Mandarin Orange (or Clementine) Cake

 

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Last weekend, we were at the Jersey Shore hanging out with my husband's college buddies. What did we do there? A little beach time, some boardwalk-ing. Lots of eating, drinking, and discussing the end of America as we know it — which led to more drinking and eating. Everyone brought food and beverages and our lovely hosts made it all work together seamlessly into a splendid holiday.

One of the things I tried for the first time, was an orange-flavored cake with only 5 ingredients, by Nigella Lawson. But of course I ended up putting my own spin on it. The recipe calls for almond flour — it's naturally gluten-free! — but I didn't have any almond flour, so instead I used a combo of half Bob's Red Mill hazelnut flour and half grain-free paleo flour. The recipe is also dairy-free. And, lastly, I switched out the sugar for Erythritol (alternative sweetener sold under the brand name Swerve) so I could eat it.

You can do an optional glaze using lemon or orange juice and confectioners sugar, but I think it's intense enough as it is. Perhaps a chocolate drizzle is in order? Other changes I made to original recipe were the inclusion of ground coriander, cinnamon, and mace. The original recipe said to use a springform pan, but I opted for a parchment-lined square pyrex dish and it cooked perfectly. I left the edges of the parchment paper tall so I could use it to lift the cake out of the pan. Here is my recipe, but please note this can be experimented with and certainly improved. Say ... with the always sexy tangerine, or lemon or lime or grapefruit. Note: the amount of sugar you use will need to be adjusted depending on the citrus.

Ingredients
5 whole mandarin or clementine oranges (total 375 grams)
220 grams Swerve granular sugar substitute
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
125 grams hazelnut flour
125 grams Paleo grain free flour
1/4 teaspoon mace (you can substitute nutmeg)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon coriander

Procedure
Put the oranges in a pot, cover with water, partially cover, bring to a boil, and simmer for two hours. Keep an eye on it, as the water has a tendency to boil off. Drain and let cool. Cut the oranges in half and remove any seeds. Spray a glass pan with baking spray, line with parchment, spray again, and set aside. Preheat oven to 375.

Place the oranges into a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and pulse till you have a purée, then add everything else. Scrape batter into pan and bake 1 hour. Let cool 10 minutes in pan before lifting out. It's better the next day — but who can wait? I'm thinking a little salted caramel ice cream on top might be fabulous.

Cranberry-Orange Crumb Cake

Autumnal  Recipe of the Week
I have a fussy friend who doesn't like many things, but she loves cranberry and orange together! So I have been collecting recipes for her, and I think this one is a winner. I feel like it's more of a breakfast treat then a dessert, but who am I to stop you from eating it all day? Whenever I see a recipe with sour cream in the batter I know it will have a moist and delicious texture, which this does. And the crumb topping is really really yummy. The drizzle is optional but why not, just wait for the cake to cool or it will disappear into the crumble (see photo).



Ingredients for crumb topping
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3.5 ounces (7 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

Ingredients for cranberry-orange cake
5 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
zest of 1 orange
2 eggs room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces full fat sour cream
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup dried cranberries soaked in 1/2 cup rum then drained (or just drink it!)

Ingredients for orange glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon orange liqueur

Procedure
Crumb topping In a medium-size bowl, mix together flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add melted butter and mix together with fingers so crumbs form. Set aside.

Cranberry-orange cake Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8×8-inch pan with non-stick spray then line with parchment paper and lightly spray again. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar, and orange zest until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until combined. Add dry ingredients, alternating with sour cream in three additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Stir in both kinds of cranberries.Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and top with crumb topping. Bake for 55-60 minutes, rotating once halfway through. Cake is done when top is set and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely. Carefully turn out of baking pan onto a platter.

Orange glaze In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and orange liqueur. You can substitute freah orange juice for the booze. Drizzle over completely cooled cake.

Lemon Cake — a blast from my past!

