Just Give Me Cranberries!

Just north of us a bit, on the Long Beach Peninsula, live some cranberry bogs. We try to get up there every fall in time to grab a bag or two of freshly harvested cranberries that are sold at roadside stands. They freeze well so it's perfect and then for most of the year we have nice, locally grown cranberries for chutney, sauce, pies and such. Yum!

Today, I decided that I needed some cranberry muffins to go along with my afternoon coffee and Christmas present wrapping so I whipped a batch up. 

(Another fabulous thing about cranberries is that I have found if I don't plan ahead and thaw them out, it really doesn't matter. They bake up just fine anyway!)

I found a recipe that sounded pretty scrumptious and mixed away. Don't you just love how those red berries pop against the white batter? So Christmasy!

They smelled incredible baking away and I could hardly wait to eat one...(pardon me; my mouth is a bit full right now.)

I would so love for you to join me for a muffin, a spot of coffee and a chat.  What would you like to chat about today?

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Cranberry Nut Muffins

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup milk

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 egg, beat that sucker!

1-1/2 cups fresh OR frozen cranberries

1/2 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons grated orange peel

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  In another bowl, combine the orange juice, milk, butter and egg:  Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened.  Fold in cranberries, pecans and orange peel.  Fill greased muffin cups 3/4ths full. 

 Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until nice and golden brown.  

Cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pan.

(makes about 1 dozen)

Enjoy!! 

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Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some presents to wrap!