Orange Coriander Sangria

This is a sure-fire crowd pleaser adapted from "Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean"
by Ana Sortun; Chef/owner of Oleana Restaurant in Cambridge via The Recipe Files. This is seriously addictive and a tad bit stronger than your average sangria.

• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 cup fresh squeezed orange jucie (use the best oranges you can find)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups dry, floral white wine like a Verdejo or a  Chenin Blanc from the Loire (should be a fairly decent wine but doesn't have to be pricey)
• 1 cup cognac or extremely good brandy
• 1 cup sparkling water
• A splash or two of Cointreau (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or turbinado sugar, for rimming the glass
• 1 or 2 oranges for slicing

Toast the coriander seeds over medium-high heat in a saute pan until fragrant. Remove one teaspoon of the seeds and set aside.

Add the orange juice and sugar to the remaining seeds and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and throw mixture in a blender pitcher and cover. Infuse the syrup for fifteen minutes to a half hour.
Buzz the syrup in the blender and strain into a pitcher. Add the rest of the ingredients, orange slices and ice. Add more orange juice and/ or sugar to taste if it's too strong.

For rimming the glasses: Finely grind reserved seeds in a spice grinder and mix them with the two tablespoons of  brown or turbinado sugar or a combination of the two sugars together.

servings: 8

Orange Syrup

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons orange liqueur (optional)

Combine first 6 ingredients and, if desired, orange liqueur in a heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves.

Top fat-free yogurt with orange segments and Mixed Fruit Granola; drizzle with syrup.

From Southern Living

Beef, Orange, and Gorgonzola Sandwiches

• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh orange sections (about 2 oranges)
• 4 (2-ounce) Italian or French rolls
• 2 cups thinly sliced Basic Grilled Flank Steak (about 8 ounces)
• 1 cup bagged prewashed baby spinach
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue cheese

Combine first 5 ingredients, stirring with a whisk.

Pat orange sections dry with a paper towel. Slice each roll in half. Layer bottom of each roll with 1/2 cup Basic Grilled Flank Steak, 1/4 cup baby spinach, 1 tablespoon cheese, and 1/4 cup orange sections. Drizzle each serving with about 2 teaspoons vinaigrette; top with top halves of rolls. Wrap in aluminum foil or wax paper; chill.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 318(29% from fat); FAT 10.2g (sat 4.6g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.5g); IRON 3.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 36mg; CALCIUM 148mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.7g; SODIUM 533mg; PROTEIN 21.6g; FIBER 2.4g

from Cooking Light

Orange Pineapple Sherbet

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 can (15 1/4 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin orange segments, drained

1. Heat sugar and water to boiling in a medium saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved; cool. Process sugar syrup, pineapple, buttermilk, and orange juice in a blender until smooth.

2. Freeze mixture in an ice cream maker, adding oranges just before mixture is frozen.

Makes 8 servings.

From 1001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipes

Mulled White Wine (Vin Cuit)

• 1/2 orange
• 1 bottle white wine
• 3 tablespoons superfine sugar
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 6 cloves

1. Cut an orange in half and slice it. Slice the slices in half.

2. Put the oranges, wine, cinnamon stick and cloves in a saucepan.

3. Place over medium heat and heat the wine just until it simmers around the edges.

4. Remove from the heat.Remove the cinnamon stick and the cloves.

5. To serve, place a couple of orange slices in each of 4 mugs. Fill with the wine and serve hot.

Refreshing Mulled White Wine

• A bottle of white wine
• 4 sprigs of rosemary
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 4 tbsp of clear honey
• A couple of slices of lemon

Heat the wine. Stir in the honey. Give the rosemary a bashing with a spoon to release the flavor, add to the saucepan with the thyme. Add a couple of slices of lemon and gently heat. Allow the herbs to infuse, without letting it boil.

Orange-Port Dressing with Walnut Oil

• 1 1/2 cups ruby port
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons walnut oil
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

1. Simmer port and orange juice in small saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; cool to room temperature.