When I was young and had lots of free time, I developed my love of baking and cooking by working with my father in the kitchen. He was an amazing and intuitive cook and could remember flavors like some people remember places. But he did not like the feel of flour and never really got into baking — just eating — so that's when I started doing my own research and development. Clipping recipes from the NY Times, buying cookbooks and just making stuff up. This is also when I started my yearly tradition of making a small gift cookbook for my friends. I did it for many years, some years producing over 70 copies. This was when I was at the mercy of Kinkos! Oh the hours spent waiting and collating. Unfortunately, my busy schedule has prevented me from making these gift books in the past few years, but who knows? maybe this year I will get back to business.

This recipe for a simple — and rather delicious — lemon cake is from my first cookbook home-published in 1975 called Stacy's Occasional Eats which had 10 recipes typed by my mother Bernice and a silk screened cover. I think you can never go wrong with a lemon cake and everything you need to make it is probably in your kitchen right now! So give it a go, and remember the lemon can be exchanged for lime or orange or tangerine with delicious results!

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups AP flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
juice of 1 lemon

Procedure
Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 9 × 5 × 3-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar till fluffy. Mix in eggs one at a time. In separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt. Add alternately to sugar butter mixture with milk beginning and ending with flour. Scrape down sides of bowl throughout the mixing process. Pour into loaf pan and smooth out top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean and top is golden brown.

While cake rests, in small saucepan combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the lemon juice and cook till sugar dissolves. Poke a number of toothpick holes in the cake and pour mixture slowly on top of the cake till it all soaks in. Let it cool completely in pan, then remove.

That's it, super easy. Whipped cream doesn't hurt!

Orange Olive Oil Cake and Cranberry Sorbet, a match made in heaven!

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
During this pre-Thanksgiving, pre-Christmas, pre-I'm-going-crazy season, it's nice to stop the panic shopping or turkey stressing and take some time to have some great friends over for lunch — which is what I did today. Doing a little lunch thingy is so easy if you plan a simple menu and do as much as possible ahead of time. Today's dessert, after a lunch of smoked corn chowder, caesar salad, roast salmon, julienne carrot and zucchini sauté, and chimmichuri was an orange olive oil cake (a recipe from Mailino in NYC) topped with a not-too-sweet cranberry sorbet. Seasonal and delicious without being too obvious. Here are the recipes, which I have been told will work at any altitude.

Mailino’s orange olive oil cake

Makes one 9-inch round cake
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/3 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup Grand Marnier

Procedure
Heat the oven to 350°. Oil, butter, or spray a 9-inch cake pan that is at least 2 inches deep with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. (If your cake pan is less than 2 inches deep, divide between 2 pans and start checking for doneness at 30 minutes.)

In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk the olive oil, milk, eggs, orange zest and juice and Grand Marnier. Add the dry ingredients — whisk until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, until the top is golden and a cake tester comes out clean.

Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert the cake onto the rack and let cool completely, 2 hours. Nice if you dust the top with powdered sugar!

Cranberry Sorbet

Ingredients
1 pound fresh or frozen cranberries (about 4 cups, thaw if frozen)
5 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice or Yuzu juice
1/3 cup fresh orange juice

Procedure
Boil cranberries, 2 cups water, and 1/2 cup sugar in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have burst, about 15 minutes. Purée cranberry mixture in batches in a blender until as smooth as possible (use caution when blending hot liquids). Force through a medium-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, and chill, covered with plastic wrap, until cold, about 2 hours.

In the meantime, bring remaining 3 cups water and remaining 2 cups sugar to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat and cool syrup 30 minutes.

Stir together cranberry purée, sugar syrup, and citrus juices and freeze for 1 hour in a plastic container. Then take a whisk and break up the mixture. Then let freeze overnight. Next day it will be hard, but easy to cut apart. Break it into chunks and purée in food processor till smooth, then refreeze. Should be taken out of freezer 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 10 to 12 servings (about 1 1/2 qt)

Maialino's Olive Oil Cake altitude adjusted from Food 52

The Altitude Adjustment Section
As soon as I read this recipe I knew I had to try it. It took a a little adjusting to make it work here at 7,000 feet. I reduced the amount of sugar and baking soda and increased the salt. You know here at high altitudes we taste less which is why food often tastes bland. So, a little extra salt or flavor extract is a good idea. The texture is super moist and the olive oil gives it a beautiful aroma as it blends with the orange.

