Need a quick, edible, last-minute gift? Have a few extra cranberries lying around? You’ve got to try this Cranberry Butter, a recipe from MissyDew (the woman who also blessed us with That’s the Best Frosting I’ve Ever Had). I swear it’s magical. Even more magical than butter is on its own.

You only need four things: fresh cranberries, honey, an orange, and a pound of softened butter. Because you probably haven’t used enough butter this month.

First give the cranberries a chop.

Stick them in a bowl with the butter.

Add the honey.

Get out your trusty zester and get all the zest you can off that orange. Don’t have a zester? It’s probably not too late to ask Santa for one. Although you might want to spell out “Microplane” for him, just so he can get it right. He’s getting old, you know.

There. Everything’s in the bowl. That took, what, 5 minutes?

Give it a good stir.

(Or more realistically, stir until you realize your butter isn’t as soft as you thought. Dump it into a larger bowl, buzz it with an electric mixer, and return it to the smaller, prettier bowl like nothing happened.)

Now, please don’t make the mistake that I made. Once I made this, I was dying to schmear it on something, but I realized, with actual horror, that I didn’t have a single thing to spread it on in my house. We were even out of bread that day. I almost put it on a tortilla because I was desperate, but I did the same thing that any of you might have done—I put a big glob of it on my finger and popped it in my mouth. Talk about a burst of sweet, citrus-y, buttery goodness.

When I came to my senses and actually bought some bread, I discovered this Cranberry Butter will turn even the humblest piece of toast into an $8 piece of room service toast at a four-star hotel. You could also put it on pancakes, waffles, muffins, scones, chubby baby cheeks, and even popcorn,.

C’mon, I know I’m not the only one who has cannablistic tendencies toward cute babies.

By the way, I’ve had it melted over popcorn. It’s divine.

 
 
 
This spread would be great on so many baked goods here at Tasty Kitchen, but here are a few that caught my eye. And may keep me from eating the whole bowl with my fingers.

Clockwise from top left: Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Muffins from HowSweetEats, Gingerbread Waffles from emily {onelovelylife}, White Chocolate Cranberry Scones from crobbins (there is a slew of cranberry scone recipes on TK!), Carrot Cake Pancakes from multiplydelicious, and Double Ginger Scones from angpritch.

 
 
 
Thanks MissyDew for a fantastic recipe!

Printable Recipe

Cranberry Butter

by MissyDew on October 8, 2010 in Condiments October 8, 2010 Condiments

4.93 Mitt(s) 15 Rating(s)

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: -

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 20

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Description

I love this during the holidays. I first received some as a gift in a jar and enjoyed every bit of it, especially on toast or on homemade rolls or lefse. Make some for yourself and some to share with others.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Butter, Softened To Room Temperature
• ½ cups Chopped Fresh Cranberries
• ½ cups Honey
• 1 whole Orange (just The Zest)

Preparation Instructions

Such an easy recipe, it’s easy to adjust the ingredients to your personal taste. Want more orange flavor? Zest another orange! Want it less sweet? Reduce the amount of honey. Make it your own!

Combine softened butter, chopped fresh cranberries, honey to taste (about 1/2 cup) and the ZEST ONLY of one orange. Mix until well blended.

You’ll need to store this in the refrigerator.

 
 
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Be sure to check out Natalie’s own beautiful food blog, Perrys’ Plate, where you can see her growing collection of lovely recipes. There’s always something new to see there. Go visit now!

It’s officially the holiday weekend! Whether you’re traveling or just chilling at home, it’s a good bet there will be plenty of food involved. Sometimes, all the chips and dips and burgers and hot dogs and sides and desserts can be a bit much. Adding sweet cocktails might just take you over the top indulgence-wise. If you want to cool off with a fun, fruity cocktail but keep it light, these Skinny Blended Raspberry Lemon Mojitos from Taylor look pretty delicious. And bonus! They’re red, white and blue! Click on the photo above for the printable recipe.

We hope everyone has safe and fun festivities this weekend!

Happy 4th of July!

This holiday weekend, many of you will be enjoying the outdoors, hopefully with the notable absence of oppressive heat or menacing storms. The kids are off school, you’re off work, and it’s July. July, friends—smack in the thick of summer, with long days of sunlight, perfect for all kinds of backyard and front-yard and any-other-yard shenanigans.

We love picnics and outdoor barbecues because they fuel all that summer play without having to stop what you’re doing to head somewhere else for food. And picnic food is fun! Whether packing lunch for the whole family for an afternoon at the park, or a romantic basket for two as you sit and watch the fireworks together, there are so many ways to make a picnic more memorable. So tell us:

Do you have any tips for making a picnic extra special?

Maybe you have a signature dish that everyone looks forward to at picnics, or a favorite low-maintenance dish to pack. Or maybe you have a trick for packing and transporting the food. Perhaps you even have a special way of laying out the spread on a picnic table or on a pretty blanket on the ground, or favorite activities and games to play. Or maybe you have a few do-ahead tips to make the picnic extra special for you because it makes your work easier. Whatever it is, we want to hear it. Come share below!

