Cranberry-Ginger Sauce for Your Thanksgiving Table!

Cranberries add a little 

glitz and glimmer 

to your 

holiday meal!

Cranberry sauce is one of my favorite foods on the holiday table, and I’m not referring to the canned variety.  

I like my cranberry sauce homemade and fresh…

This is an uncomplicated, easy recipe.  All I had to do was curl the grapefruit, fill the saucepan with more ingredients and cook.  

Aromatic notes from the ginger spices the sauce up a notch.  You can use grated fresh ginger, but I had on hand a jar of minced ginger.  

A jar of minced ginger is a great handy convenience for cooking and baking that remains fresh in the jar, when refrigerated, for approximately 3 months. 

When using the jarred variety, add the same amount that is called for in the recipe.  It's a wonderful thing to have on hand when your recipe calls for fresh ginger!

In my way of thinking, no Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner would be complete without a serving or two of this tangy, sweet, delicious cranberry sauce!

It’s divine!


Cranberry-Ginger Sauce
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

2 large ruby-red grapefruits
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons red onion, chopped
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
½ cup sugar
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon minced ginger

Method:

Peel about 10 curls of skin from grapefruit.
Juice both grapefruits into a bowl; reserve.
Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat and add onion, grapefruit peels, and salt.
Sauté until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add sugar, grapefruit juice, and cranberries, bring to a simmer.
Continue to simmer until the berries have completely softened, about 12 minutes.
Stir in ginger and let cool.
Serve at room temperature.



Enjoy!

Here's hoping 

you all 

have a 

very...

Cranberry-Sauced Chicken

This robust sauce takes chicken

or

 leftover turkey

from ordinary to extraordinary 

and will 

revive your faith in fowl!

Cranberry sauce combined with Robusto Italian Dressing, balsamic vinegar, sherry and onion soup mix blends into a tangy sauce to top the chicken breasts.

What you end up with is tender, flavorful tasty chicken, with a tangy sauce that is the right combination of sweet and tangy.  It’s proof that cranberry sauce shouldn’t just make an appearance on the holiday table.

Here’s hoping you give this a try, it’s delicious and easy too!

Cranberry-Sauced Chicken

Printable recipe

Ingredients:

4-6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 cup cranberry sauce

1 packet dry onion soup mix

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

⅓ cup Wish-Bone Robusto Italian Dressing

1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Arrange chicken in a 13” x 9” baking dish.

Combine remaining ingredients in a medium bowl, and stir well.

Spoon mixture over chicken.

Bake for 1 hour or more, until chicken is cooked through.

Serve

ENJOY! 

 

Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce w/Red Wine

I like a tiny bite of  turkey and a healthy serving of dressing with my cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving time but ~ 
not all cranberry sauces are created equal!

We try to appease everyone around our Thanksgiving table whether it’s with the canned jellied version or whole-fruit cranberry sauce with an assortment of add-ins like this great recipe.

 

This dish is pretty and tasty and should be served around the year.  

If you like pomegranates, a  little wine and seasonings with your cranberries ~ this recipe is for you…

Cranberry-Pomegranate Sauce w/Red Wine
Printable recipe

Ingredients:

1½ cups fresh cranberries
1 cup pomegranate seeds (equal to seeds from 1 pomegranate)
1 cup red wine
¾ to 1 cup sugar (I use Splenda)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Pinch of cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a a medium-sized sauce pan over high heat.
When mixture starts boiling, reduce heat and simmer.
Cook until cranberries pop and sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
Chill until serving time.

ENJOY!


 

Zesty Cranberry Pinwheels

Rouse your senses with these refreshing little cookies!

Zesty Cranberry Pinwheels incorporate the tart sweetness of cranberries with just the right amount of orange flavor and rich pecans ~ they boast a zesty, slightly sweet filling. 

The pinwheels take a little time to make, as the dough requires chilling time.  Other than that, they’re fairly easy to make; just be sure to tightly roll the dough into a log.

You will love the fragrant aroma that fills the house while they’re baking.   Then, all you need to is a cup of coffee, or a little cup of tea to enjoy with these delicious holiday pinwheels!

Zesty Cranberry Pinwheels

Dough ingredients:

½ cup butter, softened

¾ cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1½ cups flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Filling:

½ cup finely ground cranberries

½ cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

1 tablespoon orange zest

Spread on dough:

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons milk

Method:

Make dough and refrigerate one hour:

In a large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients, beat until fluffy.

Combine dry ingredients, add to the creamed mixture.

Refrigerate at least one hour.

Make filling, roll and refrigerate several hours or overnight:

In a small bowl, mix together cranberries, pecans and orange peel, set aside.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10-inch square.

Combine brown sugar and milk, spread over the dough.

Sprinkle with cranberry mixture, leaving ½” edge at edges.

Roll up tightly, jelly-roll style.

Wrap with waxed paper, chill several hours or overnight.

Slice and bake:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut roll into ¼” slices and place on a well-greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 14-15 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.

Let cool on baking sheet for a minute or two.

