Butternut Squash and Orange Muffins

Continuing the butternut squash saga of last week, I still had one more package of thawed butternut squash that I needed to find use for. As I’m very fond of using vegetables in cakes (see below list), I’ve decided on making breakfast muffins with it.

Pistachio and Orange Cookies

Pistachios are one of my favorite nuts, and I’ve decided to use them as the main ingredient in these easy to make cookies.

Orange Raspberry Jelly Roll Cake

A tasty homemade cake is a nice way to start the New Year.
The following old fashioned/”retro” Jelly Roll cake, is just perfect for this purpose, or for any other weekend brunch. It can be easily prepared from simple ingredients, yet still looks sophisticated and festive. Try it and enjoy.

Duck with Cranberries and Orange Sauce

With plenty of leftover cranberries and oranges, I’ve decided to put some into good use, in the form of a sauce for a duck dish.
Cranberries and oranges go so well together, and the acidity and mild sweetness is just perfect for a duck dish. The result was wonderful.

Honey Orange Sticky Chicken Wings

With fresh citrus fruits arriving at the stores, I’ve decided it’s time for some orange flavored chicken wings.

Upside down Orange, Almonds and Anise cake

I am very fond of upside down cakes, and bake them often in the summer, with all the juicy ripe fruits. Now that it’s the midst of winter, the selection of fruits at the store is far from bountiful, so I realized it was time for experimenting.

Pan Seared Scallops with Roasted Red Peppers Cream Sauce

Scallops are one of my favorite seafood, for  their fresh, sweet flavor and wonderful texture. However, it’s not always easy to find really fresh ones. So, when I do, I immediately buy some and then cook them the very same day, and as close to serving time as possible, as fresh scallops need very short cooking time, otherwise their texture will quickly turn rubbery.

Beet, Orange and Apple Muffins

With the cold weather and grey colors outside, bright colors can help uplift the spirit. These muffins are bursting with all-natural colors and are full of good things – just perfect for a gloomy winter morning.

Anise-Orange Cookies

These old fashioned yet very tasty cookies are so perfect on a cold winter’s day; they are not too sweet and the anise-orange flavors combination goes great with warm drinks.
The dough is easy to prepare and can be either rolled and cut, or shaped in a variety of ways, as shown here, or in any other way you prefer.

Cranberry, Orange, Almond and Banana Breakfast Muffins

Fresh cranberries can be now found in the market, and I’ve been playing with ideas for using them other than in the traditional cranberry sauce. In the muffins here, the cranberries are pureed whole, along with other good ingredients like almonds, orange and bananas.

Berries and Orange Coulis and Popsicles

When I see nice fresh berries at the store, I usually end up buying more than needed, and as they don’t keep fresh for long, I always try to find ways to use the extra amount.