When life gives you oranges...

... and tangerines... what do you do with them? You can't make lemonade, because they're not lemons. So.. ideas?

I just gave a big bag of them to my next door neighbor. I think I should also give a bag to the other next door people, the ones who are still living in their camer in the driveway while their house is being rebuilt.. and also the ones across the street. Nice people.

Last night I tried my hand at candied orange peels, they are so AMAZING! A lot of time and effort, but they are worth it. I never even heard of such a thing before searching orange recipes, so I had no idea what to expect. It's like orange candy!

Fresh squeezed OJ is quite nice too.

If you had a big bad tree full of oranges and tangerines, what would you do?

I would make marmalade. Or infuse the peels in vodka to make an orange liquor.

Oh wow I'm so jealous! Look at them all in your trees, just waiting to be picked.
I've never had candied orange peel before, sounds tasty.
Can you juice a whole bunch and freeze it? Nice supply of OJ for you.

What would be the best way to freeze OJ? That would be a great way to make sure they don't go to waste. Should I buy sealable pitchers, or just put it in smaller regular containers?

The candied orange peels are just so good. They remind me of certain orange kind-of gummy candy, because they're coated with sugar. Not like a gumdrop.. hmm... York Fruits come to mind, but probably only the Brits know what I'm talking about there. Or, US candy I'd say, I think it's Sunkist Fruit Gems? Except much thinner, of course. SO GOOD!

I made cherry vodka when we went cherry picking in June and picked too many.. It's very red, and the cherries mostly taste like just vodka. But they're good! I should mix some of that with the OJ and make a cherry screwdriver...

Orange zest pound cake or cookies would be yummy! You could also slice up some fresh orange slices and add them to a pitcher of ice water with some mint or cucumber to it also- soo yummy! Another option would be a yummy mulled cider with lots of orange slices and pulp.

You could also look up some homemade recipes for face masks or body scrubs / bath treatments too and make a little bit of a spa day out of it too!

I would mail a big box to me.

Those candies sound goooood!

Looks like someone could make a few dollars here...

I really have to move next door to you! First lemons, now oranges!

I would think that, pretty much anything you can make with lemons you could also do with oranges. Remember that lemon sponge cake cookie recipe? Try that with oranges.

Here's a good recipe for a delicious drink:

Orange Lemonade

1-3/4 cups sugar
2-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
1-1/2 cups fresh orange juice (about 5 oranges)
2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
2 Tbsp. grated orange peel
Fresh lemon and orange slices, optional

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasiionally, until sugar dissolves. Cool.

Add juices and peel to cooled sugar syrup. Cover and let stand at room temperature one hour. Strain syrup, cover and refrigerate.

To serve, fill glasses or pitcher with equal amounts of fruit syrup and water. Add ice and serve. Yield: 12 servings.

Note: I usually need 9 lemons and 6 oranges to get the required juice. I add some slices of orange and lemon to the glasses with the ice cubes. And instead of adding water, we use equal amount of iced tea and fruit syrup.

Marmalade is a really good idea Especially because you can put it in jars, and seal it and use it throughout the year.

I would make marmalade and jelly .... maybe some marinades

Originally Posted by ut0pia

Marmalade is a really good idea

Especially because you can put it in jars, and seal it and use it throughout the year.

Click to expand...

And here's a recipe you can use your marmalade in.......

This recipe came from the Mitford Cookbook, which came from Jan Karon's series about Miford....a wonderful series of books and stories. It's a delicious, delicate orange cake.

Esther's Orange-Marmalade Layer Cake

Cake:
3 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup softened unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs (at room temperature), beaten lightly
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment or wax paper, and butter and flour the paper, shaking out the excess.

In a bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt.

In a bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter until combined, add the sugar, a little at a time, and beat the mixture until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, orange zest, and vanilla. Beat in 1/3 of the dry ingredients alternately with 1/2 of the buttermilk until combined well. Add half the remaining dry ingredients and the remaining buttermilk and beat until combined well. Finally, beat in the remaining dry ingredients until mixture is smooth.