2. Whisk vinegar, cream, marmalade, thyme, salt, and pepper into cooled port reduction. Whisk in oils until incorporated. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 weeks.)

Use this sweet, smooth dressing on assertive bitter greens such as escarole, radicchio, and endive. Appropriate salad garishes include toasted nuts and crumbled blue cheese. For two servings, start with 1 tablespoon of this dressing per quart of greens, adding more as desired.

from Cooks Illustrated

Yield: makes 1 cup

Pressure Cooked North African Lamb Stew

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 large onion, chopped coarse
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup dried apricots, halved
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup blanched almonds (whole)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• table salt
• ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice from 1 large orange
• 1/3 cup packed fresh mint, plus extra for garnish

1. Heat oil in 6-quart pressure cooker over medium-high heat. Add lamb cubes in batches to avoid overcrowding; brown on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer browned lamb to plate with slotted spoon. Add onion and garlic to heated fat; saute to soften slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Return lamb to pot and stir in remaining ingredients, including 3/4 cup water and salt and pepper to taste. Cover cooker, securing lid; bring to high pressure. Reduce heat to maintain high pressure and cook 15 minutes. Let pressure release naturally, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. When pressure has dropped, carefully remove lid away from you. Test meat; it should be fork-tender. If not, replace lid and cook under high pressure 5 minutes longer, then quick-release pressure.

from Cooks Illustrated

Yield: 4 servings

Roast Lemon Chicken

• 1 cup kosher salt or 1/2 cup table salt
• 1 whole chicken, 3 1/2 to 4 pounds
• 2 medium lemons
• 6 medium cloves of garlic crushed and peeled
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 tablespoons melted, remaining 2 tablespoons chilled and cut into 2 pieces)
• ground black pepper
• 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1. Dissolve salt in 2 quarts water in large container. Submerge chicken in brine and refrigerate 1 hour. Remove chicken from brine and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.

2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray V-rack with cooking spray and set in flameproof roasting pan.

3. Cut 1 lemon lengthwise into quarters. Place lemon quarters and garlic in cavity of chicken. Thread long wooden skewer through flaps of skin on either side of cavity. Turn skewer and rethread back through skin flaps. Repeat stitching as necessary to shut cavity. Brush breast side of chicken with 1 tablespoon melted butter and season generously with pepper. Place chicken breast-side down in V-rack, then brush back with remaining tablespoon melted butter and season generously with pepper. Roast chicken 40 -minutes. Remove roasting pan from oven; increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Using 2 large wads of paper towels, rotate chicken breast-side up; add 1 cup chicken broth to roasting pan. Return roasting pan to oven and continue roasting until thickest part of thigh registers 165 to 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 35 to 40 minutes longer. Remove roasting pan from oven; tip V-rack to let juices from chicken cavity run into roasting pan. Transfer chicken to cutting board and let rest, uncovered, while making sauce; remove V-rack from roasting pan.

4. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position; heat broiler. Skim fat from drippings in roasting pan, add remaining 3/4 cup chicken broth, and set roasting pan over high heat on burner. Simmer liquid, scraping pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 4 minutes; set aside off heat.

5. Discard lemons and garlic from chicken cavity. Following illustrations from "Step by Step: Quartering the Chicken After Roasting", cut chicken into quarters. Pour accumulated chicken juices into roasting pan, then place chicken quarters, skin-side up, into sauce in roasting pan; broil chicken until skin is crisp and deep golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer chicken to serving platter.

