Here is a recipe, which I got from Krystyna Jadlowiec after a North Side progressive dinner, that people might enjoy over the holidays. It's amazing how good these are, rind and all. Ms. Jadlowiec suggests serving them as a side dish with meat or as dessert with whipped cream and/or ice cream. (She also notes that "you can 'doctor' them up with cognac or other type of alcohol.")

-- Diana Nelson Jones

• 6 oranges
• 11/2 cup sugar
• Unsalted butter

Choose small, seedless, ripe and juicy, good-quality (organic if you can get them) oranges. Scrub very well, place in a large pan and pour over boiling water. Oranges should be approximately halfway submerged.

Boil slowly for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove oranges, reserving water in the pan, and cut them in half and place in well-buttered baking dish, cuts side up.

Reduce the water by continuing to let it boil until you have about 11/2 cups, then add sugar and boil until it thickens and forms simple syrup.

Pour this syrup over the oranges; top each cut orange with small pieces of unsalted butter. Bake slowly at 325 to 350 degrees, basting occasionally with sauce, for about an hour or until oranges are slightly brown. Serve in the dish in which they were baked.

Serves 12.

-- Krystyna Jadlowiec

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