Cranberry salsa? Why not! This surprising salsa is bold and tangy. The bitterness of the cranberries is tempered with sweetness from orange juice and a little bit of honey. Most cranberry salsa recipes are too sweet, calling for as much as one cup sugar. This one is well-balanced, and you can adjust it to suit your taste buds.

This cranberry salsa recipe was inspired by one my late grandmother brought to our family’s Christmas celebration years ago. It was festive and colorful, and I just loved it.

With my grandmother’s recipe in mind, I improvised this salsa last year when our friend Tessa and her husband came over. My grandmother served her salsa with cream cheese, but I noticed we all ignored the cream cheese and kept going back for more salsa. I don’t think it requires an accompaniment, but you’ll find serving suggestions below.

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These fluffy cranberry orange muffins will make your house smell like the holidays! I hope they become your new favorite holiday muffin recipe. They’re fluffy and moist and delicious—everything I want a muffin to be.

These muffins are bursting with fresh cranberry and orange flavor. This recipe calls for fresh cranberries, which are generally available in United States grocery stores from October or November through December. You can also use frozen cranberries, but I don’t recommend dried cranberries here.

These muffins are made with wholesome ingredients like whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt. They’re naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup. You can keep those details to yourself, though—no one will guess that these muffins are healthier than most.

You can easily mix these together by hand. No mixer required. Serve them for breakfast or brunch, or bring them to your holiday parties!

It took me eight tries to get these muffins just right, but they were absolutely worth the effort. I’m sharing the recipe again because they’re just so wonderful this time of year.

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Who wants a drink? Let’s relax with an Old Fashioned, one of the oldest cocktails around. The Old Fashioned is for whiskey lovers, certainly, but it also might convince naysayers to become whiskey cocktail drinkers after all.

The Old Fashioned is a bold, dynamic drink that’s a little citrusy and a little sweet. It’s the perfect drink during the holidays, on chilly evenings, and basically any time you find yourself sitting around a fire. 

I came up with one delicious twist on this classic cocktail recipe, which also happens to be a shortcut. If you’ve been following this blog for a while, I bet you can guess what it is.

That’s right, I used maple syrup instead of simple syrup. That’s my secret to making a great Old Fashioned. Traditionally, Old Fashioned cocktails are made with a sugar cube or simple syrup. I’m here to tell you that they taste better with maple syrup, which subtly complements bourbon’s caramel notes and stirs in like a dream.

Back when the Old Fashioned gained popularity, maple syrup was not readily accessible. Luckily, it is now. This recipe yields the best Old Fashioned you’ll ever make at home. I hope you’ll give it a try!

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Let’s cozy up with some mulled wine. Turn on some music, build a fire or light some candles, throw some spices and wine in a pot, and embrace the holiday season. It’s really that simple.

I’ve always associated mulled wine with holiday parties, but a single batch is perfect for two to four people. Mulled wine is unbelievably easy to make, even on a weeknight, and fills your home with holiday fragrance.

This mulled wine is for wine lovers. I’ve encountered a few mulled wines over the years that tasted like sweet potpourri, but not this recipe. It’s fruity and spiced, but the wine still shines through.

You just might even have all of the ingredients at home! If so, you’re just fifteen minutes away from mulled wine. Let’s make some.

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Let’s talk about cranberry sauce! It’s the neglected, afterthought condiment of Thanksgiving, but no holiday table is complete without it. Cranberry sauce adds a very necessary burst of sweet-tart flavor and ruby red color to an otherwise beige meal.

This naturally sweetened cranberry sauce recipe is much prettier than store-bought, not to mention extra delicious thanks to the honey or maple syrup.

Plus, this homemade cranberry sauce couldn’t be easier to make. It’s ready in about 10 minutes. If you need a quick and easy Friendsgiving option, sign up for the cranberry sauce!

Here’s what you’ll need to make this cranberry sauce recipe:

• 1 bag of fresh cranberries
• Honey or maple syrup
• Water
• Zest from one orange, or orange juice

…and a pot to cook it in. That’s it.