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 cup milk
3 large eggs
Grated orange zest from one orange
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup Grand Marnier

Procedure
Heat the oven to 350°. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and powder. In another bowl, whisk the olive oil, milk, eggs, orange zest and juice and Grand Marnier. Add the dry ingredients; whisk until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour, until the top is golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert the cake onto the rack and let cool. This would be lovely with some cooked fruit compote. Maybe for your sweetie on Valentine's Day?

There is more to upside down cakes than pineapple — plus a freaky carrot!

Funny how some foods become traditional in odd places. For some reason, pineapple upside down cake is very popular in New Mexico. Folks serve it at their parties right along with Tres leches and biscochitos. The great thing about an upside down cake is the juices and sugar run into the cake and keep it gooey and moist. So I thought I would post two great — and slightly unusual — upside down cakes for your enjoyment. A polenta and orange upside down cake with definite Spanish roots and a chocolate banana upside down cake from David Leibowitz. And don't forget there is a great rhubarb upside down cake (originally published in Gourmet magazine) in the site archives.

Orange Polenta Cake

Ingredients for cake
1/2 cup superfine granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
2 navel oranges
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup superfine granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons orange-flower water
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups ground almonds (7 oz)
2/3 cup quick-cooking polenta

Ingredients for glaze
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 tablespoon water

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter a 9-inch round cake pan, then line bottom with a round of parchment paper and side with a strip of parchment. This is very important because if you don't do this you will never get the cake out of the pan! Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then wash down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Boil, without stirring, swirling pan occasionally so caramel colors evenly, until dark amber. Remove from heat and add butter, swirling pan until incorporated, then carefully but quickly pour caramel into cake pan, tilting it to coat evenly. Grate zest from oranges and reserve for cake. Cut oranges crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Remove any seeds and arrange slices in 1 layer over caramel.

To make cake, beat butter with sugar using an electric mixer until just combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in orange-flower water and reserved zest. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer at low speed, mix almonds, polenta, and flour mixture into egg mixture until just combined. Spread batter evenly over oranges (preferably with an offset spatula). Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool in pan 5 minutes. Invert cake onto a cake plate and discard parchment. Be careful as hot syrup might leak out. Next, it's time to glaze the cake. Heat marmalade with water in a small saucepan until melted. Strain through a sieve into a small bowl. Brush top of cake with some of glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature with some whipped cream or homemade salted caramel ice cream. I can dream can't I?

Chocolate Banana Upside Down Cake

Ingredients for the topping
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons room temperature butter, cubed
3 to 4 ripe medium bananas
a few drops of lemon juice

Ingredients for the cake
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter, salted or unsalted
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 cup banana puree (about 2 bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Procedure
To make the topping, place the brown sugar and butter in an 8-inch square cake pan. Warm the pan directly on the stovetop over low heat, stirring until the sugar is thoroughly moistened. Stir just until the sugar is moist and bubbling, then remove from heat. There might be some empty spots, that's okay. Let cool to room temperature. Peel and slice the bananas in 1/4-inch slices. Arrange them in slightly overlapping rows over the melted brown sugar. Sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice to stop them from browning.

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon making sure there are no lumps. Mix in the granulated sugar. In a separate small bowl, mix together the butter, egg, egg white, banana puree, sour cream, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients until almost combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the chocolate pieces. Scrape the batter into the pan over the bananas, then use an offset spatula to carefully spread the batter over the sliced fruit. Be gentle! Bake for 40 minutes, or until the cake feels just set in the center when you touch it. Cool the cake for about 20 minutes, then run a knife along the edges of the cake to help it release from the pan. Invert the cake onto a serving platter. My ice cream of choice with this cake: butter pecan.

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And now for something completely different! Here is a photo of the biggest carrot I have ever found in a 50 pound bag of carrots. Do you think the fact that I live near Los Alamos has anything to do with this?



What's the largest vegetable you've ever seen? And did you make an upside-down cake with it?

