Apple Cranberry Croissants and a Sugar Review

Have you heard of Zulka Morena Pure Cane Sugar?  It is a sugar that is minimally processed which you can tell as soon as you open the bag.  The sugar has a slight tan colour instead of white.  I also like that it doesn't taste as sweet as regular white sugar does and can still use less of it and my baking or cooking tastes wonderful.  Zulka Morena Pure Cane Sugar can be used cup for cup of regular sugar. Zulka Sugar is coarser so when I use egg white and sprinkle the sugar over my baking for example sweet bread, the sugar doesn't dissolve and you can still see some of the crystals after baking.

I have been using this sugar for a while and contacted the company to let them know that I loved their sugar. They replied back to me and asked if I would like some for my holiday baking... Of course I said yes, who doesn't like free things.  I offered to do a review for them as I am that kind of gal.  When I find a product that I like, I want to let you all know about it.  The free stuff is just a great perk.

I am also looking forward to some of their new products ~ brown sugar and powdered sugar.  They also have a Picante sugar that peaks my interest.

Now onto the recipe that uses this wonderful sugar....

Apple Cranberry Croissants

Ingredients:

2 cans Pilsbury Crescent ( I used the butter flake)

2 apples

Cranberries (1 per roll)

1/2 cup Zulka Morena Pure Cane Sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg*

1 egg white

1/4 cup butter

2 tsp heavy cream

1/8 cup Zulka Morena Pure Cane Sugar

Directions:

In small bowl mix sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Set aside.

Roll out crescents, If they don't roll out flat, use a rolling pin and roll them out flat.

Slice apples into 32 pieces, 1/2 apple will make 4 crescents.

Slice cranberries in half

Sprinkle sugar mixture over each crescent.

Place 2 half cranberries between 2 slices of apple at the large edge of the crescent.

Roll fruit into the crescents from the wide end to the narrow.

Whisk egg yolk and brush to the top of each crescent roll.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until croissants are brown.

For Glaze:  In a small pan add butter, heavy cream, 1/8 sugar mixture and 1/8 cup Zulka Sugar.

Over medium heat, bring to boil stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Remove from heat and drizzle over each croissant.

Notes: 

* I would add a little more nutmeg next time as I couldn't really taste it and I love nutmeg.

Next time I make these I am going to add a little more apple and cranberries.  

You will have extra Cinnamon Sugar Mixture ~ save the leftovers and make cinnamon toast.

I did have extra glaze.. I let it sit until hardened and it tasted wonderful on a spoon.

I took this recipe to our Christmas Party at work and it got great reviews.  It is easy to make and great tasting. 

An added bonus if you already use Zulka Sugar or plan to buy it soon ~ 

 Zulka is hosting a Holiday Bake-Off Facebook contest for a chance to win $500 to Sur La Table!  Entering is easy:

1.           Create a recipe using Zulka Pure Cane Sugar

2.           Upload the recipe with an image of your creation to Zulka’s “Bake-Off” Facebook tab by December 22 for a chance to win a $500 gift card to Sur La Table!

Good Luck and let me know if your recipe wins. 

 Other recipes I have made with Zulka Sugar:  Homemade Cranberry Sauce,  Baked Beans ,  Pumpkin Spice Syrup and Seared Gingerbread Tenderloin with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms.  As you can see with these examples this sugar can be used in any type of cooking.


Disclaimer:  I did receive this product and was in no way under any obligation to do a review.  All opinions are 100% mine.

LINKS: Create it or Bake it, In and Out of the Kitchen , Blogger's Best of 2013

Time for a cookie exchange at Foodie Friends Friday.

This time of the year it is always fun to have a cookie exchange that way you don't have to make so many different types of cookies but you can still have them.
So we here at Foodie Friends Friday are going to have a virtual cookie exchange.  Bring over you best cookies for us...

First Highlights from Last Week's Party

Host Favorites

Head over to the Daily Dish Magazine to check out the wonderful pies

My Host Favorite

I am not a big fan of eggnog.. it is much to thick for me but I love the flavor in baking and cooking.  I use it all the time and even freeze some at the end of the season so that I can have some eggnog baking during the year.  Nicole from 365ish Day of Pinterest brought over a wonderful Eggnog Pie.  It is also a no-bake recipe which is also perfect during the holidays when your oven is full.  I do need to make this recipe soon and check it out.  I know it will be perfect.

picture credit: 365 (ish) Days of Pinterest

Recipes with the Most Clicks

 Let's Party

 

Adding Links back to Foodie Friends Friday and our Button is our only form of advertising to bring in more people to see YOUR recipes.

