Cranberries and oranges, no doubt about it, are a marriage made in heaven. So let’s start with a crackling fresh cranberry orange concoction originally shared with us in a Nov. 18, 1985, Forum column. It’s thanks to Everett cook Irene Eccles, and it’s a store-in-the-refrigerator, or even freeze, holiday specialty.
Next, a do-it-yourself takeoff that mimics a store-bought and bit pricey mix. My dear and berry good cook sister made these scones last year and thought they were up-to-par enough to share with me both the recipe and half a batch besides. Yum!
The third has nothing to do with cranberries or oranges and everything to do with Christmas morning breakfast. Since we plan on having the scones with ham and a plate of sliced, sugared kiwis (well, OK, oranges, too), a certain do-ahead egg dish is a must.
In case you missed this humdinger, shared by Catherine L. Johnson of Lynnwood, in an Oct. 17 column, here it is again.
Christmas relish
1package (12 ounces) fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained, ground
1whole unpeeled orange, washed and drained, quartered and seeded, then ground with peel on
1 1/2cups sugar
1can (8 1/2 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
In mixing bowl, combine ground cranberries, ground orange with peel, sugar and pineapple, stirring well. Cover and refrigerate or freeze until needed.
Cranberry orange scones
2cups flour
1tablespoon sugar
2teaspoons baking powder
1/2teaspoon salt
1/4cup butter
1/2cup whipping cream
1egg
1cup craisins (sweetened dried cranberries)
2teaspoons fresh orange zest
Sugar for topping
Butter and honey
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; cut in butter until mixture is the size of small peas, using a pastry blender or fork. Add whipping cream, egg, craisins and orange zest, and mix just until flour mixture is moist. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather into a ball. Pat into a circle about 3/4-inch thick and cut into 8 wedges. Arrange on greased cookie sheet and sprinkle scones with sugar. Bake at 425 degrees about 15 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Serve warm with butter and honey. (Can be made ahead of time, cooled, wrapped airtight and frozen, then thawed and reheated before serving.)
Makes 8 scones.
Scrambled-ahead eggs
1can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1/4dry sherry
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
18eggs, slightly beaten
2tablespoons milk
1teaspoon parsley flakes
1/2teaspoon dill weed
1/8teaspoon pepper
1/4cup butter or margarine
1/4pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4cup chopped green onions
Paprika
In saucepan, stir soup over medium heat until hot and smooth. Remove pan from heat, stir in sherry and set aside. Toss cheeses lightly in mixing bowl to blend; set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, parsley, dill weed and pepper; set aside.
In a large frying pan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat; add mushrooms and green onions and cook, stirring, until onions are limp. Add egg mixture and cook, scrambling, just until soft curds form. Remove pan from heat and spoon half of the egg mixture into a 7- by 11-inch baking dish. Spoon half of the soup mixture evenly over the egg layer, then sprinkle evenly with half of the cheese. Repeat layers of eggs, soup mixture and cheese, then sprinkle dish evenly with paprika. (At this point, dish can be cooled, covered and refrigerated overnight.)
To bake, place uncovered pan in preheated 300-degree oven and bake about 35 minutes. If refrigerated overnight, add additional baking time and bake until hot throughout. Makes one 7-by-11-inch pan.
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