Recipe Redux: Chocolate-Cranberry Clusters

Happy 1st Birthday to the Recipe Redux! I’ve really enjoyed being a Recipe Redux-er this past year, and look forward to celebrating many more birthdays with this awesome group of bloggers! Thanks to Regan Jones, Serena Ball and Deanna Segrave-Daly for all of their hard work to make Recipe Redux so great!

To celebrate, we are bringing you “Small Bites to Celebrate a Big Event” with a focus on small bite desserts….YUM! I love it when dessert is involved

This month I’m reaching back into my recipe library for one of the simplest recipes on my blog, Chocolate-Cranberry Clusters. 

I hope you’ll enjoy this small bite dessert and all the others from my fellow Recipe Reduxers!

 

{Olive & Sinclair}

If you live in Nashville and haven’t tried Olive & Sinclair chocolate yet, I suggest you treat yourself to some this year for Valentine’s day! And then, once you’ve tried it and fallen in love with at least one of the unique flavors, go see their factory at 1404 McGavock Pike.

Last week, I organized a tour of the O&S factory for the Nashville District Dietetic Association. Since February is heart health month, we just had to eat some fine dark chocolate to support the cause (and our hearts)!  I appreciate their product even more now that I know the high standards they hold and the hard work they put into their chocolate. It truly is a labor of love.

Mexican Style Cinnamon-Chili

If you’re still looking for a Valentine’s day gift for your sweetie, your friend, your co-worker, anyone really, stop by Olive & Sinclair (or Whole Foods, Produce Place) to pick up some chocolate!

And if you want to really impress your Valentine’s date, pair the O&S Mexican-Style Cinnamon Chili with Broadbent Port. Just be sure to throw out phrases like “I love how the wine brings out the heat in the chocolate”.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Chocolate-Cranberry Clusters

They’re sweet, slightly salty, and super tasty.

And man do people love them. I made these for a diabetes support group meeting (there’s only 13 grams of carbohydrates per cluster!), then took some to work the following day…and I think I’ll be expected to bring more back soon!

Chocolate-Cranberry Clusters

Recipe adapted from: KimGaleaz.com

Ingredients:
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 Tbsp. sunflower seed kernels

Directions:

1. Melt chocolate chips in double-boiler over simmering water.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add melted chocolate to the bowl and mix well to coat.
3. Using a tablespoon, scoop mixture onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet.
4. Chill clusters in fridge for at least 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature for best flavors.

Cupcake Adventures

I’ve always wanted to enter a recipe contest. So, when my mom mentioned the Scharffen Berger Chocolate Adventure Cupcake contest, I knew it was my time. After recruiting my cupcake-fanatic friends, we set out on our cupcake adventure.

The rules of the contest were as follows:

• Use a Scharffen Berger product
• Make use of at least one of the 14 adventure ingredients (we tried adzuki beans, Sumatra coffee beans, buttermilk, molasses, chili peppers, ricotta cheese & stout beer)
• The recipe must be original

After several hours of baking, we had created 25 cupcake/frosting combinations and a giant mess in the kitchen. But it was so much fun and I think we came up with some pretty adventurous cupcakes!

Mild and Hot Chili Pepper Chocolate Cupcakes

Chai-Chocolate Cupcakes

Molasses Cream Cheese Frosting & Chocolate Stout Frosting

In the end we submitted our favorites (see one recipe below) and now we will just hope for the best! Until then, I think we’re all going to cut back on the cupcakes for awhile….maybe:)

The damage…

Chai-Chocolate Cupcakes with Sumatra Coffee Frosting
Makes 18 cupcakes + 3 cups frosting

Ingredients
3/4 cup Scharffen Berger unsweetened cocoa powder
1.5 cups AP flour
1.5 cups sugar
1.5 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp Saigon cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/2  cup Tazo Chai Tea Latte concentrate
1/4  cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.
2. Mix together cocoa powder, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
3. To the dry ingredients, add the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping the sides to make sure batter is mixed well.
4. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Bake approximately 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let sit for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Sumatra Coffee Frosting

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into chunks
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp strongly brewed Sumatra coffee (3Tbsp. ground coffee per 1 cup water)
3 Tbsp low-fat ricotta cheese
3 cups confectioner’s sugar

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, heavy cream, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 1 minute. Add coffee and ricotta and mix until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
2. Reduce speed of mixer and gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, beating until smooth, about 4-5- minutes. Once well-mixed, increase mixer speed and beat frosting until well-incorporated, about 5 minutes. (If not mixed long enough, the frosting will appear oily).

12 Days of Nashville Foodie Favs!

In the spirit of the holidays, my fellow dietitan friend, Lindsey Joe, and I have decided to compile a list of our FAVORITE places to find fabulous food! So if you still searching for the perfect gift for a spouse, family member, friend, or co-worker, I encourage you to check out these places and the awesome products they make. Happy Holidays….let the countdown begin!