Please remember to do this. It benefits you! To thank you, we will continue to feature those with links throughout the year on various outlets.

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An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

-b

Turkey Chili with the Help of Mrs Dash

Oh the cold weather outside is frightful

But the fire is so delightful

And since we've no where to go

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!!

This song has been going through my head just about everyday... We have had snow... and snow... and snow.  It just doesn't want to stop.  It also has been cold and windy.  This is the perfect time to make Chili. Even though you have to go out in the snow and the cold it isn't so bad if you can come into a warm bowl of Chili.

I am always filling out forms to get free samples and one of the samples that I got was Mrs Dash Chili Seasoning Mix.  I decided to try it and YUM!  I love the flavour that it gave my chili.  It even tasted better after sitting in the fridge for a couple of days.  I was not asked to do a review of this seasoning and but wanted to share this wonderful seasoning.  It makes it so much easier to make a great chili.

Turkey Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb turkey (can also use ground beef or hamburger)

1/2 cup diced onion

1 garlic clove minced

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (I used Red Gold) 

1 5 oz can tomato sauce

1 15 oz can kidney beans

1 pkg Mrs. Dash Chili Seasoning Mix

1 cup corn (I use frozen corn)

Direction:

In large frying pan or saucepan, fry turkey. Add onions and garlic and continue to cook for a couple of minutes.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, Kidney beans, corn, Chili Seasoning Mix.  Bring to a boil and turn down and simmer for at least 15 minutes. 

Enjoy.

LINKS:  Tasty Tuesdays

Crocheted Christmas Mitts Ornaments

This fall and winter I have been having so much fun making more ornaments.  I used to do this every Christmas and I would give my nieces and nephews homemade ornaments every year.  Well for about the last 10 years I haven't done so much.

I decided to pick up my crochet hook and do a few ornaments with them.  I found this pattern for mitts and thought they would be perfect.  My biggest problem was reading the instructions.  I am not so good at that but I do think they turned out looking alright.

After making many different ornaments I decided that this one was the one I was sending to my partner for the Ornament Swap 2013, hosted by Tutus and Tea Parties, Robyn's View and Baby Bump and Beyond.  I had so much fun last year, that I joined up again for this year.  I know that my partner received her  ornament as she sent me an email.  So, that means that I can write about what I made.

Crocheted Christmas Mitt Ornaments

Materials:
Yarn
Crochet Hook
Pattern for Mitts
Burlap
Button
Fabric Fusion Sheet
String

Instructions:
Crochet your mitt using this pattern.
Apply Fabric Fusion Sheet to back of burlap with iron.  This is used to give the burlap some stability and to prevent unraveling.  The first mitt I cut out my pattern first and then ironed the fabric fusion sheet to back - BAD idea.  It didn't work as good.  Works better to do this step first.
Cut out patterns - I used hearts and stars, but you can use whatever you would like.
Find buttons that match or even just the colours you like.
Thread your button and burlap shape to the mitt and tie ends.

That's it, your done.  Depending on your expertise in crocheting will depend on how long each ornament takes.  It took me about an hour or two to do one mitt.   These ornaments would be perfect to put small gifts, candies or money in, use as gift toppers or you could also use them on your table to hold your cutlery.

to use on your table for your cutlery

Tuck small gifts or money inside

Here are some of the other ornaments that I have made this year.... Hot Chocolate Ornaments, and Sheet Music Ornaments .


Links:  Craft Frenzy Friday Link Party, Create it or Bake it, In and Out of the Kitchen

Homemade Cranberry Sauce ~ Simple, Easy and yummy tasting.

You can't have turkey without Cranberry Sauce or at least I don't think you can.  I try to make my own and every year I do something a little different.  This year I decided to follow the recipe on the bag with a slight change or improvement I think.  This recipe is so simple and easy to make... and yummy in taste.

Pie Party at Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #foodiefriendsfriday

"American as Apple Pie"

Pie is part of American history.  They came with the early settlers and were considered economical food. Pies were an easy way to transport and keeping food.  The pilgrims brought over the apple speed and once the trees grew, the apple pie became very popular.   December 1st was National Pie Day and the 3rd was National Apple Pie Day so.....

Fill the Cookie Jar with Sandtarts

I can't believe that it is time to Fill the Cookie Jar again.  It seems like it was only a few days ago that I filled it with  Pumpkin Chai Biscotti.  This month theme is Holiday.