Guest Monica Meehan: Green Smoothies

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
It's spring! It's Saint Patrick's Day tomorrow! KSFR needs your cash money! What do all these things have in common? Why, the color green, of course.

Plus, you've slacked off on your "healthy eating" New Year's resolutions, haven't you? Don't lie. And don't fret! Because here are some variations on green smoothies that are delicious and nutritious! Well, more nutritious than that diet cola you're drinking.

All of these make 2 servings. The procedure is the same: throw everything in a blender (or use an immersion blender) and whiz until you like the consistency. And of course, feel free to experiment!

Green Smoothie

via Two Peas & Their Pod
Ingredients
1 large orange, peeled and segmented
half a large banana, cut into chunks
6 large strawberries
2 cups spinach
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 cup cracked ice

Green Machine Smoothie

via Martha Stewart's Whole Living
Ingredients
6 romaine leaves, chopped
4 kale leaves, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley sprigs
1/2 cup chopped pineapple
1/2 cup chopped mango
1 inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups water

Pear and Arugula Smoothie With Ginger and Walnuts

via The New York Times
Ingredients
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 cups arugula, tightly packed
2 tablespoons walnuts
1 ripe pear, cored and peeled
1 inch chunk of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 to 8 tablespoons plain yogurt, to taste
6 ice cubes

Pomegranate Mousse Pie with Orange Rosewater Syrup

The Altitude Adjustment Section
This is my award-winning (well not really, but the folks at the Food Depot Holiday Pie-O-Rama sure did love it) recipe for a super easy, no-bake, original holiday pie. This recipe makes two pies and they freeze, so go for it.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs (Graham cracker, chocolate wafers, vanilla wafers, or gingersnaps)
6 ounces melted butter
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
2 1/2 teaspoons (1 envelope) powdered gelatin
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 cup Pomegranate Molasses
2 cups heavy cream divided (2 tablespoons added to white chocolate)
4 ounces chopped white chocolate
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Procedure
To make the crust, mix melted butter with the cracker crumbs and press into the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan. Refrigerate till needed. To make filling, put the pomegranate juice in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the top then stir a little with a spoon to mix it up. In a small saucepan heat the pomegranate molasses with the cardamom till it comes to a boil. Pour over the softened gelatin and stir. Let cool to room temp. In the meantime, melt the chopped white chocolate in the top of a double boiler with 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Let cool. Whip up the remaining heavy cream till it starts to thicken and then add the extracts and the powdered sugar. Scrape down sides of the bowl and mix a little more. Now add the white chocolate and whip to incorporate. Next add the pomegranate gelatin mixture and mix till smooth. Pour mixture into prepared crusts and refrigerate for at least 3 hours till firm. Best if made the night before. Serve with a drizzle of orange rosewater syrup (recipe below) and a sprinkling of fresh pomegranate seeds. This recipe makes two 9-inch pies. This pie may be frozen.

Orange Rosewater Syrup

Ingredients
4 cups sugar
3 cups water
½ cup rosewater
½ cup OJ concentrate
½ cup orange juice

¼ teaspoon orange oil
Procedure
Boil the water and sugar till sugar is dissolved and then add the other ingredients. Simmer 5 minutes to thicken.

Guest Bram Meehan: Blood and Sand

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Though it's a classic, I first ran across this when I got a copy of An Illustrated Guide to Cocktails (no longer available on Etsy — but keep an eye out for an edition from Penguin). Named after the movie, little else is known of its origins …

Ingredients
1 oz. Scotch (blended is fine)
1 oz. sweet vermouth
1 oz. Cherry Heering
1 oz. orange juice

Procedure
Combine ingredients over ice, "shake like a matador's cape," and strain into a cocktail glass.

Bittersweet Chocolate and Orange Semifreddo

The Altitude Adjustment Section
This is a fantastic recipe, and it's foolproof because it never goes into the oven, just the freezer. The combination of chocolate and orange is heightened by the salt — trust me it works!

