Crispy Coconut Orange Marmalade Muffins

I love oranges. And I ADORE coconut--especially toasted coconut. Add these two flavors to a baked good, and I'm pretty much a goner. I canned orange marmalade this winter, and we aren't using it up very quickly. So I decided to use it to flavor a new muffin recipe. 

My dad is visiting this week, so he got to taste some fresh from the oven. His description: "Legendary." Hopefully you'll agree!

Crispy Coconut Orange Marmalade Muffins

Makes 24 

Muffin Ingredients: 

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 small instant vanilla pudding mix, dry

1 cup milk

2 1/2 cups flour (I used half whole-wheat on one batch and they turned out just as well!)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups orange marmalade

Topping Ingredients:

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare muffin pans with cooking spray or cupcake liners.

2. In a medium mixing bowl beat softened butter and granulated sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Stir in pudding and milk until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add this dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir to combine well. Stir in orange marmalade until well combined. 

4. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. 

5. Prepare topping by stirring coconut, brown sugar, and flour together in a bowl. Pour melted butter on top of this, and stir until well combined. Sprinkle about 1 scant tablespoon on the top of each muffin before baking.

6. Bake muffins for 20 minutes. Remove promptly to cool. 

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Gluten Free Cranberry Bars with Orange Drizzle

Cranberry sauce...that Thanksgiving tradition that you are sure to have leftovers of, am I right?  As a kid, I didn't really see the point of it. But now I really love it. I like a bit with each bite of turkey. I'd say I even prefer it to gravy. 

Well, folks, cranberry sauce has another important purpose. A purpose that can be fulfilled year-round, if desired. That purpose is as the filling of these scrumptious bars. 

I have a friend who has a gluten and soy intolerance, and I wanted to do something special for her. I have a recipe for cranberry bars that is basically a shortbread crust, with cranberry sauce and a crumble top. I adapted that recipe to make this one. It's the kind of recipe that might make you want to become gluten-free, just for the heck of it. It is that good.

These are the only non-pantry-staples this recipe calls for.  Be sure to get the "Whole Berry" can of cranberry sauce. The Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Shortbread Cookie Mix was at my Fred Meyer (Kroger family) grocery store. It was about $2 for the bag. You'll also need an orange, butter, 2 egg yolks, water, milk, and powdered sugar.

The little orange flecks are bits of orange zest. Cranberry + orange = WIN. 

Here's the recipe: 

Gluten Free Cranberry Bars with Orange Drizzle

Makes 15 large square bars

Ingredients

Bars: 

1 21-oz package Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Shortbread Cookie Mix

1.5 sticks (3/4 cup) softened butter

2 egg yolks

3 tablespoons water

1 14-16oz can whole berry cranberry sauce

Drizzle:

zest of 1 medium orange

3 tablespoons milk

1 2/3 cups powdered sugar

Directions for Bars

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Prepare 9"x13" baking dish with butter or cooking spray.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, egg yolks, and water. Mix in Cookie Mix well. Mixture will be dry and crumbly. 

3. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the baking dish. Press it slightly up on the sides to form a short wall. 

4. Spread the cranberry sauce evenly over the pressed cookie mix. Sprinkle remaining cookie mixture over the cranberry sauce. 

5. Place in center of oven and bake 25 minutes. Cool, then use a pastry bag with a small round tip (or a sandwich bag with a cut corner)to top with Orange Drizzle.

Directions for Orange Drizzle

Mix orange zest and milk in a small mixing bowl. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. 

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Sugar and Spice Snack Mix

 Orange spiced almonds, salted caramel pretzels, honey-kissed cereal and a melted cinnamon chip drizzle--This is not your average snack mix.

This mix came about because of a peanut allergy. I was helping out with a friend's baby shower this weekend, and after purchasing some peanut butter M&Ms to put in treat cups, I remembered the host has a child with a peanut allergy in her house. Oops--I needed to fill those little cups with something else. So I perused my pantry. 

I had a full bag of Snyder's Salted Caramel Pretzel Pieces. These are pretty amazing on their own, but one bag wasn't enough for my needs, so I decided to make a mix.

I also had some raw almonds, Honey Nut Chex cereal, as well as a bag of cinnamon chips in my freezer. Eureka! I had a plan!

I micro-cooked the almonds with orange flavoring and zest, butter, spices and brown sugar. While those were cooling, I mixed everything else but the chips in a large bowl, then added the cooled almonds.  I laid  all this out on a Silpat-lined cookie sheet, then drizzled it with melted cinnamon chips. Perfect!   

Sugar and Spice Snack Mix

Makes 8 cups

Ingredients: 

 2 cups Orange Spiced Almonds (recipe below)

1 (10 oz) bag Salted Caramel Pretzel Pieces 

4 cups Honey Nut Chex (or generic)

1 cup cinnamon baking chips

1 tablespoon coconut oil (or shortening)

Directions:

1. Mix first three ingredients in a large bowl, then spread on wax-paper or a silicon mat. I put my mat on a baking sheet to contain it.

2. In a microwave safe dish, melt cinnamon chips on medium heat for 1 minute. Stir, then add coconut oil and heat in 30 sec intervals until smooth. 

3.  Using a spoon, drizzle melted cinnamon chips over dry mixture. Let cool, then break up to serve. 

Orange Spiced Almonds

Ingredients:

2.5 cups raw almonds

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2-1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 teaspoon orange extract (optional)

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1.  In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave butter just until mostly melted. Add rest of ingredients and microwave on high, uncovered 3-4 minutes, stirring after each minute. 

2. Spread hot spiced nuts on wax paper to cool. 

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Mango Pecan Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

This salad is incredible: orange glazed pecans, fresh mango and crisp bacon tossed with romaine and a light, citrus vinaigrette.  This is some serious salad.

Here are your main ingredients. The orange glazed pecans are a delicacy all by themselves. Be careful not to nibble on too many--they're for the salad! 

Maple Pecan Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

1 medium head of Romaine lettuce, shredded

2 cups fresh mango, cubed

1 cup Orange Glazed Pecans (recipe below)

6 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped

1/3 cup Orange Vinaigrette Dressing (recipe below)

Directions:

Toss lettuce, mango, pecans, and bacon in a large salad bowl.  Mix in dressing right before serving. 

Orange Vinaigrette Dressing

Ingredients:

1/8 cup salad oil (I used avocado oil; canola or other mild-flavored oil would work)

1/8 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 medium orange)

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon sugar

Directions:

Whisk together until fully incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Orange Glazed Pecans

Ingredients:

1 cup pecan halves

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon water

Instructions:

In a small microwave-safe dish, melt butter in microwave (about 20 sec).  Stir in remaining ingredients and microwave on high 90 seconds, stirring halfway through. Spread on wax paper to cool.

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