We’re getting ready to blow the lid off Mother’s Day here, friends. What, you might be asking, does every mom want more than anything in the world? The answer is simple and may inform your morning activities on Mother’s Day. Are you ready for it? Every mom’s dream is to NOT get out of bed in the morning. There you have it!

Now, we are under no illusion that it’s actually possible to sleep late. Most moms have been waking up in the wee hours far too long to stay asleep past about 7:30 a.m. Sleeping is not the point, though! The big treat is to stay in bed, reading, petting the dog, wallowing or just staring off into space. Doing nothing! It’s every mother’s dream.

So, now that we are armed with this information, let’s make a plan! Breakfast in bed sounds like a good one. We’ve got a few ideas for relatively simple breakfasts for mom that even the kids can pitch in and help to make.

Baked eggs are impressive but relatively simple. This dish is hearty and satisfying but makes for a pretty presentation for Mom. And the kids could help assemble the ingredients among the ramekins before baking.

Avocado toast is everywhere these days, and this one is easy but so delicious. Any mom will dig it!

Kids get excited to help make these fun eggs baked in muffin tins. Moms (and any other humans) get excited about eating them! Another method for cooking eggs that kids love is cracking them into cookie cutters for fun shapes.

If the mom in your life is a smoothie lover, treat her to this rich, but healthy chocolate and peanut butter version. Yum!

If the kids want to help in other ways, we love having them squeeze fresh juice or spell “MOM” with food. Bacon strips or sausage links and biscuits work well for this. And of course, delivering the breakfast tray to mom in bed is a very important job!

Enjoy Mother’s Day! And if you’re a mom, we vote you stay in bed a little while. It’s the right thing to do!

I don’t know about you all, but May snuck up on me this year! 2015 was brand spanking new about five minutes ago, and now it’s almost half over. How can it be! Of course, the nicer May weather is not bad at all, and there’s lots of fun energy buzzing about summer plans. So I guess May can stay.

May also brings Mother’s Day, and it’s coming this weekend! Mother’s Day gives us a chance celebrate our moms and all the mamas in our lives. And what better way is there to show a mom she’s special than to pamper her with a nice meal or maybe her favorite homemade treat? I think I speak for all moms when I say, “Cook for us! We’ll love you forever!” Of course, moms don’t require anything elaborate. We’re just thrilled by the gesture. Sweet notes from kids don’t hurt either.

We’d love to hear your Mother’s Day plans, especially as they relate to cooking or baking for your mom. So tell us:

What meal or treat are you making for your mom this Mother’s Day?

I get to see my mom this weekend, and I’m thinking a fresh, warm batch of scones and a few hugs and kisses from her grandchildren Sunday morning will pretty much make her month. It’s the simple things!

Happy Mother’s Day!

I think, by now, we’ve established the fact that we love Mexican food around here. Who doesn’t? It’s just so right. So obviously, we cannot let Cinco de Mayo pass without rounding up some of our members’ latest and greatest Mexican recipes. The only problem now, is waiting until next Tuesday to dive into all this glorious grub. And let’s face it, we probably won’t wait. Uno de Mayo is totally a thing, didn’t you hear? Whatever day you celebrate, we’ve got a recipe or two, or a hundred for you. Here we go!

No Cinco de Mayo feast can commence without appetizers. Guacamole and salsa are no-brainers but we’re not stopping there. Queso, anyone?

Now for the centerpiece of the meal and some of our favorite Mexican dishes: tacos, enchiladas and burritos. If you can pile it on or wrap it in a tortilla, throw some cheese in and a little sauce, we’ll sign up every time!

Deciding what meat or other filling you want can be tough! So let’s not decide. We can slow-cook and grill and pan fry all at once if it means we get more filling options! Suddenly, a taco bar sounds just right. But even one of these recipes would make the whole meal!

There are, of course, so many store-bought products that make for easy prep, but to step up our game, we love making some of the components from scratch. These homemade ingredients will give your Cinco de Mayo spread that special something!

Sides, glorious sides! Oh, how we love rice, beans, corn and more. We believe the more fixin’s, the better the eatin’!

Don’t forget dessert! We can’t walk away without a bite—or eighteen—of something sweet. Here are a few treats we can’t stop thinking about.

If you still can’t get enough Mexican goodness, check out the massive Cinco de Mayo roundup we did a while back. Let’s just say it’s comprehensive.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! And happy cooking!

 
Let’s face it. We would eat Mexican food every day of the year if we could. It’s just all-around yummy. Tortillas, cheese, savory slow-cooked meats and margaritas. What more does anyone need in life?

We look forward to Cinco de Mayo every year, not because we need an excuse to eat Mexican food (we do plenty of that anyway), but to celebrate the variety of great flavors in Mexican dishes you all share with us. It’s easy to get into a rut with the Mexican food we make at home, and we love adding new recipes to the mix, like Krysten’s Chicken Enchiladas in the photo above. We’ll share some of our favorites later this week, but today we want to hear from you about your go-to meals. So, whether it’s a new recipe or an old standby, tell us:

What is your favorite Mexican dish?