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Life is good! Let’s celebrate with this classic red sangria recipe. Sure, I love a glass of wine at the end of a long day, but sangria is best shared with friends.

Sangria is festive, fruity and fun. It’s a perfect party punch to pair with Spanish tapas or Mexican food. Cold sangria is undeniably great on hot summer days. The red wine base and versatile seasonal fruit options make it appropriate for cooler days, too!

Sangria hails from Spain, although funny enough, my friend Ali lives in Spain and says they don’t drink it often over there. I visited Barcelona with friends in college and we bought cheap cartons of sangria from the convenience store by the beach. I don’t recommend that stuff.

We’re going to make real sangria with good wine and fresh fruit today. Through research and trial and error, I’ve learned how to make the best red sangria. Ready?!

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A little birdie named Google told me that the Super Bowl is coming up. I don’t know who’s playing, but I do know what I’m bringing to the party—this bright, colorful, super fresh, seafood-free ceviche.

Little wedges of juicy grapefruit and orange are remarkably similar to raw seafood in texture and color. Citrus combined with perfectly ripe diced avocado makes a cheerful party appetizer or dip. It’s healthy, too, and lighter than my favorite guacamole recipe.

This “ceviche” is made entirely with fresh produce, so use the best grapefruit, oranges and avocados you can find. Fortunately, it’s citrus season, so you shouldn’t have to look far to find sweet, juicy citrus. Pick avocados that yield a bit to a gentle squeeze, but don’t have any mushy parts.

You’re working with fresh produce that can vary a lot in size, so use your best judgement at the store and adjust the final product to taste. I don’t always love grapefruit, but it’s balanced here by rich avocado and sweet orange. If the final result tastes a little too bitter, add another pinch or two of salt, since salt helps cut bitterness.

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Of all the granola recipes on this blog, this orange-infused granola might be my new favorite. Granted, I’m on an orange kick right now (don’t miss this orzo salad and this green salad).

The combination of fresh orange zest, honey, cinnamon, toasted almonds, vanilla and golden raisins is undeniably divine. It reminds me of the flavors I encountered in my celebratory post-cookbook trip to Morocco this spring.

On the solo leg of my trip, I remember spreading homemade orange jelly across pastries in the gorgeous riad where I was staying, feeling both spoiled and lonely. The sights and scents were too beautiful to keep to myself.

This granola would be a fun and simple weekend project to make with your loved ones. It would also make a delicious gift for your friends, family or new neighbors. Enjoy it plain as a snack, or add milk or yogurt for a wholesome breakfast.

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Here’s a fresh green salad to brighten up dreary winter days. I’ve been hanging onto this salad recipe until those irresistibly juicy, ripe oranges landed at the grocery store. Winter is citrus season, so the time is now!

I developed this salad for a fun event in New York City a few months ago, with my friends at Osmia Organics. Sarah asked me to develop a recipe around rose geranium essential oil, which had me stumped for a while.

I thought about my trip to Morocco, and all of the rosewater they incorporate in their food. Then I remembered the orange blossoms on the trees, and combined oranges with almonds, goat cheese and radishes. A tiny pinch of cinnamon on top ties in the Moroccan theme, and creates a beautifully vibrant and fragrant salad.

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Today, I’m sharing this fresh, bright and irresistible orzo salad recipe. It’s bursting with Mediterranean flavors—juicy orange, parsley, toasted almonds, crumbled feta and Kalamata olives.

I don’t use oranges nearly as often as I use lemon and lime, but this salad reminds me not to overlook those sweet, quiet oranges, especially while they’re in season.

This orzo salad was also a lesson in pasta salads. First lesson? You must rinse the pasta immediately after cooking it so it doesn’t get sticky and lopsided. Adding some of the starchy cooking water to the dressing adds body to the salad, while keeping the oil content in check.

Let the salad marinate for at least 10 minutes, so flavors have time to meld and the pasta has time to absorb some of the moisture. It doesn’t taste all that special until it’s had a little rest, and then it tastes spectacular. Trust me!

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