Cranberry Walnut Bread for Christmas

This is an easy to make recipe appropriate for Christmas. For some who don't like the bitter strong taste of fruitcakes, and the hard stiff texture of glazed fruits, Cranberry Walnut bread is just one good substitute as gift items to your friends and office mates for this upcoming Holiday Seasons.

Yield: 2 loaves

Ingredients

•     115 g butter
•     375 g white sugar
•     3 eggs, beaten
•     500 g all-purpose flour
•     1 tsp (6g) salt
•     2.5 tsp (12g) baking powder
•     5 g (1 tsp) baking soda
•     350 ml orange juice
•     12 g orange zest
•     220 g chopped cranberries
•     100 g chopped walnuts

Procedure

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two loaf pans with 8x4 dimension.
2.     In a clean dry bowl, mix together butter, sugar and eggs.
3.     In a separate bowl, mix together the sifted flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. 
4.     Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with orange juice.
5.     Mix in the orange rind, cranberries and walnuts. 
6.     Continue stirring slowly until just combined and pour into prepared pans.
7.     Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Binignit Recipe

This coming All Souls' Day and All Saints' Day, Filipinos are fond of cooking native delicacies and share it to their relatives and friends and for some offer it to the souls of their loved ones.

Binignit or ginataan in Tagalog or Tabirak in vernacular is one of the most popular recipes made from root crops, fruits, and other sweet goodies and cooked in coconut milk.


INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup glutinous-rice flour
• 1/3 cup  water
• 3 cups coconut milk
•  1/2 cup sugar  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shredded jackfruit, preferably sweet preserves
• 1 medium kamote (yam or sweet potato), cubed
• 2 small gabi (taro root), cubed
• 4 ripe saba, peeled and sliced diagonally

PROCEDURE

1. Combine rice flour with 250 ml water and form into small balls. 
2. Place the coconut milk in a casserole and bring to a boil, then add the sago, sweet potato, taro and other root crops you may have. 
3. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the banana, jackfruit and rice balls.
4. Stir in sugar and salt.
5. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until all the fruit and root crops are cooked and all the rice ball float to the surface. Stir frequently . 
6. Ladle out servings into individual bowls. Serve warm.

Saucer Sized Oatmet Raisin Cookies

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
2 large eggs (room temperature)
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
14 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar (compact)
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups raisins

Procedure

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a dry clean medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and oatmeal). Set aside.
   
3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add salt and vanilla.
   
4. In another large bowl, mix butter, oil, brown and white sugar.
5. Stir in egg mixture until smooth.
   
6. Stir in the mixed dry ingredients until smooth. Add in raisins.
   

Using a large spring action ice cream scoop, scoop 6 balls onto each of the cookie sheets. Flatten the cookie dough using a spatula. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Do not let the cookies get too brown. It would be best to take out the cookies from the oven when it is a little under cook in the center. Let cool on cookie sheets, 2 - 3 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.