealed.

 

 

I hope you have enjoyed cooking with us this month! If you would like to share a recipe, post it in the flickr gallery or on our FOLfacebook page.

 

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“You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.”
― Julia Child

 

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Wednesday Focus on You

1. 300/365 - 15, 2. October 17 - Fall = Snickerdoodles, 3. shrimp and grits, 4. October 25 - Despite the 80+ degree temps today I'm making soup for dinner. If I wait for a chilly day I may wait forever...



So yummy, no one could choose just one!

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Thank you for sharing your pictures with us!

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Where Do You Go For Recipe Inspiration?

by Linda

 

 

Compiling a weekly menu is something I have enjoyed doing for some time. I like sitting down with cookbooks and recipes and putting together meals. This makes creating a shopping list and actual grocery shopping so much easier. I know exactly what I need and I know that when I am going to make something I will have everything on hand. But sometimes I need a little inspiration.

Today I'm going to share a few places I get recipe inspiration and I would love to hear from you where you find recipe inspiration!

And there's a recipe at the end of all this!

The internet is a huge resource. Recipes galore! Blogs and websites to explore. Sometimes this is a hit or miss situation. Of course everyone loves The Pioneer Woman and she has some great food on her website and a few cookbooks and don't forget about her show, but let's face it, she is cooking for an army of people that rustle cattle all day. I tread lightly here. The pictures both on the blog and in the cookbooks are very good. But let me just say, I made her recipe for mac and cheese, heavy cream, 2 cheeses, caramelized onions and ...wait for it...bacon. I died.

Lighter fare is abundant on Skinny Taste. Here the recipes run the gamut and feature Weight Watcher points as well as nutritional values. There is a website and cookbooks. There are paleo, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free etc. I have made many of these and find them to be pretty basic, simple and tasty. And tasty pictures too.

A cooking blog I have followed for a while is Smitten Kitchen. She or her spouse take the pictures which are very good. There is at least 1 cookbook. Let me describe Smitten Kitchen by sharing an excerpt from her about page-

"What I’m wary of is: Excessively fussy foods and/or pretentious ingredients. I don’t do truffle oil, Himalayan pink salt at $10 per quarter-ounce or single-origin chocolate that can only be found through Posh Nosh-approved purveyors. I think food should be accessible, and am certain that you don’t need any of these things to cook fantastically."

'Nuff said.

Real store bought cookbooks are an item I am very discerning about. If I get a recommendation for one, I will spend time with it at a bookstore and if, after perusal, I am convinced I will use it to make more than several dishes and use it frequently, I am loathe to spend cash money for it. I don't need anything else to dust!

Everybody has a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook  and Julia Childs "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" so those go without saying. Besides these and my own collection of recipes I use 3 other cookbooks almost exclusively.

Because, after cooking with Julia, everything tastes better with wine, butter and Vermouth, I recommend Dorie Greenspan's "Around My French Table". Dorie's been around a while and knows what she's doing. She divides her time between the east coast and Paris. I participated in a blog called French Friday's with Dorie where we prepared a different recipe each week from this book. It took 5 years to cook through it but is was fun. Dorie was there every week supporting and commenting. This cookbook is beautifully photographed. The food is delicious.

My friend Cathy Sly started a cooking group on Instagram this past January (#nowyoucooks) Each month we were to cook from a different cookbook. She led off with "Plenty" by  Yotam Ottolenghi and that's where I got stuck! I am still cooking from this book. It is vegetarian cooking and it is good. I have made several recipes and several recipes have been added to my menu rotation.

Surprisingly, I purchased another vegetarian cookbook. Surprising because trophy husband believes his meals need to include something that had a face. Protein I can cook, veg is where I need inspiration because salad-meh. "Thug Kitchen: Eat Like You Give a F*ck" is not only a good cookbook, it is entertaining. Just reading through a recipe always puts a smile on my face. Oh, and how does the food taste? you ask? That shit's awesome!

So these are my recommendations! Leave your favorites in the comments! Or make something and add it to the gallery, telling us about it in the description!

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If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen I made this recently.

Monster Munch

 

I found the recipe on the internet. Go here to check it out!

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"The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude."

~Julia Child

 

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A New Month, A New Focus and A Little Twist on an Old Favorite

by Linda

 

 

Happy October! Can you believe it is October already! Today we are kicking off our October Focus - Let's Cook! Something a little different and hopefully a little fun!

Let's spend this month in the kitchen. You know that the Holiday Season is going to be here before we know it! If we spend some of the quieter days of October thinking about what we will be cooking for any special gatherings we will attend and thinking about cooking any special treats or edible gifts we will be giving, when the time comes things just might not be as hectic as usual. We might be able to actually slow down during the Holiday Season and enjoy the sights, sounds and people in it!

This month we can try new recipes, pull out old recipes and pre-make, freeze or can some of the food we will be sharing with others. And when that last minute invite or impromptu office get together happens, we are not worrying about what to bring and we don't have to stop at the store and hope someone else doesn't bring the same thing!

Let's share tips and techniques with each other, maybe a few recipes and since we will probably be taking at least a few pictures of the many delicious things we and others make, let's share some food photography tips too! Even a processing recipe! Share in the comments, on Facebook or with your picture in the flickr gallery or Instagram (#focusingonlife)!

For my last post this month, October 29, let's have a virtual cookie exchange! Pictures and of course recipes!

Are you ready? Get out the sharp knives!

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Let me start the month off with a little food hack I learned from my sons 4th grade teacher (with a little tweak from me) a while back-

Stuffing is often served with Holiday meals. I know some of you are true to your own recipe but just in case you get cramped for time consider this-

purchase 2 boxes of stuffing (such as Stove Top or similar that includes everything) and 1 can of chicken broth (14 ounces)
-prepare the stuffing as directed except use chicken broth instead of water and butter, set aside

-sauté in olive oil the following-
2 celery ribs-diced (use the tops too, it looks so pretty!)
3-4 carrots peeled and diced
1 med onion diced
Combine with the prepared stuffing and serve

If you want to get fancy, add about 1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, and about 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, spread in a 13x9 pyrex dish and put in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes

easy-peasy

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Did you know that the sautéed combination of onion, celery and carrot is called a mirepoix? (meer-pwah) or "holy trinity"

It is the base for many stocks, soups, stews and sauces.

So the next time you are having a culinary discussion, throw that one out, in your best Julia Child voice. (wear your pearls)  Your friends will be amazed.

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