Leon County Cooks: Arizona orange juice

Paul Matney Until this year I have spent every Christmas of my life in Texas and many of them in Leon County. But this year was different and Paul and I spent our favorite holiday in the desert in Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona. A sunny, warm Christmas day was not an unusual experience for us. I remember many Christmas days when we played outside without a coat or the weather was so warm we left the door open and the breeze made the icicles dance on the pine Christmas tree in our front room. But I had a hard time adjusting to a saguaro cactus covered in lights or an ocotillo cactus with large Christmas balls hanging from it.

When we can be together on Christmas morning, my family loves a huge breakfast including bacon, sausage, eggs, biscuits and gravy. (Some call it a Triple Bi-Pass Breakfast.) This year because our son has a beautiful orange tree in his back yard, we had fresh-squeezed orange juice from handpicked oranges. I enjoy preparing the breakfast foods so that was my job. One daughterin law made some wonderful cinnamon rolls and the other made a beautiful fruit platter. Paul's responsibility was to make the orange juice.

Sherry Matney Although these oranges are delicious they are pretty small so each cup takes about four oranges and there were fourteen people at breakfast. Paul was a good sport, went outside on Christmas Eve, picked the oranges, cut them in half and squeezed every one by hand. I'm sure he must have squeezed seventy or eighty oranges and the result was worth his effort. (Of course I can say that since I didn't have to squeeze a single orange.)

It may interest you to know that oranges originated in Southeast Asia and came to America by way of Europe. Today Brazil is the largest producer of oranges growing almost eighteen million tons annually, and the U.S. comes in second with over eight million tons. Oranges do not freeze well but the juice is easily frozen and distributed throughout the world. Orange juice is one of the commodities traded on the New York Board of Trade.

A single orange weighing 3.5 ounces provides 75% of the daily requirement of vitamin C, 2.4 grams of fiber and only about 90 calories. A real bargain in nutrition.

The recipes this week all have oranges or orange juice in them. Orange Juice Chicken 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 2 tbsp prepared Dijon-style mustard ½ cup chopped onion ½ cup packed brown sugar, divided 2 cups orange juice 2 tablespoons butter 2 tbsp all purpose flour Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place chicken in a 9X13 baking dish. Spread mustard evenly over the chicken and sprinkle with chopped onion. Coat lightly with ¼ cup of the brown sugar and pour in enough orange juice to cover chicken. Add butter on top. Bake for 45 minutes, then remove leftover sauce from baking dish and pour into a saucepan. Sprinkle chicken with remaining ¼ cup sugar and return to oven. Whisk flour into sauce in saucepan. Add any leftover orange juice and heat on high until the sauce thickens. Remove chicken from oven and place on a serving dish; pour sauce over the chicken or into a gravy boat and serve. Orange Dessert Square 2/3 cup sugar ½ cup butter, softened 2 eggs, separated 2 cups self-rising flour ¾ cup milk 4 tsp finely grated orange peel In a medium bowl beat sugar, butter, and egg yolks at medium speed until light and fluffy; add flour alternate with milk at low speed, beginning and ending with flour. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry; fold egg whites and orange rind gently into the batter; pour into greased and floured 13X9X2-inch baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool, cut into squares, and serve with warm orange sauce. Orange Sauce 2/3 cup sugar 1 tbsp cornstarch ¼ tsp salt 1 cup boiling water 1 tsp butter 4 tsp finely grated orange peel ½ cup fresh orange juice In small saucepan mix together sugar, cornstarch, and salt; pour the boiling water over mixture, stirring constantly. Cook over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Add butter, orange peel, and orange juice. Orange Frost ½ cup orange juice ½ banana, frozen 1 tbsp non-fat milk powder Dash cinnamon or nutmeg 2 ice cubes Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until creamy. Makes 2 servings Orange Butter Recipe ½ cup softened butter 1 tbsp orange juice 1 tsp grated orange peel Combine butter, orange juice and orange peel; blend well.

And don't forget the best way to enjoy an orange is to peel and eat it. Yummm