Evenly divide the batter between the pans, smooth the surface, rap each pan on the counter to expel any air pockets or bubbles, then transfer to the oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to racks and cool in the pans for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the Orange Syrup.

Orange Syrup:
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar

In a bowl, stir together the orange juice and sugar until sugar is dissolved.

With a wooden pick or wooden skewer, poke holes at 1/2-inch intervals in the cake layers and spoon the syrup over each layer, allowing the syrup to be completely absorbed before adding the remaining. Let layers cool completely.

Filling:
1 cup orange marmalade

In a small saucepan set over moderate heat, heat the marmalade until just melted. Let cool 5 minutes.

Frosting
3/4 cup well-chilled heavy cream
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 cup well-chilled sour cream

In a bowl, whisk the heavy cream with the sugar until it forms firm peaks. Add the sour cream, a little at a time, and whisk until of spreading consistency.

To Assemble the Cake:
Arrange one of the layers on a cake plate, carefully peel off the wax paper, then spread 2/3 of the marmalade over the top, smoothing it into an even layer. Invert the remaining layer onto the top of the first layer, peel off the wax paper and spoon the remaining marmalade onto the center of it, leaving a 1 1/4-inch border around the edge. Frost the sides and top of the border with the frosting, leaving the marmalade on top of the cake exposed. Or if you prefer, frost the entire cake, adding the marmalade as a garnish on top. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

This cake is just delicious, although it is a little complicated to make.

Donate to a food bank?

Once again, I am so jealous of your orange tree! The food bank idea is wonderful, or maybe a homeless shelter? My bil is a truck driver, but I can never seem to get him to bring me oranges from Florida. When I win the lottery, he will surely regret his oversight.

Originally Posted by MoochNNoodles

I would mail a big box to me.

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My mom is making me mail her a box of oranges. I keep telling her shipping is going to cost more than she'd probably pay at the store, but she is being very insistent. So I'll FedEx a box to her on Monday.

Originally Posted by Winchester

I really have to move next door to you!

First lemons, now oranges!

I would think that, pretty much anything you can make with lemons you could also do with oranges. Remember that lemon sponge cake cookie recipe? Try that with oranges.

Here's a good recipe for a delicious drink:

Orange Lemonade

1-3/4 cups sugar
2-1/2 cups water
1-1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about 8 lemons)
1-1/2 cups fresh orange juice (about 5 oranges)
2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
2 Tbsp. grated orange peel
Fresh lemon and orange slices, optional

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasiionally, until sugar dissolves. Cool.

Add juices and peel to cooled sugar syrup. Cover and let stand at room temperature one hour. Strain syrup, cover and refrigerate.

To serve, fill glasses or pitcher with equal amounts of fruit syrup and water. Add ice and serve. Yield: 12 servings.

Note: I usually need 9 lemons and 6 oranges to get the required juice. I add some slices of orange and lemon to the glasses with the ice cubes. And instead of adding water, we use equal amount of iced tea and fruit syrup.

Click to expand...

Alright, our lemons are BIG so 1 1/2 cups of juice would be like 3 of our mutant lemons.

Question about the syrup. I have probably about 4 cups or so of syrup left over from cooking the candied oranges. Could I just use that? I really don't know what else to do with it.

Originally Posted by catsallaround

Donate to a food bank?

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YES! Thanks for reminding me. That idea comes up but then I forget. I will make a note to call this week and see if they'd like a bunch of oranges and tangerines.

I'd try it.....simply because I'd hate to waste the syrup, too. Try it in just a glass first; that way if it's bad, you didn't use the whole pitcher.

I will try it soon then, maybe tomorrow, or maybe early in the week. Sounds tasty and refreshing!

I don't eat too many oranges, more tangerines I guess, but I will say both the oranges and tangerines are a pain in the butt to peel, but when I get past that part, they are ever so sweet. I peeled and shared an orange this evening (or last evening?) with BF and our friend, and it was yummy. Then I peeled a few tangerines. SO GOOD! I wish they peeled like clementines, then the tree would be bare by now probably, but I'm doing the best I can with the patience I have..