On the 1st day of Nashville Foodie Favs…
Arrington Vineyards
Highly Recommend: Raspberry Dessert Wine & Riesling

Founded by Kix Brooks (of Brooks & Dunn for all you non-country music listeners), Arrington Vineyards offers a variety of award-wining wines that will make any wine-enthusiast very merry this Christmas.

On the 2nd day of Nashville Foodie Favs…
Olive & Sinclair Chocolate
Highly Recommend: Mexican Style Cinn-Chili, Salt & Pepper (67% Dark Chocolate)

Talk about a great stocking stuffer! A bar of this Nashville-crafted chocolate is the perfect gift for anyone…because honestly, who doesn’t LOVE chocolate? You can find Olive & Sinclair in several locations throughout Nashville, or just place an order online.
 

On the 3rd day of Nashville Foodie Favs…
Nashville Originals Gift Certificate

With 44 restaurants to choose from, a Nashville Originals gift certificate is great for anyone who likes to eat (and who doesn’t like to eat?). And if you hurry and order today, there are a few select restaurant gift certificates at a discount price! Most of my favorite restaurants in Nashville are members of the Originals, so I’m a big fan to say the least

On the 4th day of Nashville Foodie Favs… 
Salud! Cooking School Gift Certificate

For the new cook, the intermediate cook, or even the seasoned chef, there’s always something to learn at Salud! Cooking School at Whole Foods. The classes at Salud! cover all the bases: cuisines from every part of the world, classes for tots, teens, singles and couples, and lessons in healthy cooking to creating indulgent sweets. So this holiday season, give the gift of cooking!

On the 5th day of Nashville Foodie Favs…
Olivia Olive Oil
Highly Recommend: Blackberry Roasted Pepper Balsamic Vinegar, Chilean Blend Olive oil

Olivia Olive Oil is Nashville’s Premier Olive Oil Boutique and Tasting Bar located in the Cool Springs area. When I started thinking about gifts for my family, this was one of the first places I decided to shop! Olive Olive Oil is much more than oil & vinegar, though, so be sure to check out all of the other goodies either online or in-store!

I received a bottle of Blackberry Balsamic from my Secret Santa this year! She must have heard me raving about it repeadetly.

On the 6th day of Nashville Foodie Favs…
Bravo Gelato

Bravo Gelato is a Nashville based, family owned Gelato Company that makes true authentic Italian ice cream (enough said!). They have over 170 flavors and guarantee you’ll love them from bite one! Swing by their Green Hills or Hillsboro Road location to pick up a gift certificate & a pint of gelato to go. Yummm!

On the 7th day of Nashville Foodie Favs…
Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s is one of my favorite places to shop because of their great selection of quality food products (where else can you piece together your own dim sum!) and their amazingly low prices. Whether you purchase a gift certificate at their Green Hills location or concoct your own foodie fav gift basket full of Joe’s products, your giftee will surely thank you.

On the 8th day of Nashville Foodie Favs…
Bongo Java

Everyone needs a little bongo in their life…Bongo Java coffee that is! As the only certified organic and Fair Trade coffee company in Nashville, Bongo Java is serious about coffee. Check out their websie to discover the variety of coffee blends and other goodies available for purchase!

On the 9th day of Nashville Foodie Favs…
Loveless Cafe

Unchanged for over half a century, the Loveless Café is a Nashville landmark filled with quaint country charm & good ole home cookin’! Beware the un-refuse-ably delish scratch biscuits and array of other Tennessee grown & farmed dishes. The online store, Hams & Jams, has plenty of gift pack options and other goodies to send this holiday season!

On the 10th day of Nashville Foodie Favs…
Nashville Farmers Market

Voted the “Best Farmers’ Market”, the NFM has something to please every pallet, from Indian and Jamaican, to sweets and canine treats. The market is open every day (even Christmas Eve for you last minute shoppers!) so skedaddle already!

On the 11th day of Nashville Foodie Favs…
The Cupcake Collection

If you know someone who is cupcake crazy (such as myself!) then you must head on down to the Cupcake Collection. Equal parts moist cake and melt-in-your-mouth frosting, these cupcakes will make any Scrooge’s holiday season super sweet, literally.

On the 12th day of Nashville Foodie Favs…
The Turnip Truck

 The Turnip Truck is Nashville’s natural market, selling locally made goods and organic products. Now with two locations in Nashville (the Gulch & East Nashville), it’s even easier to get your hands on a Turnip Truck gift card to stuff in a stocking this year!

Disclaimer: No compensation was provided from any of the above mentioned vendors.