Ingredients
6 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons orange zest
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

Procedure
Line 9x5 loaf pan with plastic wrap. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whip yolks for 3-4 minutes till light and frothy. While yolks are whipping, combine sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook sugar syrup over high heat until it reaches soft ball stage (238 degrees on a candy thermometer). At this altitude I drop a drop of sugar into ice water and feel it to know if it's at the soft ball stage. With mixer on medium speed, drizzle sugar syrup down the side of the bowl. Add cocoa powder and salt and whip for 5-6 minutes until mixture cools and thickness. In a separate bowl, whip cream until it holds stiff peaks. Fold in orange zest. Fold whipped cream into the cooled chocolate mixture. Spoon about 1/4 of chocolate mixture into the prepared pan. Use a spoon to drizzle about 1/3 of the melted chocolate evenly over the chocolate mixture. Carefully spoon another 1/4 of the chocolate mixture into the pan. Drizzle with another 1/3 of the melted chocolate. Repeat another layer of chocolate mixture, the last of the melted chocolate, and finish with the last of the chocolate mixture. Cover the pan with plastic and place in freezer for at least 8 hours or up to a week. When ready to serve remove the semifreddo from pan and peel off plastic. Slice into 8 slices and serve with a little whipped cream and orange supremes.

Saffron Panna Cotta

The Altitude Adjustment Section
This is Mario Battali's recipe for the yummy, easy dessert we had at Babbo. I'm sure he stole the recipe from someone — after all he is a convicted thief when it comes to his employees!

Ingredients
3 1/3 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup sugar
Zest of 1 lemon or orange
3/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
1 cup whole milk

Procedure
In a medium saucepan, combine the cream, sugar, lemon or orange zest and saffron threads. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring gently, then remove from the heat. Let the mixture rest for ten minutes to develop the flavor and color.

Stir the powdered gelatin into the cream mixture until it dissolves. Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve, then stir in the milk. Pour the mixture into chilled dessert cups or wine glasses. If desired, the panna cotta may be unmolded by running the tip of a knife around the edge of the cup, dipping the cup quickly into hot water, and gently shaking the custard onto a plate. Serve with fresh fruit. When we had it, it was served with candied tangerine pieces.

Roast Duck with Two Sauces

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Roast duck is one of the easiest dishes to prepare. It comes out best if you cook it twice, so serving it to company is a no-brainer. Remember to save the fat, it's one of the best fats to cook in and it will keep in your freezer.

Ingredients
4 5-pound whole ducks (I like Maple Leaf)
Salt and pepper

Procedure
Rinse ducks well inside and out and dry then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Take a fork and poke holes all over to help let the fat out. Preheat the oven to 375. Place ducks in roasting pan, and roast for 1 1/2 hours. Let cool and cut in half. Tear out the rib bones and remove the backbone. When it’s time to serve, place duck halves in roasting pan in 400 degree oven and cook for 30 minutes.

Cherry Cassis sauce

Ingredients
2 cups cherry juice
1 12-ounce jar sour cherries (drain and save liquid)
1/2 cup Orange juice
1/2 cup Cassis (black currant brandy)
1/4 cup Honey
2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water

Procedure
Combine cherry juice, liquid from cherries and orange juice and cook over medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Add Cassis and honey and taste. Now add the cornstarch mix and cook 3 minutes. Toss in the whole cherries at the end.

Orange Tangerine Sauce

Ingredients
2 cups tangerine juice
2 cups orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 tablespoons Grand Manier or Triple Sec
2 tablespoons cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water

Procedure
Combine tangerine and orange juice in a sauce pan and cook over medium heat 15 minutes. Add the orange marmalade and the Triple Sec and cook for 3 minutes. Add the water and cornstarch mix to thicken and cook 3 minutes more.

Guests the Meehans: Weird Food Traditions

Seasonal Recipes of the Week
Yes, the things your family eats — specially for the holidays — do seem strange to everyone else! Monica and Bram Meehan and Bram's parents Jim and Marsha Meehan share some favorites. Feel free to add your family food traditions to the comments below!

Lee's Salad

Jim's aunt Lee always made this "salad" for family events, and always served it in the same cut-glass bowl.

