When the weather gets chilly and the sky turns grey, sunny winter citrus can be just the thing to help brighten the season!

With cold weather, comes cold and flu season. What a wonderful coincidence, then, that oranges are in season at the same time! They happen to be an excellent source of vitamin C, which helps support your immune system. Did you also know that they act as an antihistamine? It’s true! Battle those stuffed-up sinuses with as many oranges, clementines and mandarins as you can grab, peel and eat!

I love Cuties! They are sweet, easy to peel and seedless. And have you seen those cute commercials this year on TV? Cuties is also running some super fun contests – check them out at http://cutieskids.com/contests/.

Add orange zest to your biscuit or shortcake recipe and then layer in slices for a citrusy shortcake. A smear of lemon curd would be tasty to add too!

Peeled and segmented mandarins, clementines and oranges make a perfect any-time snack, but they’re more versatile than that. Cooked into hot dishes, blended up in a breakfast smoothie, layered in sweet shortcake or incorporated into a salad dressing, citrus brings a deliciously tart sweetness to the table!

My Clementine Salad with Fennel, Feta and Honey Citrus Dressing

In my Clementine Salad with Fennel, Feta and Honey Citrus Dressing, clementines are sliced into the salad and blended whole into the zesty dressing. Perfect for healthy eating!

For a quick and easy appetizer, combine diced clementines with tomatoes, calamata olives, minced red onion and fresh basil to top my d’lish Cuties Bruschetta with Goat Cheese. Great for on-the-fly entertaining!

And check out my Candied Clementines – a 14-day process I learned in Italy years ago! They are amazing to serve with cheese, cut up on ice cream or pound cake or just nibbled on!

So peel up some winter citrus and say hello to some sunshine! -Kathy

Cuties Salad with Fennel, Feta and Honey Citrus Dressing
This salad is great as a starter, or as an entrée topped with grilled chicken or shrimp. When in season, a scattering of pomegranate seeds is a festive addition.

Makes 4 entrée servings or 6–8 starter servings

1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed
6 Cuties Clementines
6 cups spring mixed greens (about 5 oz.)
Honey Citrus Dressing (recipe follows)
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Finely shave fennel with a sharp knife or mandolin, and keep crisp in ice water for 10 minutes. Spin dry before using. Peel and cut Cuties Clementines, trim away all white pith, then cut fruit into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Set fruit aside.

Toss greens and fennel with 1/2 cup of dressing to coat nicely. Serve salad on a large platter or divide among individual plates. Top with sliced Cuties and sprinkle with feta. Drizzle with a little extra dressing if desired.

Honey Citrus Dressing
Makes 2 cups

2 Cuties Clementines, peeled and segmented
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 Tbsps minced shallots
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsps honey, like my Liquid Kitchen™ “5130” Honey
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a blender (I love my Vitamix!) and blend until smooth. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Cuties Bruschetta with Goat Cheese
The flavors of mandarin, calamata olives and fresh basil with the creaminess of goat cheese all play off each other nicely in this easy entertaining appetizer.

Makes 20 pieces

1 artisanal baguette
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
Kosher salt, as needed
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4 Cuties Clementines
2 Tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup chopped vine-ripe tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsps minced red onion
1 1/2 tsp finely minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped pitted calamata olives
Pinch of red pepper flakes
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4 oz chèvre-style fresh goat cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut baguette into 1/4-inch slices — you want about 20 nice-sized pieces. Lay out on a baking sheet. Lightly brush or drizzle bread with olive oil then sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Bake for about 5–7 minutes, or until toasty. Let crostini cool.

Meanwhile, peel Cuties and dice 1/4 to 1/3-inch. In a medium bowl, toss Cuties with 2 tablespoons olive oil, tomatoes, basil, onion, garlic, olives, and pepper flakes. Set aside.

To serve: Smear each piece of crostini with a heaping teaspoon of goat cheese. Place on a platter and immediately divide the Cuties mixture between the crostini (drain off any excess juice).

Note: Top crostini right before serving so they do not get soft.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®