Cranberry Apple Bread Recipe w/ Secret Ingredient

The other day I was going through the freezer and found a bag of frozen Ocean Spray Cranberries from last season.  That is all I needed for inspiration to come up with a recipe to use up these beautiful berries (I needed to use them up as fresh Cranberries have finally made to store shelves again - I am so happy!).

My entire family loves sweet breads and they are so handy for breakfast in the morning or a snack in the afternoon.  I enjoy baking bread after the house quiets down and everyone is in bed.  Plus it is so much fun to see the sparkle in my boys eyes when they wake up and see the fresh loaf of bread on the cooling rack in the kitchen.  They can't wait to have me cut into the loaf and enjoy it.

Well here is the recipe I came up with for Cranberry Apple Bread.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups All-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups pealed - chopped tart apples (I love to use HoneyCrisp Apples)
1 cup frozen or fresh cranberries

***Secret Ingredient is....Drum Roll Please......

 2 packages (.74oz each) Alpine Spiced Cider Original Apple Flavor Drink Mix **** 

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Beat the eggs, sugar and olive oil. 

Combine flour, baking powder,baking soda, salt, and Spiced Cider Mix - add to the wet ingredients until just combined.

The batter will be very thick.

Stir in the Apples and Cranberries.



Is is a photo of a double batch.



Coat a 8"x4"x2" loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and add batter. 

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack to cool completely.

I like to add a sprinkle of granulated sugar at the end for a beautiful presentation.

This bread is so moist and full of flavor.  The cranberries explode in your mouth with the tart, acid kick that makes me crave using this beautiful red berry.  Some of the apples retain there chopped shape and give it a nice mouth feel.

I love to use the Spiced Cider Mix in many of my recipes - especially breads and muffins.  It is fortified with vitamin C!  If you have never used this Spiced Cider Mix - it’s the delicious blend of spicy, tangy goodness.  I love to make a steaming glass of it now that Autumn has arrived - but it adds great flavor to muffins and breads.

This is the first time I have tried added more photos during the recipe process - What do you think?  Should I keep it up?  Anyone try this recipe?  What did you think of my secret ingredient?

Happy Baking Everyone.

Cranberry Orange Cookies - What a great recipe I made my own :)

Boy the last few weeks have been very interesting with out a computer.  Yes - I said without a COMPUTER!!!  My old computer finally decided to NEVER come back to life after a power surge.  I never realized what a huge part of my life use the computer had become. 

So now I need to play "catch up" on some of the great new recipes I tried out during the time without a computer.  I think I will share one recipe I found on Allrecipies.com.  If you haven't heard of Allrecipies.com you NEED to check it out.  It is great resource.  I was able to use the recipe I found and change it around to make it my own.

The recipe is for Cranberry Orange Cookies.  Let me tell you all - this recipe was a delicious smelling recipe right from the beginning.  As I was zesting the oranges it made me think of Christmas time.  The addition of Almond extract gave the cookies a wonderful balance from the tart Ocean Spray Craisins and sweet oranges.  It is amazing how adding a little bit of the almond extract leaves the person enjoying the cookies with the question of what is in there.  It is such a subtle taste, but it really pulls the whole recipe together. 

The cookies had a buttery, tart and sweet taste.  The texture was nice and light.  The cookies held together well and baked up perfectly as you can see from the photo.

The top cookie  -  I dipped the cookie scoop in granulated sugar, before scooping out the dough.  The cookie top baked up a little more brown and the top visually reminded me of a ginger snap (but there was no "snap" this cookies are so light and soft).

The middle cookie - I used a regular cookie scoop and added the orange drizzle over the top after the cookie cooled.  I added double the amount of orange zest than the original recipe called for.  I think it added a stronger fresh orange taste to the entire cookie, which helped cut the sweetness of the glaze itself.

The bottom cookie - I used the regular cookie scoop and did not add the drizzle.

It was fun making these cookies three different ways.  One of my boys love the cookies with the drizzle.  Another only liked the plain cookies.  I loved all three ways.

The best part was I shared two dozen of these great cookies with the RCIA meeting for church.  I love volunteering to bake for church events and meetings.  It gives me the opportunity to try out new recipes.


Cranberry Orange Cookies (makes 4 dozen)

Ingredients


1 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups Ocean Spray Craisins (actual recipe calls for fresh chopped Cranberries)
1 tsp Almond Extract (my own addition)


1 teaspoon grated orange zest (actual recipe only called for 1/2 tsp)

3 tablespoons orange juice

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

1.Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2.In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended. Mix in 1 teaspoon orange zest and 2 tablespoons orange juice. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the orange mixture. Mix in cranberries and if using, walnuts, until evenly distributed. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Cookies should be spaced at least 2 inches apart.

3.Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until the edges are golden. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

4.In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons orange juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over the tops of cooled cookies. Let stand until set.

***Note I used one large orange for the zest and it yielded enough juice for the recipe - I was a great way to use up the orange. 

Let me know if you make these and which way was your favorite.  Also what did you think of Allrecipes.com ? 

Happy Halloween everyone!!!