Enchiladas always top the charts in our house, and we love changing up fillings and sauces to vary the results. Also, Mexican chorizo is just one of our favorite ingredients to use. It’s darn amazing in breakfast tacos.

So let’s celebrate Mexican cuisine and get hungry chatting about it!

If you hosted a big Easter meal yesterday, chances are you have a large chunk of ham taking up premium space in your refrigerator. And if you’re like me, the day my fridge is packed to the gills with leftovers seems to always be the same day I want to head out to the store to replenish my supply of fresh apple cider, yogurt, half-and-half, eggs, and everything else that needs to reclaim that space. An odd-shaped slab of meat occupying an entire shelf can put a damper on those plans. So let’s use it up!

Everyone has a few favorite leftover-ham standbys, like simple ham and cheese sandwiches, soups, omelettes, fried rice, or some variation of Hawaiian pizza. But in case you’re looking for inspiration or just something new to try out, we rounded up a few that we’ve featured right here on the Tasty Kitchen Blog. Like the Ham and Cheese Potato Skins you see above. Ham, cheese, and crispy, salty potato skins. Sign me up.

Individual Scalloped Potatoes with Ham. More of the ham, cheese, and potato combination!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole. Rich and creamy, with a crunchy buttery topping. Comfort food in casserole form, and worth every extra calorie.

Darn Good Ham and Cheese Sliders. A classic, and always a hit.

While we’re on the subject of sandwiches, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the croque-monsieur. It’s a fancy name for what is basically a grilled ham and cheese sandwich topped with hot and bubbly bechamel (white sauce). Top that with a fried egg, and you have yourself a croque-madame.

We hope these will give you a few new ideas for that leftover ham, especially if you have more time to play in the kitchen now that spring break is over. And if you have any favorite ways to use up leftover ham, share your tips and recipe links below!

If you are busy with Easter preparations like filling baskets and dyeing eggs, you may not have finalized your menu. We have a few—okay more than a few—recipe ideas to make your Easter brunch lovely. And now we are officially hungry. So here we go with some prize winning brunch grub!

Hint: All the photos in the collages are clickable, and will open up the printable recipe in a separate tab. So go ahead and click away!

Before we dive into the food, let’s wet our whistle with a cool, refreshing cocktail. From Bloody Marys to spritzers to mojitos, there’s something here for every brunch-goer.

Eggs Benedict may be the perfect brunch food, and the effort is always appreciated. If you want to wow your family and guests, try one of these beauties. I don’t know about you, but the Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict is speaking to me right about now.

Another brunch classic is, of course, quiche, and it can come together relatively simply. Using spring ingredients also makes it ideal for Easter. Asparagus, pancetta and gruyere, anyone? We say yes.

I have never had a houseguest turn down a scone, especially if it was warm from the oven. A basket of any of these lovely scones would not be a bad addition to the brunch table. Sweet or savory, scones are such a satisfying treat.

And let us not forget the carrot cake! It’s the quintessential Easter dessert, and we’ve got a few favorites for you. Cupcakes are a fun and easy alternative to baking and frosting the full cake!

Happy Easter, friends!

Easter week is in full swing, and if you haven’t already boiled and dyed eggs, it’s more than likely on your agenda in the next couple of days. Dyed eggs are the centerpiece of many families’ Easter celebrations, so we want to share knowledge today about all things Easter egg. Tell us:

Do you have tips for perfect Easter eggs?

Whether it’s cooking, dyeing or using the leftover eggs in a recipe, we want to hear your tricks.

First, the cooking. We all have our favorite method for achieving the perfect hard-boiled egg. Some of us add vinegar to the water before it boils. Others skip this step. Some boil rapidly for a set period and then remove and add cold water to cool. Another method is to bring water to a boil with the eggs in the pot and then remove from heat, cover and let sit for several minutes to complete the cooking. We know folks who swear by using an ice bath to stop the cooking. How about you? What are your best hard-boiled egg tricks? Since we’ll be boiling at least a dozen eggs, we want to make sure they come out right. We’ll eventually eat these babies, after all.

Now for the dyeing. Always a fun (though sometimes messy) undertaking, we’ve seen some really fun variations on the typical approach and some clever uses of natural ingredients to dye eggs. TK Member Patricia from ButterYum shares a neat method from Le Creuset for dyeing eggs purple using grape juice. We also adore these crackled eggs from Stephanie of Girl Versus Dough. Tell us your tips for the best dyed eggs. How do you get the most vivid colors, and/or what natural ingredients have you found success with for dyeing?

After the hunt, we’ll be ready to crack open our eggs and use them for deviled eggs, a great egg salad or maybe perfect potato salad for Easter dinner. I always love a good Cobb or Nicoise salad, and both call for a hard-boiled egg or two. Then at least one or two eggs will end up in school lunches around here. I’m thinking I need to have another dozen eggs on hand! Let us know your favorite uses for your leftover Easter eggs. We’re ready for some fresh ideas!

We wish you wonderful celebrations with family and friends and hope your eggs turn out lovely and tasty!