Makes 42 pinwheels.  

Zesty delicious!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes!

Asparagus with Pine Nuts and Cranberries

Usually, I like asparagus steamed and served with just a touch of butter and salt and pepper.  For guests, especially at Easter, I like it gussied up a little.

Some folks claim that pine nuts have a mild pine taste; to me they are sort of sweet and nutty.  Whatever the flavor is to you, it pleasingly complements other flavors, particularly after toasting.  If you prefer, substitute slivered almonds for the pine nuts.

Slightly tart and tangy cranberries round out the dish, making it a delicious side dish which goes along nicely with ham, turkey, and salmon, just to name a few.

This asparagus is simple and quite elegant.  I hope you like it too…

Asparagus with Pine Nuts and Cranberries

Ingredients:

1 pound asparagus stalks, trimmed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/3 cup dried cranberries

Salt and seasoned pepper, to taste

Method:

Steam asparagus in a steamer, covered, for 4-5 minutes, to your desired degree of doneness.

Remove to serving dish, and keep warm.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat oil and sauté remaining ingredients until pine nuts are toasted.

Arrange over asparagus.

Serves 4

ENJOY!!!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes! 

“Christmasizing” with Cranberry-Grape Compote

The turkey is over and done with ~ the fall décor stashed away ~ readying me for “Christmasizing” the house the last few days.  The short tree in the living room was trimmed with lights and ornaments, only to be dismantled the next morning, and replaced with a 7.5-foot slim tree, and even more trimming.  

What I really wanted to do was get in the kitchen and do a little cooking. There was a bag of cranberries waiting in the refrigerator for a makeover, and I was happy to oblige.  I like the canned variety, but always like to try something new.  

The credit for this recipe goes to Martha Stewart.  Plump, juicy red grapes complement tart cranberries perfectly.  Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used, with there being no need to thaw frozen ones. 

This is a great sweet/tart accompaniment for savory meats such as steak, turkey, pork chops, and probably even wild game.  If you like cranberries and grapes, it’s worth a try!

Cranberry-Grape Compote

Adapted

Ingredients:

1 package (12-ounces) cranberries

3 cups seedless red grapes

1 cup sugar or Splenda

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ cup water

Method:

In a large saucepan over medium-high, bring cranberries and

Place all ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer until most of the cranberries have popped and grapes are falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Compote will thicken as it cools.

Serve at room temperature.

Enjoy!

 

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes! 

Cranberry-Maple Syrup and Merry Christmas!

Your pancakes will really be perfect on Christmas morning when drizzled with this mouthwatering cranberry-maple syrup! 

This syrup is a cross between a colorful jam and viscous syrup.  Crushed cranberries provide an interesting texture with a tart flavor, mingling with the sweet sticky maple syrup.  Four ingredients are all it takes.  Cook the cranberries in the maple syrup, until they pop, then crush the cranberries with a potato masher.   The aroma as it cooks is mouthwatering. 

I saw this recipe somewhere on the internet a while back, but don’t remember where.  It’s a great recipe ~ so try topping your waffles or pancakes with this fruity syrup!

Cranberry-Maple Syrup

Ingredients:

1 cup pure maple syrup

1 cup fresh cranberries

½ teaspoon orange zest

1 tablespoon butter

Method:

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring syrup, cranberries and orange zest to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer, until the cranberries have popped, about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and crush cranberries with a potato masher or spoon.

Add butter and stir until dissolved.

Serve warm

Keeps well refrigerated in a covered container.

By the way, it makes a great little homemade gift for your family and friends!

Here’s wishing all of you and your loved ones a blessed Merry Christmas!

A little smile

A word of cheer

A bit of love from someone near,

A little gift from one held dear,

Best wishes for the coming year…

These make a Merry Christmas!

John Greenleaf Whittier

Hugs to you all,

Pam

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and recipes. 

Saucy Sloppy Joes

I love sloppy joes ~ they aren’t just for kids, are they?

 

It’s something I have tried many recipes of.  This recipe is adapted from one that was in The Chicago Tribune years ago.

It’s the addition of cranberry sauce and liquid smoke with all the spices that makes it really tasty.  I know, you’re probably saying “cranberry sauce?”  It’s a great surprise ingredient!  It really adds to the flavor and does not make the sloppy joes overly sweet.

If you like sloppy joes, you must try this; it’s a keeper for sure! 

Saucy Sloppy Joes 

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon dry mustard

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon celery seeds

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

8 ounce can jellied cranberry sauce

1 cup ketchup

Hamburger buns, split and toasted

Method:

Brown ground beef in skillet with chopped onions.

In a bowl, combine remaining ingredients and stir well.

Add bowl contents to ground beef.

Cover.  Simmer on low heat for close to 45 minutes to let the

flavors blend.

Spoon onto hamburger buns and serve. 

This is an excellent tasty sandwich!   

ENJOY!!!

Visit my friend Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips, recipes and cookbook giveaway! 

For a chance to win my friend Bo’s great Le Crueset giveaway, visit Bo’s Bowl!