Orange Spice Molasses Cookies

Ingredients

Rolling Sugar

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest

Cookie Dough

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest
• 1/2 cup light or dark molasses
• 7 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
2. To prepare the rolling sugar: Pulse 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon orange zest in a food processor until well combined. Place in a shallow dish and set aside.
3. To prepare cookie dough: Grind oats in a blender until they look like a fine powder, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the sides as needed.
4. Beat butter and 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 5 minutes. Add brown sugar and 2 tablespoons orange zest and beat another 2 minutes. Add molasses, applesauce, egg yolk, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, pepper and salt; beat on medium-high until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.
5. Turn the mixer to medium and slowly add the ground oats. Scrape down the bowl; with the mixer on medium, slowly add whole-wheat flour. (The dough will be moderately sticky.)
6. Using a slightly rounded tablespoon of dough, roll into balls, then roll in the rolling sugar to coat. (If necessary, wet your fingers to help roll without sticking.) The zest will make the mixture slightly wet and it will clump; lightly brush off the excess so that just a thin coat is on the cookie. Place cookies about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
7. Bake the cookies in batches until the edges are set and the tops are cracked, but the centers are still soft and puffy, about 10 minutes.
8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 8 minutes. Serve warm or cool on a wire rack.

Mandarin orange salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 bag romaine lettuce
• 1 cup celery, diced
• 2 green onions, diced
• 1 can mandarin oranges

Dressing ingredients:

• dash Tobasco
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pepper
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 Tablespoon parsely
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

Directions:

In a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium heat, heat almonds and sugar until sugar dissolves and coats almonds. Stir constantly to prevent burning.

Mix dressing ingredients and pour over remaining ingredients in a large bowl.

Fresh orange cranberry muffins

While Jen was settling in and watching her favorite movie, Zoolander, she thought "what goes well with orange mocha frappuccinos?" Boom, orange cranberry muffins were born! I did, however, recommend that she make them at least 3 times this big but we didn't have a tin big enough for that.

 

Ingredients

• 2  cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3  cup sugar
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1  cup  chopped fresh cranberries
• 2/3  cup milk
• 1/4  cup butter, melted
• 1  teaspoon grated orange rind
• 1/2  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1  large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; stir. Stir in cranberries. Combine milk, butter, orange rind, vanilla, and egg; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 18 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center.

Orange Chicken

Jen and I found this one while we were traveling in the Sichuan Province of China. Not really. Actually, we were craving some Panda Express (Happy Panda if your Jen) and wanted it without the sodium. Its pretty good but needs the orange zest for a little extra flavor.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound chicken breast (cut into bite-size cubes)
5 dried red chilies (cut into 1.5 inch length, seeded and soaked in warm water)
1 teaspoon minced orange zest
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 inch ginger (minced)
1 stalk scallion (use the white part only, cut into thin threads for garnishing)
2 teaspoons oil
Oil for deep frying

Orange Sauce:
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice
3 tablespoons canned chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
5 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon white pepper powder
1 teaspoon corn starch
Salt to taste

Frying Batter:
1/2 cup water
2 oz. all-purpose flour
1 oz. corn starch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 egg
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1 small pinch of salt

Directions:
Mix the orange sauce ingredients and set aside.

Mix the frying batter and dip the chicken meat into the batter. Heat up a pan of cooking oil. When the cooking oil is hot enough for frying, drop the chicken pieces into the oil and deep fry them until they turn golden brown or crispy. Transfer them out onto a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

In a pan, add 2 teaspoons of cooking oil and quickly stir-fry the minced garlic and ginger until aromatic. Add in the dried red chilies and toss around until you smell the spicy aroma. Follow by the minced orange zest and then chicken. Quickly stir the chicken around before adding the orange sauce mixture. Continue to stir-fry until the sauce thicken. Dish out, garnish with the scallion threads and serve immediately with steamed white rice.