Mint Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup Flour
• 1/3 cup Bitter sweet Cocoa
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 2/3 cup Sugar
• pinch of Salt
• 1/4 cup I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, softened
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 Milk
• 1 1/4 ounce Creme de Menthe baking chips

These are the mint chips 

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Blend with a whisk. Set aside.
• In a larger bowl, place butter and sugar. Mix with a spoon until sugar has blended well. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well.
• Add half the flour mix and stir. Alternate with adding half the milk. Stir.  
• Once all blended, stir in the mint chips.
• Spoon the mixture into 12 paper cups in a muffin pan.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until muffin bounces back to the touch.

Cranberry Jelly

This recipe was given to me by Haik's aunt. I changed it a little to make it my own- and based on what I had handy. This is full of spice and flavour, you'll quickly realize how you've been fooled by what's in that can of cranberry sauce! This is the real deal- well the original recipe is the real deal, this is a close second place.

Ingredients

• 24 ounces  Fresh Cranberries
• 1 cup Jack Daniel's Honey
• 1 cup Cranberry Juice
• 10 Cloves
• 1 tsp whole All Spice
• 1 whole Nutmeg, crushed
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1 Peel of a Navel Orange
• 2 Tbsp Honey

This sweet liquor is part of my own twist

Freshly rinsed cranberries

This is everything in the pot ready to cook

Directions

• Rinse cranberries. With a handful at a time, place on a cutting board and squish them with the side of a Chef's knife. Then place in a medium sized sauce pot.
•  Pour the juice and whisky in the pot.
• Place the remaining ingredients in a Bouquet Garnie. Crush the nutmeg with the side of a Chef's knife You may choose to leave the orange peel out loose if you manage to have it a big piece.
• Simmer until liquid has reduced in half. 
• Remove from heat to let cool.
• Stir in the honey once it's cooled. 
• It's that easy.

Note that the texture will become more jelly-like once it's cooled down. This  sauce is tart, spicy, sweet and sour.

This is a Thanksgiving/Christmas staple, but you can enjoy this any time this season.

I like to have this on toast for breakfast. Although this can easily be added on top of any poultry too.

HAPPY 2012!

I thought I'd start off the year with a new look for TheCleverCook blog!

My goal this year is to keep this blog updated weekly!

This Sunday I've caught the cooking bug. I'll be posting my new recipes once they're done.

I wish happy baking and cooking for everyone, enjoy eating and share your awesome food with me too!