Sweet potato and Orange Casserole

 

 "Boil 5 sweet potatoes and let them get cold enough the slice thin without breaking. Butter a casserole and start with a layer of sweet potatoes sprinkled with brown sugar, follow with a layer of orange slices with the skin left on. Alternate until you have used up the 5 potatoes and 2 oranges. Make a basting syrup of 1/4 cup strained honey and 1/4 cup orange juice. Pour this over the dishfull and top with fine breadcrumbs mixed with an equal quantity brown sugar. Dot liberally with butter and bake for an hour in moderate oven. Baste with more orange juice and homey if it threatens to burn. "

Orange Nut Bread

  

Ingredients

 2 cups flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans because walnuts make my mouth itch)

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg, beaten

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 large oranges, quarter and peel

Process

 "Slice oranges thinly and cover with cold water. Boil ten minutes and change water 3 times. Drain. Return to pan and add 1 Tablespoon sugar. Heat until sugar melts. Combine flour, orange rind, walnuts, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Moisten with egg. If not damp enough add 1 Tablespoon milk. Put into a greased loaf pan. Let stand covered for 10 minutes. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for 45 minutes."

Orange Sponge Pudding

 

"Separate 3 eggs and bet whites stiff. To yolks, add the juice and grated rind of one orange and the juice of 1/2 a lemon. Combine 1and1/2 cups sugar  with 3 Tablespoons flour, and work in 4 Tablespoons butter and add 1/2 cup milk. When this is smooth, beat  it into egg yolks. Fold in beaten whites. Bake for 45 minutes in a moderate oven. "

Orange Ice Cream

 

 "Put rinds of 1 orange, rubbed off with 1/3 pound sugar in a saucepan. Add yolks of 4 eggs and the juice of 3 oranges with a little salt. Stir well over fire until mixture thickens. Pour into mold and freeze. "

Orange glazed Spareribs

 This recipe was created by Hi-Ho. Please know this requires an overnight marinade. Served as an appetizer, it makes4 to 6 servings so double or triple as needed.

Ingredients

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup bitter orange marmalade

1 teaspoon orange rind

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 thin slices fresh ginger, shredded

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 to 3 pounds spareribs, cut into individual servings

Process

1. Combine the soy sauce, marmalade, orange rind, garlic, ginger, and pepper. 

2. Pour over the spareribs and marinate overnight. 

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

4. Place the ribs on a rack in a roasting pan and bake for 1.5 hours or until tender and well glazed, basting frequently with marinade during baking.

Apricot Soda Bread

This was a REALLY yummy version of soda bread that makes a really nice breakfast bread. Will definitely make this one again.  The recipe is from Flavor the Moments and the recipe can be found HERE.

Ingredients

4 cups all purpose flour, plus extra for dried apricots

4 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" dice

1 3/4 cup cold low fat buttermilk, shaken

1 egg

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 cup chopped dried apricots

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or use your handheld electric mixer. Mix the dry ingredients on low speed. 

4. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is completely mixed into the dry ingredients. Using a fork, beat the egg, buttermilk, and zest in a measuring cup. Turn the mixer on low speed, and slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Combine the dried apricots with one tablespoon of flour, then mix into the dough on low speed just until combined. The dough is VERY wet!

Pour the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead a few times until it's in the shape of a round loaf. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Using a serrated knife, cut a small "X" into the center. Bake 45-55 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Carrot Soup with Orange and Tarragon

This recipe is from bon appetit. I hope you enjoy while oranges are in season.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
1 1-pound bag carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
3/4 cup chopped onion
3 cups low salt chicken broth
1/2 cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon brandy
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped
Fresh tarragon sprigs for garnish.

Process

1. Melt butter in a heavy large pot over medium heat.
   
2. Add carrots and onion and saute until onions are soft (about 8 minutes)
3. Add broth, cover, and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat, uncover, and simmer until carrots are tender (about 10 minutes)
5. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth, unless you are lucky like me and have an immersion blender (thanks Mush) and you can do it in the pot! :)
6. Return soup to pot (if necessary) and stir in orange juice, brandy and chopped tarragon.
   
7. Simmer 5 minutes for flavors to blend.
   
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Garnish soup with tarragon sprigs and serve.
   

Orange Rum Sweet Potatoes

I'm not a fan of canned sweet potatoes and prefer them fresh. It is easy to translate.

Ingredients
2 large cans of sweet potatoes
2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3-1/2 cup orange juice
3 Tbsp. softened butter
5 Tbsp. rum
salt and pepper to taste

Topping
1/3-1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
crushed pecans (optional)

Process

1. Preheat oven 350
2. Mix together until smooth and place in a greased 9x13 casserole dish.
3. Mix topping and spread over sweet potatoes.
   
4. Bake for 50 minutes.
   

Apple Surprise

In honor of our glorious apple season here in Maine, another wonderful dessert from my great grandmother! The recipe used spelling sirup vs syrup, so I have corrected the spelling but am left to wonder if this was some sort of vernacular or if Mima was a bad speller.

Ingredients
apples of uniform size
sugar
water
orange rind or marmalade
whipped cream

Process:

• Peel, but don't core, uniform size apples.
• Prepare a rich syrup with equal parts sugar and water and cook 5 minutes.
  
• Simmer apples in syrup until they are translucent. Remove from syrup and chill.
  
• Add 2 tablespoons grated orange rind or chopped marmalade for each cup of syrup.
• Simmer several minutes, then cool.
  
• When ready to serve, spoon syrup over chilled apples.
  
• Serve with whipped cream