Ingredients
1 16-ounce can of fruit salad
1 11-ounce can of Mandarin orange segments
1 16-ounce container of cottage cheese
1 small package of Jell-O (your favorite flavor)
8-9 ounces of Cool Whip, thawed

Procedure
Drain fruit well. Make Jell-O with 1 cup water or juice from fruit. Let Jell-O cool. Add fruit and cottage cheese to Jell-O and mix well. Fold in Cool Whip. Pour into serving bowl and chill several hours.

Cardamom rolls

Marsha fell in love with the bread that her childhood friend's grandmother made every Saturday. Here's the recipe as she adapted it for to serve on Christmas morning. (Note: this is not altitude-adjusted.)

Ingredients
1 16-ounce package hot roll mix
1 cup hot milk (120 to 130 degrees)
2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened
2 teaspoons cardamom
1 egg
32 raisins
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons coarse sugar

Procedure
In large bowl, combine flour mixture with yeast from foil packet; mix well. Stir in hot milk, margarine, cardamom and 1 egg until dough pulls away from sides of bowl. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. With greased or floured hands, shape dough into a ball. Knead dough 5 minutes or until smooth. Cover dough with large bowl; let rest 5 minutes.

Grease cookie sheets. Divide dough into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 8-inch rope. Shape each rope into an "S" shape; place on greased cookie sheets. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place for 20 to 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375. Uncover dough. Press one raisin in both curls of each roll. Brush with beaten egg; sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at for 12 to 17 minutes or until golden brown.

Herring Salad

This German salad was traditional in Monica's family for New Year's Eve.

Ingredients
24 ounces Vita brand pickled herring in wine sauce, cut into half-inch dice
2 cooked pork chops, trimmed of fat and cut into half-inch dice
4 15-ounce cans sliced beets, drained and cut into half-inch dice
2 medium cooked potatoes, cut into half-inch dice
4 McIntosh apples, cored, peeled, and cut into half-inch dice
several German-style dill pickles, cut into half-inch dice
(enough to equal the amount of diced apples)

Optional ingredients
onions from the pickled herring jar, cut into half-inch dice
1 cooked celery root, trimmed, cut into half-inch dice (reserve cooking liquid)
capers to taste
mayonnaise to taste

Procedure
Gently combine all ingredients in a BIG bowl. If mixed ingredients seem too dry, use some pickle and/or herring jar brine (or mayonnaise or the cooking water from the celery root) to taste. You'll usually want to add about 1/2 to 1 cup of liquid. Refrigerate for one day before eating... if you can wait! Garnish with hard boiled eggs and/or parsley sprigs at the table.

Salad will keep about 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Ziploc freezer bags work well for storage.

Jacques's Orange Hot Chocolate Mix

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Yes sometimes a simple thing like homemade hot chocolate can be such a great treat. This is from Jacque Torres, the chocolate master.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate, finely grated
1/2 cup whole dry milk powder
1 orange, zested
Pinch cinnamon, to taste
Marshmallows, optional

Procedure
Place the milk powder, grated chocolate (use a microplane grater), orange zest and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and combine thoroughly. Spoon the mixture into attractive tins or jars and give to your best friends.

To make hot chocolate: Pour 1 cup milk into a saucepan and heat until hot but not boiling. Stir in 1/2 cup hot chocolate mixture and bring right below a boil. You can also use a cinnamon stick to stir the hot chocolate. In that case, do not add the ground cinnamon in the recipe. Serving with marshmallows is optional, but delicious.

Green Sangria

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
This green sangria recipe has a Portugese twist. When I was a kid, my parents brought home a wine they had in Portugal. It came in a beautiful little bottle with plastic grapes around the neck — which I used to love to play with. Then this wine disappeared and it has now reappeared in a plain bottle without the grapes and much more expensive. But it is still light and refreshing and perfect for a chilled glass of sangria. And this version of Sangria has some nice flavors.

