Sugared Cranberries

You might be wondering what you would use sugared cranberries for.  Well, snacking for one thing.  They are delicious.  You may or may not know that cranberries are tart when eaten fresh by themselves.  They aren't very many people's snack.  Plus, they are hard to find during the rest of the year when it's not Thanksgiving time. But sugared, they are devine.  You still get the tart bite and then the sugar coats your tongue with sweetness and you go back for more.

As it turns out, this year I found a recipe for a cheesecake that needed some sugared cranberries on top for decoration and for deliciousness.  So, I had these for two purposes and I've still got some left that I'm snacking on.  I love them.  Now I wish fresh cranberries were available all year.

Sugared Cranberries
Recipe from Damn Delicious

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar (divided)
• 1 (12 oz) bag fresh cranberries

Cooking Directions

1. Place 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/2 a cup of water in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
2. Pour in the bag of cranberries and stir around to cover.
3. Place the cranberries on cooling racks with wax paper underneath and let dry for at least an hour.
4. Use the other 1 1/2 cups of sugar to coat the cranberries in. Set aside to dry for another hour.

Crustless Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Okay, a day early.  Well, my family actually had our Thanksgiving yesterday because my husband had to run off to work today, we it's over for us. But, it worked out perfectly because now I can get you this recipe just in time!

So, my husband is Gluten Free so this recipe caught my eye right away, then I saw the addition of cranberry flavors and I knew this was it.  I was a little hesitant because if there's no crust, how does the cheesecake keep it's shape? Well, it worked perfectly.  It holds it's shape without being hard at all.  In fact, it's so smooth and buttery I can hardly stop eating the leftovers. 

There are only a few ingredients and it comes together so nicely.  If you've got room on your table for one more dessert, this has got to be it. 

Crustless Cheesecake with Cranberry Sauce
Recipe from BHG

Ingredients

• 4 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• cranberry sauce (optional)
• sugared cranberries (optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 275º
2. Spray an 8 inch springform pan with non-stick spray and wrap the bottom with aluminum foil.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the cream cheese and sugar and mix on medium high for about 8-10 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and place into a shallow roasting pan. Put the roasting pan on the oven rack and add boiling water to the roasting pan until it's about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake for 70-75 minutes.
6. The cheesecake is done when the center is almost set. If you bump the side of the springform pan you should just barely see a jiggle in the center.
7. Remove from the oven and take out of the water, remove the aluminum foil and let the cake sit for about 10 minutes.
8. Run a sharp knife along the edges of the pan and then unbuckle the spring form pan and carefully remove it from the cheesecake. Let the cake cool completely on a cooling rack.
9. If you're using the cranberry topping: Pour the canned, jellied cranberry sauce into a blender and liquefy it. Pour it over the top of the cheesecake and decorate with sugared cranberries.
10. Refrigerate leftovers.

Muffin Cup Omelets

You know, we're all a little short on time in the mornings.  Be it because we hit the snooze button one too many times (you know who you are), or the baby's up all night, or the kids bus arrives before the butt crack of dawn....whatever the reason, we could all use a little help. 

Muffin cup omelet's aren't something I invented, in fact they're all over the Internet so you can get a bunch of ideas from there if you want.  But this one is one my family enjoys, (Next time I'm throwing in black olives). 

These are easy to throw together and they will last all week in the refrigerator.  Just keep in an air tight container. Microwave for about 30 seconds when ready to eat and ta da! Breakfast is served!

Your options are endless, customize them your own way. You really can't go wrong.

Muffin Cup Omelets

From Alissamay's kitchen

Ingredients

• 12 large eggs
• 1 pound breakfast sausage (I used Neese)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 cup shredded cheese (I used colby jack)
• baby spinach leaves
• You can omit and add the ingredients of your choice. 

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 12 cup muffin tin with non-stick spray.
2. In a frying pan, cook the sausage and onion until done, drain oil and set aside.
3. To the bottom of each muffin cup, add about 3-4 leaves of spinach and press them down to the bottom. Add a spoonful of sausage/onion into each cup and then go back and keep filling the cups evenly with the remaining sausage/onion until it's all been used.
4. Top the sausage with more veggies of your choice if desired.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and add a little milk and whisk. Add salt and pepper.
6. Pour the eggs into each cup until it gets to the top of each cup. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the egg becomes puffy.
7. Remove and let sit in the muffin tin for about 5 minutes.
8. Top with salsa and sour cream, or whatever you desire.

Flourless Monster Cookies

I'm sorry for not posting last week, I was on vacation in Massachusetts.  Visiting my husbands family, doing Halloween there, doing the Freedom Trail and visiting New Hampshire.  We were busy, busy, busy.  No tine to post anything, sadly. 

I hope these awesome cookies make up for it just a little. 

I'm still on my flourless obsession.  These cookies are so good you'll never know there isn't any flour in them.  There is oatmeal and that gives them plenty of texture. The peanut butter flavor is not overwhelming.  Just subtle.  The big pieces of chocolate makes me extremely happy.  These cookies turn out golden on the bottom, chewy and flavorful.  I love them. 

Join me on my flourless recipe quest.  If you've got any good one's, send them my way!

Flourless Monster Cookies

Recipe from The Semisweet Sisters

Ingredients

• 3 whole eggs
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups peanut butter, regular or crunchy
• 4 1/2 cups oats, quick or old fashioned
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup M&M's

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º
2. Mix together all of the ingredients (except the chocolate chips and M&Ms) in a large bowl or strand mixer and mix until combined.
3. Add the chocolate chips and M&M's and mix well by hand.
4. Scoop about 2 inch round balls of dough and place on a cookie sheet, then use your hand or the bottom of a glass to smoosh down slightly.
5. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Leave on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.
6. Store in an airtight container.