Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Cranberry Orange Cookies & a Giveaway



I didn't make this week's TWD recipe. My excuse is that I am exhausted from Black Friday shopping. We didn't sleep all night and we literally shopped for 24 hours. Left Vancouver, BC at 7 PM on Thursday night and were in Walmart in WA by 9:30 PM. We were there for the door crashers at midnight then went to Old Navy then Target for their opening at 4 AM. We basically hit every store as it opened. It was INTENSE. Looking back on it, the whole thing is quite comical. We had our walkie talkies, we had our store maps and we were on a MISSION. Thank the Lord that we had a nice border guard so we didn't have to pay tax on the $1000 worth of goods that we brought back home. I spent $110 in Walmart and $175 at Target and got way too many appliances. I can't wait till next year, lol.

Instead of the Devilish (Chocolate) Shortcakes, I made something simpler than simple and comforting with classic holiday flavors. Today I'm proud to post yet another great cookie recipe from 400 Sensational Cookies

I also have a GIVEAWAY (US and Canadian blogging residents only please): a Taylor 8lb digital food scale, the Chicken Soup for the Soul Cookbook & a set of 4 star-topped holiday spreaders. The book is full of heartwarming stories related to food and each story has a special recipe to accompany it. Digital scales are awesome for measuring nuts and chocolate and flour (and lots of other things, but I use mine most for those three).

All you have to do is leave a comment here to tell me what recipe brings back the best memories for you. If you have a link to that recipe on your blog, you might want to link to it :) Deadline to enter is Sunday, Dec 5th at 11:59 PM. I will pick a winner randomly and contact that person through her blog.
***GIVEAWAY EXPIRED***


Cranberry Orange Cookies
Makes 36 | adapted from 400 Sensational Cookies

3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup orange juice
Zest of 1 orange
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Combine flour, soda, salt, powder. Cream together butter, sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs then vanilla. Mix in flour then fold in cranberries and nuts.
3. Drop by tablespoonfuls leaving 1-2" between. Bake 12-15 minutes, until golden brown around the edges, however, they will be still pale on top.

16 comments:

susitravl said...

Divinity always makes me think of my grandma. She had an aluminum foil lined coffee can full of divinity in her freezer year round.

Kttycat said...

There were a lot of recipes my aunt use to make and sadly I don't have many of them anymore. But one was a homemade caramel frosting and we still use it today on my dad's birthday cakes.

Sara said...

This is a tough question, but the recipe that brings back the most memories for me is my grandma's blueberry buckle...immediately conjures up images of eating breakfast in her sunlit kitchen! :) Great giveaway

Natalie said...

ah so many! but beef stroganoff reminds me of my gma and i love that :)

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you had a very successful shopping trip!

Marble butter cake with buttercream icing always brings back fond memories of my family as it was a favourite with my sisters and I.

Danielle said...

Oooooh yummmm! Cranberry and orange is deeefinitely a combo made in my kinda heaven!

My favourite recipe memory was definitely from this past January. My little sister took a big step and moved out of my home with her boyfriend. We used to have a rough relationship, and it was just before she moved out that we finally reconciled. For her apartment warming party I made her her favourite Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies and wrote her a special entry on my blog to show her how much she truly means to me. She is the most important person in my life and whenever I eat those Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies I think of my little sister Justine (who ain't so little anymore) and I'm reminded of how lucky I am to have such an incredible person in my life!

Check out the recipe and story here:
http://thisisgingerrose.blogspot.com/2010/01/chocolate-cheesecake-brownies.html

All That's Left Are The Crumbs said...

I think it would have to be making scones - the English variety. I remember learning how to in Home Economics and thinking that I kind of liked this thing called baking. I have been making them ever since.

Taylor said...

My favorite food memory is this corned beef chicken dish my mom makes...its so bad for you, but soooo good!

By the way, I am hosting a holiday blogging event called Merry Mondays and would love for you to join! There is a holiday ingredient each week and this weeks just so happens to be cranberries...these cookies would be perfect for it! Let me know if you'd like to add these to the event!

Anonymous said...

One of favourite comfort desserts came from an older lady who was a friend of my Mum's. When we went to visit her, she would always make my favourite lemon sponge pudding. I loved the cake and pudding layers and make this dish for my family.

Jules Someone said...

Your shopping journey made me tired! I love latkes. I have so many memories of my dad making them.

Unknown said...

half_blue_sky@yahoo.com

Chocolate Oatmeal Drop Cookies- my mom would let my little brother and I make these each year at Christmas and now I do the same with the girls Still delicious!

Hindy said...

Go, Shopping Diva. I love a good cross-border story! Your cookies sound wonderful.
The recipe I'm thinking of now is my Chocolate Roll. I've made it ten Christmases in a row. My family has grown up with it. Here's a link:
http://bubieslittlebaker.blogspot.com/2009/12/chocolate-roll-with-cappuccino-cream.html

Unknown said...

My Moms homemade Orange Rolls :) She made them every holiday season.. The smell of fresh dough and orange zest in our house brings back memories of my childhood :) I miss being a kid during Christmas time!!

Mary said...

Peanut butter blossoms...my mom always made them for us when I was growing up.

scrambledhenfruit said...

My mom's Spritz cookies- She has made these every year since I can remember. I still can't make them as good as she does. :)

Unknown said...

I'd have to say S'mores Cookie Bars... to this day whenever I make them I am reminded of one summer when all my friends (most of us don't even speak any more) and my mom and sister were "trapped" at my house thanks to a summer-induced city-wide blackout. Luckily we had made the smores bars before the blackout. Since there was absolutely no more electricity, my mom suggested we all do a sleepover, we lit what seemed like a million candles all over the house and played board games (yes by candlelight lol) and told stories. It's such a great memory of a summer night when everyone simply got along and every time I make those smores bars, I am reminded of that night.