Spiced Cranberries And Almonds Food

ALMOND CRANBERRY RICE PILAF

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the almonds and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and nutty smelling, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and reserve.
• Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the saucepan and add the onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and cranberries and cook, stirring, until well coated, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste, and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 18 minutes. Take off the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in half of the reserved almonds and the parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the remaining toasted almonds.

SPICED CANDIED ALMONDS

Steps:

• In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat about 1-inch of oil to 350 degrees F.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add almonds and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain and transfer nuts to a medium bowl. While nuts are still hot and slightly wet, add 1 cup sugar and toss to coat nuts. Stir and toss until all the sugar has melted into the nuts; if bits of un-melted sugar remain on the nuts, they will not fry properly.
• Stir the nuts again before frying. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer a few nuts to the hot oil, allowing the foam to subside before adding another spoonful. (Otherwise, the oil could foam over and burn you.) Fry in small batches until the nuts are medium brown, about 45 seconds; be careful not to overcook. Scatter on an unlined baking sheet to cool slightly.
• In a small bowl, stir together cayenne, cinnamon, cocoa, remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, a pinch of salt, and pepper.
• While the nuts are still warm, transfer them to a bowl and sprinkle evenly with about half of the spice mix. Toss well to distribute the spices and then taste a nut. Add more spice mix, to taste, and toss well after each addition. When cool, pack in an airtight jar. They will keep at room temperature for at least 2 weeks.

ISRAELI COUSCOUS WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES AND TOASTED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Place the couscous in a dry sauté pan over medium heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the couscous is lightly toasted.
• Place the couscous in a saucepan, add 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook for 8 to 9 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed and spoon it into a bowl.
• While the couscous is cooking, toast the almonds in the sauté pan over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until they are lightly browned. Add to the couscous.
• Stir in the cranberries and scallions, distributing them evenly.
• Mix the olive oil, vinegar, and orange peel in a small bowl and pour over the couscous.
• Toss the ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Enjoy!

SPICED ALMONDS

Steps:

• Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a bowl.
• In a small bowl, stir together the cumin, garlic, cayenne pepper and salt. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Stir the spices into the oil and cook, stirring until warm, about 30 seconds. Add the almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until the nuts are warm and the spices are evenly distributed. Add the hot pepper sauce and stir to distribute. Remove the almonds from the pan and allow them to cool before serving.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE WITH SUGARED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Make the sugared cranberries: Bring 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Put the cranberries in a large bowl and pour the sugar syrup over them; let sit 1 hour. Whisk the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar with the cardamom in a large bowl. Drain the cranberries, add to the spiced sugar and toss to coat. Spread the cranberries and sugar on a rimmed baking sheet. Let sit, rerolling the cranberries in the sugar occasionally until dry, 2 to 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat two 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Coat the parchment with cooking spray. Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice and cardamom in a large bowl; set aside. Put the cocoa powder in a separate large bowl. Heat 1 cup water in a small saucepan until almost simmering; pour over the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Set aside until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes.
• Add the eggs to the cocoa mixture and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until just combined. Add the granulated sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla; beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; gradually add the flour mixture, then increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans; lightly tap on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment. (The cake layers can be made 1 day ahead; let cool, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap.)
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter, confectioners' sugar and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until just combined. Add the vanilla and almond extracts; increase the mixer speed to high and beat, scraping down the side of the bowl, until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and almond liqueur; beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 more minutes.
• Halve 1/2 cup of the sugared cranberries. Place one cake layer on a plate or cake stand. Spread with 1 cup frosting, then sprinkle with the halved cranberries. Top with the second cake layer. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Top with the remaining sugared cranberries.

SWEET AND SPICY ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread almonds on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper.
• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook honey and water with olive oil, stirring, until combined, 1 minute. Add almonds; toss to coat.
• Transfer nuts to sugar mixture (do not scrape extra glaze into bowl); toss to coat. Cool in a single layer.

ARUGULA AND ALMOND SALAD WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Begin by making the vinaigrette. Combine the vinaigrette ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk together until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Add the olive oil in a thin stream while whisking until vinaigrette is emulsified.
• Now prepare the salad. In a large bowl, toss the arugula, sliced red onion, toasted almonds and cranberries. Dress with balsamic vinaigrette just before serving and toss gently to coat everything. Divide amongst plates and serve immediately.

OATMEAL-CRANBERRY-ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. In another big bowl, with a mixer, mix butter, sugar, brown sugar until mixture has doubled. Add eggs and vanilla and mix. Add mixture of flour beating at low speed. Add oatmeal, cranberries and almonds and stir with a wooden spoon.
• Let drop the dough, 1/4 cup for each cookie, on ungreased baking sheets, leaving space of 3 inches between each cookies. Put one baking sheet on the superior grill, of a preheated oven of 350 F and the other baking sheet on the inferior grill. Cook 16 minutes or until cookies are golden but lightly soft on top (CHANGE THE BAKING SHEET AT MID-COOKING, THE ONE ON THE SUPERIOR GOES ON THE INFERIOR GRILL AND TURN THEM).
• Let cool on a rack for 2 minutes. Put the cookies on the rack and let cool completely.

CRANBERRY ALMOND MUFFINS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, sour cream, butter and extract; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in 1/2 cup almonds., Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full; drop 1 tablespoon cranberry sauce into the center of each muffin. Cover with enough batter to fill cups three-fourths full; sprinkle with remaining almonds., Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.