Cranberry & White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Raisins are lame.  I'm sorry, they just are.  I like grapes.  I like wine.  It's the dried-out stage I don't enjoy.   (Old grapes should be left on the vine and used for ice wine, and not raisins, just my opinion.)  For my current cookie craving I wanted an oatmeal cookie, but no raisins.  To quote a friend, "Raisins are the bits that should be chocolate and aren't.  A disappointment."

Now craisins, however, are completely different.  You might find this hypocritical, but... it makes perfect sense to me.  I once had a fantastic cranberry and white chocolate oatmeal cookie and was on a mission to make my own version.

Since I'm clearly not the type for an oatmeal raisin cookie (come on, they're always the ones left on the cookie tray, with the exception of the folks who took them thinking they were chocolate chip!), I had no standard base I used.  I found an interesting recipe from Anne Burrell from the Food Network.  Few tweaks, and voila, a tasty cookie!  Also to note, this is a thinner cookie due to the butter, and although I know that I've made it clear how I feel about crispy cookies, but this one definitely works.

I also have to note that this also seemed like a perfect, cozy cookie for this freaky, snowy weather we're currently having (seriously, snow in the Pacific Northwest = catastrophe!)  So, I'll just enjoy one of these cookies on the couch with tea in hand and kitties on the lap!

Cranberry & White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
(adapted from the Food Network)
Makes ~ 3 dozen

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup white chocolate chips

1 cup craisins

In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, cinnamon and kosher salt.

In large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter. Using an electric beater or the paddle attachment of the stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until it they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat them into the butter and sugar mixture. Add in the vanilla as well.

With a rubber spatula or with the stand mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture into the butter/sugar mixture. Mix until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate and craisins.

Refrigerate dough for 1-2 hours, it's pretty sticky.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spoon the cookie dough by rounded tablespoon-size balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Place the cookie dough balls 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for 12 to 13 minutes.

Let the cookies cool for 2 to 3 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Maple-Chili Glazed Pork Medallions with Sweet Potato Biscuits and Cranberry Relish

The boyfriend and I decided a home-made date night was in order.  It started off with a typical favorite of ours - Eating Well's Maple-Chili Glazed Pork Medallions.  Normally I'd make mashed sweet potatoes with it, but I had been itching to try Smitten Kitchen's Sweet Potato Biscuits, no problem.

And then, while at the grocery store, the boyfriend said something about cranberries and I thought, "Ooo, I'll make my mom's Cranberry Relish!"  Brilliant plan, really.  And then we had a local Riesling to go with it.  The result?  Epic.

A perfect pairing.  Honestly.  I'll rarely suggest a full meal, but this is one to try!

Maple-Chili Glazed Pork Medallions
(Eating Well)
~ 4 servings

1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick medallions
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Mix chili powder and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle over both sides of pork.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until golden. Add cider, syrup and vinegar to the pan. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, turning the pork occasionally to coat, until the sauce is reduced to a thick glaze. Serve the pork drizzled with the glaze.

Sweet Potato Biscuits
(Smitten Kitchen - no marshmallows)
Makes 12 to 14 2-inch biscuits

3/4 cup fresh sweet potato puree or can of sweet potato puree (I got organic, so there was NO additional sweeteners, etc)
1/3 cup (79 ml) buttermilk
2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (15 grams) baking powder
3 tablespoons (38 grams) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground (2 grams) cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) table salt
5 tablespoons (71 grams) unsalted butter, cold


Preheat oven to 400°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Whisk 3/4 cup  sweet potato puree with buttermilk until smoothly combined. Keep nearby.

In the bottom of a large, wide-ish bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, sugar, spices and salt together. If you have a pastry blender, add the butter and use the blender to cut the butter into the flour mixture until the biggest pieces are the size of small peas. If you don’t have a pastry blender, cut the butter into small pieces with a knife and work the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Continue by adding the sweet potato mixture and stir and break it up until the mixture is in big, soft chunks. Get your hands in the bowl and gently knead the dough into an even mass, using as few motions as possible (and thus, warming the dough as little as possible.).

Roll or pat dough out on a floured counter to a 1-inch thickness. Dip a 2-inch biscuit cutter in flour then form biscuits by cutting straight down and not twisting — this will help give your biscuits the maximum rise. Bake biscuits on prepared sheet for 13 to 15 minutes, until puffed and slightly golden on top. Cool on rack and enjoy as soon as possible.

Cranberry Relish
(My mom's recipe!)

1 bag fresh cranberries
1 navel orange
1 cup sugar (or, to taste)

Zest the whole orange into a small bowl.  Then peel, and pull out segments.  Pour whole bag of cranberries, orange zest, and orange segments into food processor and... process until there are no big chunks of anything.  Since oranges and cranberries can be sweeter or more tart, I'd start with 1/2 cup of sugar, and add from there.  Process until sugar is fully incorporated.  The original recipe called for more sugar, but 1 cup was enough for us.  It will be a bright flavor, but it's a great contrast to the other foods.  And it is a Thanksgiving and Christmas traditional food in our house!

Enjoy!