Ingredients
1 bottle Vinho Verde
2 cups ginger ale
1/2 cup Cointreau (orange liquor)
1 bunch fresh mint
1 lime, seeded and cut into wedges
1 lemon, seeded and cut into wedges
1/2 small orange, seeded and cut into wedges
1/2cup cubed pineapple
1/2 cup cubed honeydew melon

Procedure
Place all prepared fruit into a pitcher. Pour the vinho verde, Cointreau and 1 cup of ginger ale over the fruit. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator overnight to allow flavors to mingle. Just before serving, add a sprig of mint and add with the remaining cup of ginger ale to the pitcher.Serve over ice, with as much of the fruit as desired. Make sure not to add ice to the pitcher directly or you'll dilute the sangria.

Perfect High Altitude Cheesecake from Susan Purdy

The Altitude Adjustment Section
Cheesecake, a great high-altitude choice because it does not rise so it should not be altitude-affected, right? Wrong again, my sweet! I learned a lot this week about this recipe and baking cheesecake. It started when I received a lovely email form a listener who said he loved Pie in the Sky, Susan Purdy’s high-altitude cookbook but the cheesecake recipe did not work.

Well, I immediately called Susan and we discussed this. I did not test that one, she did, and I had actually never made it, so I did. I am happy to report when I followed the recipe exactly (and some of the steps initially made no sense to me) it worked perfectly, actually better than my own prized recipe! So I will now be adapting my recipe which was my father's — and he stole it from the Abraham and Strauss cheesecake contest winner of 1978.

Ingredients for crust
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or almonds or walnuts
2 tablespoons sugar

Ingredients for filling
4 8-ounce packages Philly cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large room temp eggs
1/4 cup frozen OJ concentrate
1 teaspoon orange extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 1/2 tablespoons grated orange zest

Ingredients for mango topping
1/2 cup apricot preserves
2 large ripe mangoes to make 1 1/2 cups slices

Procedure
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Make sure you have a rack in the center of your oven. Place a sheet pan in the oven to preheat. Prepare your 9 1/-10 inch spring form pan by taking the bottom and wrapping it in tin foil. This tip is worth the whole show. This way you can easily remove the cake from the bottom and it also seems to help the pan seal better (I have old cheap pans which always seem to leak just enough to make the crust soggy which I hate). Now butter or spray the foil covering the bottom and sides of the pan.

To make the crust, combine the melted butter with the graham cracker crumbs, the finely chopped nuts and the sugar and press into the bottom and up the sides about 1 1/2 inches. Chill til ready to use.

To make filling, use the paddle attachment of your electric mixer beat the cream cheese til very smooth and soft. Add the sugar scrape down the bowl to avoid lumps sticking to the side. Now beat in the sour cream, cornstarch and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between additions. Last, add in the OJ concentrate and extracts. Scoop batter into prepared pan and place on hot sheet pan already in the oven.

Bake for 35-43 minutes til top is nicely browned, and it jiggles but is not liquid. It will firm up as it cools. It will also probably form circular cracks around the outside edge which will heal as it cools. Set it on a wire rack to cool away from drafts. To prevent further cracking, if that bothers you, cover top with a cardboard cake circle and let cool completely at room temp then refrigerate. It's best to let it sit overnight. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake and release the springform clip. Now easily pick up the cake and unwrap the tinfoil form the bottom and lift the cake onto a platter. That part is magic!

About 1 hour before serving, prepare the mango topping: Put apricot preserves in a small sauce pan over low heat to melt it and then strain out the chunks and set aside. Take your beautiful ripe, thinly sliced mango and arrange it on the top of the cheesecake and then brush it with the apricot glaze, refrigerate for 30 minutes and then serve.

You have many options with this recipe. Change the flavorings from citrus to vanilla and almond. Cover it with berries and raspberry glaze. Throw some espresso powder and chocolate chips in. Keep the fruit on top so it does not change the consistency of the batter. The most interesting thing about this recipe is Susan eliminated the bain Marie from the recipe which I believe helps the cake cook faster and keeps the texture a little drier and makes it cut perfectly which has always been a problem for me at this altitude.

Bourbon and Blood Orange Blast

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
This is a really delicious, easy-to-make, and not-too-sweet drink. If I were you, while you sit in your casita, sweat lodge or yurt watching New Mexico burn I would start drinking. This would be a good start.

