Oranges are showing up in the grocery stores and I love the taste of Florida. Since we, here in North Georgia, are having somewhat unusual balmy weather, daffodils blooming and tulips emerging, I just feel spring is right here.

There are many recipes involving oranges and I have a few I have made here.

This is Cole Slaw with orange bites included.  The salad dressing is made with juice from the orange.

 

Another great side dish is green beans sautéed in grated orange zest and juice from the orange.

 

The greatness with these two salads is that they can be made ahead and served chilled. In fact, they’re better a day later.

 

…and then, ice cream with orange bites, zest from the orange and orange syrup topping.

 

Recipes are as follows:

Cole Slaw

Roughly chop a half head of cabbage and shred one carrot
Roughly dice three scallions
Zest the orange rind in a small bowl and set aside
Cut the orange in quarters and cut out the meat and set aside
Take the quartered orange rinds and squeeze the juice to a small bowl and set aside

In a jar or bowl pour 2 Tbls Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/4 cup olive oil, pinch of salt and coarse ground black pepper and the juice from the orange. Shake the jar or Whisk together in a bowl.
Pour over the cabbage and mix in well. Sprinkle the orange zest over the cabbage and mix well again.
Cut into pieces the orange and place on the cabbage.
For a nice bite sprinkle a pinch of cayenne pepper or not.

Green Bean Salad

Repeat the orange process from above.
Sauté green beans in a hot skillet adding juice from the orange and zest from the rind.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Add the rinds into the skillet to cook and add more flavor to the beans.
At about 7 minutes, the beans should be ready, now add the cashews to cook a minute longer
Add the cut up orange pieces to the dish after you remove from the stove
Sprinkle a little cayenne pepper for added bite.

Ice Cream

Syrup…place 1/2 stick of butter in a pan and melt. Add a heaping Tablespoon of brown sugar to the melted butter
Add the juice from the orange and some zest. Add one Tablespoon of Brandy.

Over vanilla ice cream add the bites of orange, drizzle the syrup then sprinkle orange zest as a final topping.