Blue Cranberry Sauce

Poor cranberry sauce is so low on the list when it comes to Thanksgiving Dinner.  It's been relegated to a jiggly can-shaped mass that gets picked at out of politeness.

But, not any more!  This cranberry sauce is jazzed up with blueberries, cinnamon, cardamom, and vanilla.  It sounds a bit crazy, but it definitely brings poor cranberries out of their doldrums.  And the color is such a gorgeous addition to your table.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Blue Cranberry Sauce
adapted from Allrecipes

12 oz. fresh cranberries
1 c. water
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. cardamom
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pint (16 oz.) blueberries

Wash and pick over cranberries. Place in a medium saucepan with water and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until cranberries burst. Slightly mash the cranberries with the back of a wooden spoon to ensure all skins are broken. Add the spices and vanilla and mix well. Remove from heat and mix in the blueberries; don’t be afraid to break a few, but don’t overmash. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Transfer to a bowl, cool slightly, and place plastic wrap directly on the sauce to cover. Serve warm or refrigerate until chilled.

Note: This can be made up to three days ahead of time and stored in the fridge.

        

        

Ingredient Lineup:

Easy Recipe to Bring to Holiday Get Togethers

I love to bring something with me when visiting for the Holiday's but with 4 kids I don't always have the time to make elaborate dishes. I'm lucky if we all make it there dressed and on time. So when I saw this recipe in Every Day with Rachael Ray - I knew that it would be a great for holiday gift giving...takes only 5 minutes to throw together and while it sets up I can get ready to go.

I love that the magazine talks about using ice cube trays as candy molds - it worked beautifully! They came out mostly uniform and really easily!

White Chunky Chocolates

 Every Day with Rachael Ray

Ingredients: 

12 ounces white chocolate morsels 

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 dried cranberries

1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts

1/2 cup roasted, salted cashew pieces

In a medium, microwaveable bowl melt chocolate, stirring once, for about 45 seconds. Stir in the raisins, cranberries and nuts.

Spoon mixture into 2 flexible ice cube trays, whacking the trays on the counter to remove any air pockets and to level out the mixture.

Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.

 

Flex trays to remove candies. 

Bask in the glow of bringing some really yummy candies.

   

After this Past Weekend...I Need to Take 5

How are ya?

Are you as tired and worn out as I am from a weekend of fright?

When we got home on Sunday night my kids were full of sugary energy and I was down for the count.

I kept saying your Momma is just plain worn out...and they kept saying Why? You didn't even do anything...we were the ones running from house to house.

It's exhausting worry so much about all the cars, candy consumption and that they were as gracious as they should be for what they have.

So last night I was on the hunt for something super easy to make for supper:

Take 5: Ravioli & Escarole Lasagna
Kristy Isom/Rachael Ray Magazine

5 ingredients: 1 pound bulk Italian sausage, 1 head escarole (I substituted mustard greens,) one 24 ounce jar tomato sauce, 9 oz cheese ravioli and 16 oz mozzarella cheese.


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.In a large skillet, crumble the sausage and cook, stirring often, over medium heat until browned, about 8 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the greens to the skillet, season with salt and pepper and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes.




 In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish layer the tomato sauce...


 

and the raviolis..



and then when you figure out that you don't have enough to really layer just throw in the rest like I did.
Here you can see the tomato sauce, ravioli, crumbed sausage, greens and mozzarella cheese.



Mix it all up and bake until bubbling in the middle, about 45 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes.




While this easy peasy recipe did help me to take a bit of a break last night - I still can't believe that it's already November...weren't we just shooting off fireworks?

Cranberry-Topped Crumb Cake

One of my favorite things about cooking is the escape factor. Living in a house with 5 other people it can sometimes get a little claustrophobic. There aren't a lot of things or places that are just mine. I know though that once I start a recipe that I can get as much time as the recipe takes to just loose myself in the ingredients.

I let the kids know that Momma is creating, cooking and that they can have a taste when it's finished if they just let me have some time. It's a peaceful and gratifying experience. Plus cake for breakfast the next morning...what's not to like about that?

Crumb-Topped Cranberry Cake

Taste of Home Holiday Thanksgiving 2010

Ingredients:

2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 package 8 oz cream cheese, divided

2 eggs

3/4 cup 2 % milk

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce 

Topping:

6 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 Tablespoons cold butter

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder and soda; cut in 3 ounces cream cheese until mixture resembles fine crumbs. In another bowl whisk 1 egg, milk and oil; stir into crumb mixture just until moistened. Spread batter into a greased and floured 9-inch spring form pan; set aside.

In a small bowl, beat remaining cream cheese. Beat in vanilla and remaining egg; carefully spread over batter. Sprinkle with coconut. Dollop with cranberry sauce. In a small bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until golden brown, Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen Remove side of pan. Cool completely. Store in the refrigerator.

Yield 12 servings.