Orange Cranberry Sauce

I tried a different concept this year for our cranberry sauce and for the most part am happy with it. I like to make it the night before so it is well chilled/set up.

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup orange juice

1 1/2 Tbsp honey

1/8 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

12-ounces fresh cranberries (1 package)

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan combine all the ingredients and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer for about 12 minutes, stirring often.

Remove from the heat and press through a fine mesh sieve till all that is left is the cranberry peels. Refrigerate till needed. The sauce will be thick immediately.

~Sarah

Maple Pecan Pie and Whiskey Pumpkin Pie

If it is the night before Thanksgiving I have to be baking! Nothing like an excuse to make pies, no? This year I am sticking with traditional choices but with the way we prefer. I changed the recipe for our maple pecan pie a bit, having it be a little lower fat (yes butter tastes great but I was able to take off 1/4 cup!). I also added maple sugar versus normal white sugar. For the pumpkin pie I used one with whiskey in it – fun to try different ways

Maple Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

3 whole eggs

1/2 cup maple sugar

cup pure maple syrup

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled off

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/4 tsp kosher salt

2 cups pecan halves

1 9″ unbaked pie shell

Directions:

Heat the oven to 375°.

In an ungreased heavy skillet toast the pecans over medium high heat for a couple minutes. Set aside to cool. Chop up half the pecans, using a food chopper if you have one. Leave the other half intact.

In a large mixing add whisk the eggs and sugar till smooth. Add in the maple syrup, vanilla, salt and butter and whisk till combined. Add in all of the pecans.

Put your pie dish on a baking sheet (so in case it bubbles at all). Pour in the filling and pop into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes on the tray and then move to a cooling rack for a couple hours. Store in the refrigerator once cool.

Whiskey Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

2 whole eggs

15-ounces pumpkin (1 can)

12-ounces fat free evaporated milk (1 can)

2 Tbsp whiskey (I used Jim Beam, all you need is 1 airplane size bottle)

1 9″ unbaked pie shell

Directions:

Heat your oven to 425°. Put the pie shell on a baking sheet and set aside.

In a large bowl whisk the eggs till combined, then whisk in the pumpkin, sugar and spices. Slowly whisk in the milk, then the whiskey.

Pour carefully into the pie shell. If you have extra mix, grab an ovenproof glass baking vessel (ramekins work well) and fill them up. Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the oven to 350° and bake for 50 minutes. Take out and let cool for 30 minutes, then move to a cooling rack for 2 hours. Store in the refrigerator once cooled.

~Sarah

Quick Wonton Soup

I made this up last weekend and forgot to write it up!

Having made wonton soup before from scratch it is worth the work…but…it is a lot of expense and for our small family I use about 12 of the wrappers and then have a pile that goes stale! So instead, here is my shortcut!

Quick Wonton Soup

Ingredients:

6 cups lower sodium chicken broth

1 bunch green onions

1/4 cup lower sodium soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

To taste:

garlic

red pepper flakes

ground ginger

frozen pot stickers

Directions:

Wash and trim the roots off the onions. Cut off the top half of the onions and discard. Dice the rest and put in a medium pot with the chicken stock, soy sauce and sesame oil. Bring to a boil and season to taste. Add in 3 to 4 pot stickers per person, bring back to a boil and cook for time on package (usually between 3 and 5 minutes).

Serve up!

Makes enough broth for 4 to 6 people, depending on appetite and if it is an appetizer or a main dish.

~Sarah

Fantastic Ultimate Ginger Cookies

I saw this recipe over on Food Network’s website, by Barefoot Contessa, for Ultimate Ginger Cookies. You have to really love ginger, but if you do like we do, you will LOVE these cookies!

Do follow the recipe carefully – a stand mixer is needed. The dough is overall stiff at the end but it works well. I used a large disher to size my cookies and still got 19 versus her 16. As for time wise…that is up to you and your oven. Mine took 15 to 17 minutes. They will look under baked when you take them out, don’t worry they do set up nicely.

PS:  For the candied ginger I have found a great deal on it at Trader Joe’s. 8 ounce bags for less than $2!

~Sarah

Keeping The Kids Busy – Ice Cream in a Bag

This recipe is a classic way to keep kids out of your hair while you cook…..they get the promise of sweets (after dinner) with a little fun (er…hard work!).

