Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies

Cranberry Craze #3

I hate unfinished business.

So... Here we go.

Just before posting, I was just in the middle of a mini marathon of Disney songs.

My all time favorites: The Lion King, Pocahontas, Aladdin, and Beauty & the Beast...

(and what do you know, I was singing in that order..)

Random fact: I can sing A Whole New World en français :)

Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
(source: unknown)

2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

Beat eggs and brown sugar in large bowl until thick and pale. Add cooking oil and vanilla. Beat until smooth.

Combine next 3 ingredients in small bowl. Add to brown sugar mixture in 2 additions, mixing well after each addition until no dry flour remains.

Add cranberries and chocolate chips. Mix well. Chill, covered, for 1 hour. Roll into balls, using 1 tbsp for each. Arrange about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for about 10 minutes until golden. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Remove cookies from cookie sheets and place on wire racks to cool.

Note: I was being lazy so I stuck my cookie batter in the freezer for 15 minutes.
I'm no baking expert (especially when it comes to "chilled" cookies) but maybe this is why my cookies turned very soft.

Cranberry Cheese Muffins

Cranberry Craze #2

I know I should really be studying for my CENS (Central Eastern Northern European Studies) midterm but I haven't finished my Cranberry Craziness.

It's not that I don't want to study.
To be honest, this course is my favorite out of everything I've taken so far.

What's it about?

Err.. Representations of the Holocaust.

Yes, I know. My idea of "fun" is learning about the actions of Reserve Police Battalion 101 in the General Government of Poland during Aktion Reinhard in '42.

But.. yeah. I think I'll stop there.

Cranberry Cheese Muffins
(source: unknown)


3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme (I omitted this... because I didn't have any)

2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup cooking oil

Measure the first 8 ingredients into large bowl. Stir. Make a well in center.

Beat remaining 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Add to well. Stir until just moistened. Fill 12 greased muffin cups 3/4 cull. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes until wooden pick installed in center of muffin comes out clean. Let stand in pan for 5 minutes.
Remove muffins from pan and place on wire rack to cool.

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

Cranberry Craze #1

October 9th, 2010 was the Annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival.

My only memory of the Cranberry Festival is from last year (or maybe it the year before):
the ridiculous line-up at the free pancake breakfast. Oh, and the box of cranberry scones we devoured. So my mom and I decided not to go this year.

I had to study for midterms my one and only midterm anyway.
Or read Robert Graves’ Goodbye to All That.
Or work on my online course (Earth’s Gems and Jewels).

What ended up happening? None of the above.

Later that day, I was given a bag of fresh cranberries from someone who had been at the festival. Now, I’ve never worked with cranberries before. Berries sure, but never cranberries.
And I had no idea what to do with them.

What to do, what to do…

Answer: Bake! (what else?)

My mom had borrowed a recipe book – just on cranberries.
And that is where the Cranberry Craze began.
I ended up baking three variations of cranberry products
– all on the same day.

But I won’t bore you with all three at once.

Cranberry & Almond Biscotti
(source: unknown)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold butter, cut up
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp almond extract
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup whole almonds

Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in center.

Beat eggs and extract with fork in small bowl until frothy. Add to well. Mix until stiff dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Shape dough into ball. Flatten slightly.

Sprinkle cranberries and almond over top. Press down lightly. Fold dough in half to enclose cranberries and almonds. Knead for 1 to 2 minutes until evenly distributed. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into 6 inch (15 cm) long log. Place logs crosswise on greased cookie sheets about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Flatten logs slightly.

Bake in 350°F (175°C) oven for about 20 minutes until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet for about 20 minutes until cool enough to handle. Using serrated knife, cut logs diagonally into 1/2 inch (12 mm) slices. Arrange evenly spaced apart on greased cookie sheets.

Reduce heat to 300°F (150°C). Bake for about 20 minutes, turning at halftime, until dry and crisp. Let stand on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Remove biscotti from cookie sheets and place on wire racks to cool.