6. Halve remaining lemon lengthwise; squeeze juice of one half into roasting pan; cut remaining half into 4 wedges and set aside. Whisk 2 tablespoons butter into sauce until combined; stir in parsley and thyme. Adjust -seasoning with salt and pepper; serve chicken with sauce and lemon wedges.

from Cooks Illustrated

Yield: 2-4 servings

Lamb Sausage Hors d'Oeuvres with Cranberry Chutney

• 1 cup cranberries
• 1/4 seedless orange, cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup orange juice (juice of 1 medium orange)
• 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, plus sprigs for garnish (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes
• 1 pound garlic-flavored lamb sausages or other flavorful fresh sausages
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

1. Pulse the cranberries and orange chunks in a food processor until coarsely chopped.

2. Combine the cranberry mixture with the sugar and orange juice in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring, and cook over medium heat until the mixture is thickened, about 10 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar, thyme, and pepper flakes. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend flavors, or for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

4. Prick the sausages with a fork in a couple of places and put them, along with the wine and olive oil, in a large skillet. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer over medium-low heat, turning once, for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook briskly over high heat until the liquid evaporates. Reduce heat to medium and cook, turning several times, until the sausages are browned on the outside and cooked within, about 8 minutes. (Alternatively, you can simmer the sausages in the liquid and then finish them on the grill.)

5. Cut the sausages into 1/2-inch slices, impale each slice on a toothpick, and pass with the cranberry chutney. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

from Dishing Up Maine

Yield: 8 servings

Citrus-Glazed Mussels

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• 2 pounds mussels, rinsed and debearded if necessary
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• thin slices of lemon and lime for garnish

To de-beard mussels, pull out the dark threads that protrude from the shell. Do this just before cooking; mussels die when de-bearded.

1. Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Cook the onion in the oil over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and anchovies and cook, mashing the anchovies until they dissolve, for 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon and lime zest and juice and the pepper flakes. (This base can be made a day or so ahead and refrigerated.)

2. Combine the mussels and wine in a large pot. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the mussels open, 4 to 10 minutes, depending on size. Remove the mussels from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving bowl.

3. Meanwhile, if the citrus sauce has been refrigerated, reheat in a saucepan. Carefully pour the mussel broth into the citrus mixture, leaving behind the last third or so of the liquid, lest it contain any grit.

4. Pour the sauce over the mussels, sprinkle with parsley, garnish with lemon and lime slices, and serve.

from Dishing Up Maine

Yield: 8-10 appetizer servings

Asian-Style Pork Stir-Fry

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 12-ounce pork tenderloin, fat trimmed, halved lengthwise
• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons peanut oil
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Mix first 4 ingredients in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Add pork tenderloin halves and turn to coat. Cover and let stand at room temperature 1 hour or refrigerate up to 4 hours.

Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until just crisp-tender. Drain.

Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add pork, reserving marinade in dish. Cook until pork is deep brown and thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 155°F., turning often, about 9 minutes. Transfer pork to platter; let stand 10 minutes. Cut pork into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Wipe skillet clean.

Whisk orange juice, vinegar, cornstarch and reserved marinade in small bowl. Heat oil in same skillet over high heat. Add green beans and saute until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add orange peel, garlic, pork slices and orange juice mixture. Stir until sauce boils, thickens slightly and coats bean-pork mixture, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.

Per serving: calories, 203; total fat, 5 g; saturated fat, 1 g; cholesterol, 50 mg.

Yield: 4 servings

French Lentil Salad

• 1 cup dry French lentils
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 orange, peeled and sectioned
• 1/2 t. minced or crushed garlic
• 1 1/2 T. fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 T. balsamic or cider vinegar
• 1 T. minced red onion
• 1/2 t. each grated orange and lime zest
• 1 T. dried currants
• 1/2 small carrot, shredded
• 1/4 cup minced bell pepper, red, yellow, or a combination
• 1-2 T. minced fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, and/or mint

Yield: 4 servings

per serving: 245 cals / 12 g protein / 7 g fat / 9 g fiber

from Eat, Drink & Weigh Less, p. 161

Lemon Polenta Cake with Rosemary Syrup and Fresh Berries

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 pint fresh strawberries or raspberries, washed and picked over
• Rosemary Syrup
• Whipped cream (optional)
• Rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment or waxed paper and lightly oil.

