Orange Cranberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 3/4 cup orange juice (about 1 large orange)
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cranberries (about 8 ounces)
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Set aside 1 tablespoon sugar. Combine flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.
Combine rind, juice, oil, and egg in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Spoon batter into 16 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved sugar. Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Run a knife or spatula around outer edge of each muffin cup. Carefully remove each muffin; place on a wire rack.

Nutritional Infrmation

Calories:169 (30% from fat)

Fat:5.6g (sat 0.5g,mono 2.5g,poly 2.4g)

Protein:2.5g

Carbohydrate:27.9g

Fiber:1.3g

Cholesterol:2.4mg

Iron:1mg

Sodium:236mg

Calcium: 35mg

Rita LaReau, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2005

Beef Stew

recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated and Joelen's blog

4-5 pounds stew beef
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 onions, minced (about 4 cups)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (6oz) can tomato paste
1/4 cup all purpose flour, seasoned
2 cups red wine
2 cups low sodium chicken or beef broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 pound baby carrots
1 cup button mushrooms, halved
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.
Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over high heat until just starting to smoke. Add half of beef and cook until well browned on all sides, about 8 minutes total, reducing heat if oil begins to smoke or fond begins to burn.

Reduce heat to medium and return first batch of beef to pot. Add onion to Dutch oven and stir to combine with beef. Cook, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits, until onion is softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until no dry flour remains, about 30 seconds.

Slowly add wine, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits. Increase heat to high and allow wine to simmer until thickened and slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Stir in broth, bay leaves, thyme, and soy sauce. Bring to simmer, cover, transfer to preheated oven, and cook for 11/2 hours.

Remove pot from oven; remove and discard bay leaves. Stir in the baby carrots, cover, return to oven, and cook until they are almost tender, about 45 minutes.

Using large spoon, skim any excess fat from surface of stew. Add the mushrooms, cover and cook over medium heat on the stovetop until meat offers little resistance when poked with fork (meat should not be falling apart), about 15 minutes. Stir in frozen peas, and allow to warm through. Check for seasoning and serve.

Buttermilk Pancakes

from Alton Brown via Beantown Baker blog

3 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp sugar

3 eggs, separated
3 cups buttermilk
5 tbsp melted butter
1 stick butter, for greasing the pan
2 cups fresh blueberries, optional

Heat an electric griddle to 350 degrees F. or frying pan over med-low heat

Whisk together the egg whites and the buttermilk in a small bowl. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the melted butter.

Combine the buttermilk mixture with the egg yolk mixture in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until thoroughly combined. Pour the liquid ingredients on top of the pancake mix. Using a whisk, mix the batter just enough to bring it together. Don't try to work all the lumps out.

Lightly butter the griddle.

Gently ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle and sprinkle on fruit or chocolate chips if desired. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the griddle-side of the cake is golden, gently flip the pancakes. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is set.

Serve immediately or remove to a towel-lined baking sheet and cover with a towel.