12 Days and 8 Nights of Herbal Recipes

Spicy Cranberry Jam

Ingredients

12 ounces (1 bag) fresh cranberries
1 ¼ Cup sugar
1 orange zested plus 2 Tablespoon juice retained
¼ Cup water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Optional-1 Tablespoon grated crystallized ginger

Instructions

1. In a large pot add the cranberries, sugar, water, orange juice, zest and cinnamon, stir to combine.
On high/medium heat, bring the ingredients to a boil stirring occasionally, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes or until it thickens, and all the berries have popped. As the jam is cooking use a potato masher to pulverize the berries. Stir.

If you want it very smooth, use an immersion blender or food processor after it has cooked and thickened.

Spoon into clean, airtight containers or jars. Store in refrigerator for up to two weeks. Enjoy!
 

Basic Shortbread Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients

1 cup salted butter, or unsalted with ½ teaspoon salt added, at room temperature
2⁄3 cup sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract (double vanilla is even better)
2 cups all-purpose flour

1⁄2 cup jam, for the centers
Confectionary Sugar (optional)

Instructions

Cream together butter and sugar.
Beat in extract.
Gradually blend in flour ¼ cup at a time.
Gather into a ball, cover and refrigerate for an hour.

Using a spoon or a melon baller, scoop out dough roll into one-inch balls, placing one inch apart on parchment covered cookie sheet.

With the end of a wooden spoon, make an indention in the ball and fill with spicy cranberry jam. Don’t overfill and don’t break through the bottom of the dough.

Bake at 350°F for 14 to 18 minutes. When cookies cool, you may sift tops with confectionary sugar.

All bakers should have this four ingredient shortbread in their repertoire. These cookies are simple to make and, if you’re in a hurry, the dough can be smoothed into a cookie sheet and treated like a tart shell.