Ingredients
1 1/2 ounces bourbon (I like Maker's Mark)
1/2 cup blood orange juice
8 fresh mint leaves, plus sprig for mint
1 orange wedge
turbinado sugar (also called sugar in the raw), for garnish

Procedure
In a shaker, mix together the bourbon, blood orange juice, and mint leaves. Serve over ice in a low glass and garnish with a sprig of mint. Rub the rim of the glass with the orange wedge, then dip the edge in a dish of turbinado sugar.

Flavored Ice Cubes

Excellent Ingredient of the Week
Ice cubes — are they really an ingredient? They can be, and I think it's time! Why not make some creative ice cubes to flavor your beverages? Here are some great ideas:

Cucumber-Basil Puree Cubes

Combine 1 cup water, 1 cucumber (peeled and seeded), 1/4 cup torn basil, and some coarse salt in a blender and freeze in an ice-cube tray. Nice in tomato juice.

Orange-Lime

Combine 1 1/2 cups orange juice, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and 1 teaspoon lime zest in a bowl and freeze in an ice-cube tray. These would be great in lemonade.

Coffee or Herbal Tea

There is nothing worse than watery, cold coffee, which is what one gets when conventional ice cubes go into the glass. This task is easily accomplished by pouring your leftover morning coffee into ice cube trays. Once they're frozen, pop them into a freezer bag. Herbal ice tea with the addition of fresh mint will keep your tea fresh or give your sparkling water pizazz.

Passion Fruit and Cilantro

Mix juice with chopped fresh cilantro and freeze in an ice-cube tray. Serve with seltzer or a tequila drink of some kind — get creative!

Ginger and Honey

Mix equal parts water, honey, and grated ginger and freeze in an ice-cube tray. It works best with a vodka tonic.

Southern Comfort Punch

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
Punch: just say the word and you think sickly sweet frou-frou beverage, or at least I do. But sometimes you need to make a bowl of alcohol and it's good to have a good one in your repertoire. Here is one I adapted from Martha Stewart — the original jailbird party animal — which has a few nice touches I was happy to steal. It only seems fair, as she probably did the same!

Ingredients
4 tangerines or oranges
2 lemons
2 limes
2 six-ounce cans frozen lemonade concentrate
1 six-ounce can tangerine or orange juice concentrate
2 liters ginger ale
1 liter Southern Comfort

Procedure
Line two sheet pans with plastic wrap and set aside. Slice oranges and lemons very thinly and place onto sheet pans and then place in freezer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until slices are frozen. Right before serving, open cans of concentrate and place in a large punch bowl. Add ginger ale, and Southern Comfort and lots of ice cubes. Top with frozen fruit slices and serve.

Cardamom Yogurt Pudding with Orange and Cinnamon Honey Syrup

The Altitude Adjustment Section
Sometimes a simple pudding is all you need. Garnish with your choice of fresh fruit.

Ingredients
2 cups plain, full-fat Greek yogurt
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons rose or orange blossom water
2 teaspoons powdered gelatin powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (available at Ziggy’s)
4 navel orange
4 tablespoon mild honey (preferably orange blossom)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Procedure
Whisk together yogurt, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Put water in a saucepan, then sprinkle gelatin and cardamom evenly over water. Let stand 1 minute to soften. Heat mixture over low heat, stirring, until gelatin is dissolved, about 30 seconds. Whisk hot gelatin into yogurt until combined well. Pour yogurt into 4 ounce ramekins and chill, covered, until set, about 1 1/2 hours.

While yogurt is chilling, cut peel and white pith from 2 orange with a sharp knife. Working over a small bowl, cut segments free from membranes from half of orange, letting segments fall into bowl, then squeeze the juice from the other 2 oranges. Bring orange juice, honey, and cinnamon to a simmer in cleaned very small saucepan, stirring, and then simmer until reduced by 1/2. Add orange segments to syrup, gently stirring to coat. Cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Spoon syrup over pudding and arrange orange on top. You can also turn puddings out of ramekins onto a plate and serve that way.