Sift the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.

With an electric mixer, beat the sugar, eggs, and egg whites in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the butter, oil, yogurt, lemon zest, and lemon juice until creamy. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined; do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack. Invert, peel off the paper, and cool completely. (The cake can be made in advance up until this point and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for 1 month.)

To serve, cut the cake into 8 wedges and place on plates. Scatter berries around the cake, drizzle a tablespoon or two of Rosemary Syrup over the berries, and place a dollop of whipped cream on the cake, if desired. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.

from Home Food

Yield: 8 servings

Navel Orange and Fennel Salad

• 3 large navel oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds, then placed in a small bowl
• 1 medium fennel bulb, top stalk removed
• 1 small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 cups arugula, washed and dried
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 4 TB orange juice
• 1/3 cup tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Drain off any juice from oranges to use for the dressing. Cut fennel bulb in half so it lies flat, and then very thinly slice into half moons. Toss with orange slices and red onion. Divide arugula on 4 salad plates and place mixture on top. Sprinkle with sliced almonds. In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice and olive oil. Season and pour over salads.

Nutritional info: Per serving (269g-wt.): 320 calories (210 from fat), 23g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 7g dietary fiber, 5g protein, 27g carbohydrate, 0mg cholesterol, 320mg sodium

from Whole Foods

Yield: 4 servings

Old-fashioned Rhubarb Trifle

Old-fashioned because when I was a child – a very long time ago – I used to love jelly trifles, and my mother would always make one for my birthday. This is a much more adult version, and the sharp, fragrant acidity of the rhubarb makes it a very light and refreshing dessert for spring and early summer.

• 1 lb 8 oz (700 g) fresh rhubarb
• 4 oz (110 g) golden caster sugar
• grated zest and juice 1 orange
• 2 oz (50 g) pecans
• 6 trifle sponges
• 3 level tablespoons marmalade
• 4 fl oz (120 ml) Sercial (dry) Madeira
• about 10 fl oz (275 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 x 11 g sachet gelatine powder
• 12 oz (350 g) fresh custard
• 7 oz (200 g) Greek yoghurt
• a little pouring cream (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C).

You will also need an ovenproof baking dish measuring 7½ inches (19 cm) square and 2 inches (5 cm) deep, and 6 individual serving bowls or 1 large trifle bowl with a capacity of 3½ pints (2 litres).

To prepare the rhubarb, cut it into 1 inch (2.5 cm) chunks and add these to the baking dish. Then sprinkle in the caster sugar, together with the zest and juice of the orange. Now pop the whole lot in the oven without covering and let it cook for 30-40 minutes, until the rhubarb is tender but still retains its shape. At the same time, place the pecans in the oven and put a timer on for 7 minutes to toast them lightly, then you can either leave them whole or chop them roughly.

While the rhubarb is cooking, slice the trifle sponges in half lengthways, spread each half with the marmalade, then reform them and cut each one into 3 little sandwiches. Now arrange them either in the individual serving bowls or the large trifle bowl. Then make a few stabs in the sponges and sprinkle the Madeira carefully over them, then leave it all aside so it can soak in.

When the rhubarb is cooked and has become completely cold, taste it – if it is a bit sharp, add a little more sugar. Take a draining spoon and carefully remove the chunks of rhubarb, placing them amongst the sponges. Now pour all the juices from the dish into a measuring jug and make this up to 18 fl oz (510 ml) with the orange juice.

Next, pour 8 fl oz (225 ml) of this into a small saucepan, scatter the gelatine over, whisk it and leave it to soak for 5 minutes. Then place the pan over a gentle heat and whisk everything until all the gelatine has completely dissolved – about 2 minutes – then return this to the remaining juice in the jug and give it all another good whisk. Now pour it over the sponges and rhubarb. When it is completely cold, cover it with clingfilm and leave in the fridge till completely set. The last thing you need to do is whisk the custard and Greek yoghurt together in a mixing bowl, then spoon this mixture over the set jelly.

