It’s Ann here, sitting in for Andy, who is the lead in today’s blog.
There’s a lot of pressure trying to take over Andy’s Corner…when you’re not Andy. You have to assume the role of a scholar, a humorist, a bit of a foodie, and a film producer. And in my post-Thanksgiving phase, I’m just not up to it.
So today’s Andy’s Corner is just one little pun (it’s SO Andy) – “Orange you glad we have oranges” – and two recipes (they’re SO Ann).
While Andy is going on about the mornings he made all of the “fam” an Orange Julius, I’m thinking about the afternoons Andy and I made and enjoyed a Tequila Sunrise. After all, they both contain orange juice. I’ve got a simple recipe which should take you back 50 years – to 1972, when the Rolling Stones ordered the cocktail routinely as their band toured the U.S. Apparently, their tour was sometimes called “the Cocaine and Tequila Sunrise tour.”
My other orange recipe goes back a ways too…maybe also to the 1970’s, when Ocean Spray published a cookbook entitled 101 All-Time Favorite Cranberry Recipes (though I think the recipe was published on the Ocean Spray packages too).
Orange Cranberry Nut Bread
- 2 c flour
- 1 c sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp Diamond kosher salt
- 3 T vegetable oil (or substitute 1/4 c melted and cooled butter)
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 3/4 c freshly-squeezed orange juice
- 1 T grated orange rind (organic orange preferred)
- 1 1/2 c coarsely chopped fresh cranberries
- 1/2 c chopped pecans or walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-by-3-inch baking pan.
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk to mix it all together. Add cranberries and walnuts; stir until well-coated.
Whisk together orange juice, egg, oil, and orange zest in a smaller bowl. Pour this orange juice mixture into flour mixture, and stir until just blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. The flavor will be best if you wrap the cooled bread in plastic and don’t cut into it until the next day…but that’s not obligatory.
Tequila Sunrise
- 1 1/2 oz good quality tequila (blanco works well)
- 3 oz orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/4 oz grenadine (either homemade – see recipe below – or a brand such as Sonoma Syrup Co that has better than normal ingredients; Rose’s Grenadine is NOT recommended because of the unhealthy/unflavorful ingredients)
- Garnish: orange slice
- Garnish: cherry
Add the tequila and then the orange juice to a highball glass filled with ice.
Top with the grenadine, which will sink to the bottom of the glass, creating a layered effect.
Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.
Homemade Grenadine
- 2/3 c pomegranate juice (unsweetened)
- 1/3 c sugar
- 2 tsp pomegranate molasses (optional)
- 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vodka or brandy (optional: if you want to keep it for up to 6 months, refrigerated. The alcohol helps preserve it.)
In a small pan over medium heat, bring the pomegranate juice, sugar, and pomegranate molasses (if you’re using it) to a boil, then simmer, stirring until the sugar is dissolved (1-2 minutes). Stir in the lemon juice (and vodka, if you’re using it). Cool and then refrigerate, if you’re not using it immediately.
Big Little Meals 