Now cover with clingfilm again and chill until you're ready to serve. Don't forget to sprinkle the toasted pecan nuts over just before serving, and, although it doesn't strictly need it, a little chilled pouring cream is a nice addition.

Serves 6.

This recipe is taken from How to Cook Book Two and Delia's Vegetarian Collection. via DeliaOnline

Carrot-Orange Soup

• 4 tbsp (60 ml) sweet butter
• 2 cups (475 ml) finely chopped yellow onions
• 12 large carrots, about 2 lbs (.9 kg)., peeled and chopped
• 4 cups (950 ml) chicken stock
• 1 cup (225 ml) fresh orange juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• grated fresh orange zest to taste

Melt the butter in a pot.

Add onions, cover, and cook over low heat until tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes.

Add carrots and stock and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until carrots are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Pour the soup through a strainer and transfer the solids to the bowl of a food processor.

Add 1 cup (225 ml) of the cooking stock and process until smooth.

Return the puree to the pot and add the orange juice and additional stock, 2 to 3 cups (700 ml), until the soup is the desired consistency.

Season to taste with salt and pepper; add orange zest.

Simmer until heated through. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

from the Silver Palate Cookbook

Lemon Pudding Cakes

ACTIVE TIME: 20 MIN

TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 15 MIN

SERVES: 6

The Good News: These pillowy, vitamin C-packed cakelets are adapted from The Greyston Bakery Cookbook. "When you overwhelm dry ingredients with wet ones, an amazing texture separation happens," Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan says. "These cakes are rich without being too heavy."

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup skim milk
• 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Fresh raspberries or blackberries, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray six 6-ounce ramekins with vegetable oil spray. In a medium bowl, whisk the sugar with the flour. In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the butter until well blended. Whisk in the milk, lemon juice and lemon zest. Pour the lemon mixture into the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth.

2. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until firm peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the lemon mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins and transfer them to a small roasting pan. Place the pan in the oven and pour in enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

3. Bake the pudding cakes for 35 minutes or until they are puffy and golden on top. Using tongs, transfer the ramekins to a rack to cool for 20 minutes. Serve the cakes in the ramekins or run a knife around the edge of each cake and unmold onto plates. Serve warm or at room temperature with the berries.

MAKE AHEAD: The lemon pudding cakes can be refrigerated for 2 days.

One Serving 170 cal, 6 gm fat, 2.9 gm sat fat, 27 gm carb, 0.2 gm fiber.

from Food & Wine

Orange and Almond Oatmeal Cookies

• 2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened but still firm
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons minced orange zest
• 1 cup toasted chopped almonds

1. Adjust oven racks to low and middle positions; heat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl of electric mixer or by hand, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars; beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time.

2. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg together, then stir them into butter-sugar mixture with wooden spoon or large rubber spatula. Remove orange zest with peeler, being careful to leave behind any white pith. Toast almonds in 350-degree oven for 5 minutes and chop. Stir in oats, almonds, and orange zest.

3. Form dough into sixteen to twenty 2-inch balls, placing each dough round onto one of two parchment paper-covered, large cookie sheets. Bake until cookie edges turn golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes. (Halfway during baking, turn cookie sheets from front to back and also switch them from top to bottom.) Slide cookies on parchment onto cooling rack. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

If you prefer a less sweet cookie, you can reduce the white sugar by one-quarter cup, but you will lose some crispness. Do not overbake these cookies. The edges should be brown but the rest of the cookie should still be very light in color. Parchment makes for easy cookie removal and cleanup, but it's not a necessity. If you don't use parchment, let the cookies cool directly on the baking sheet for two minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Makes 16 to 20 large cookies.

Orange Salad

• romaine lettuce
• orange
• cucumber
• almonds
• avocado (optional)
• olive oil
• white balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper

My own creation.