Ice Cream in a Bag

Ingredients:
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon sugar
1 quart size zip top freezer bag
1 gallon size zip top freezer bag
ice
1/4 cup rock salt or kosher salt
duct tape

Directions:

Place milk, vanilla and sugar into quart bag. Zip closed tightly then seal with duct tape. Squeeze bag gently to mix.
Fill gallon bag halfway with ice and then add the salt. Put smaller bag inside and seal bigger bag tightly.
Shake bag until the ice cream in the small interior bag feels firm. Get the kids to toss it back and forth and to take turns.
Remove small bag, rinse or wipe dry and carefully cut top off.

Eat your ice cream right out of the bag – or stash in the freezer for later!

~Sarah

More Candy Recipes

I posted this one over on our TrailCooking blog, as Mint Cakes are a tasty hiking snack:

Kendal Mint Cakes

Ingredients:

1 pound granulated sugar (450g)
5 fluid ounces dairy milk  (150 ml)
1 tsp pure peppermint essence/flavoring

Directions:
Spray a 8″ x 8″ baking pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, then spray the paper as well.

Put the sugar and milk in a saucepan. Place a thermometer in the pan and bring slowly to boil over low heat, shaking and swirling the pan occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Boil rapidly until the mixture reaches 140 ºC / 275 ºF. Remove from the heat and add the flavoring, beating well until smooth and cooled slightly.
Pour into the prepared pan and as it cools, mark out squares with a knife and ruler. Once cold cut into 16 squares.

Store tightly sealed in plastic, preferably in the refrigerator till trail time.

And another faux-recipe, this one of a at home version of Aplets.

Faux Aplets

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups applesauce
4 envelopes plain gelatin
4 cups sugar or 3 cups honey
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup finely diced nuts
1/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Mix 1 cup applesauce with the gelatin.

Add the rest of the applesauce to the sugar and combine the two mixtures in a large heavy pot. Cook for 15 minutes over medium heat.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and nuts. Pour into a 9″ x 13″ glass pan and let cool.
Cut into squares and roll in powdered sugar. Store in the refrigerator tightly sealed.

~Sarah

 

New Dining Room Set

We have been remodeling our house over the years and finally our hardwood flooring is done – just the trim remains to be done on the walls. One thing we haven’t had for a couple months is a dining room table. Kirk and I spent some time looking over styles and getting frustrated. We wanted a pub (counter) height table with high chairs. We wanted the ability to sit 6, but to shrink down to a 4 person table. The most frustrating part is how cheap tables are made – even for higher end ones. Everything is cheap veneer over plywood. After too many stops and too many tables we came to the realization that we might as well buy mid range – the higher end items were not going to be any better made. Ironically the best source for high tables was at Mor Furniture, they had a number to choose from.

After a lot of thought we choose the Baker 373 set, in a 6 person set up.

(Borrowed photo from Mor’s website)

We thought about getting a bench seat but changed to 6 seats after finding out there would be a 2 week wait, where as the seats were in stock. The set was on sale and they were offering a double tax day back (19% here!) so it was a decent buy for what we got. Kirk had them deliver it and set it up to make it easy for me.

I can say I am excited to have a dining room table for Thanksgiving! Yay!

~Sarah

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes and Italian Style Meatloaf

I was feeling super domestic this evening so I took advantage of that!

Parmesan Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:

6 medium baking potatoes

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

1/2 tsp freshly ground dried rosemary

1/4 tsp kosher salt

Directions:

Heat your oven to 350°. Take an oven proof 9″x13″ glass pan and place the butter in it. Put it in the oven till the butter is melted.

Meanwhile:

Scrub and peel the potatoes. Cut in half and then slice into nice thick slices. Once done, set aside in a bowl of cool water.

Add the flour, cheese and spices to a plastic bag. Drain the potatoes and add in. Seal and toss till coated. Pull out the pan with the melted butter, dump in the coated potatoes and stir well to coat. Pop in the oven for 30 minutes, take out and stir well, then back in the oven for another 30 minutes. Check for being golden brown and done and if they need more time (mine did) stir again and put back in for 15 more minutes.

Serves 4.

Italian Style Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 lb ground bison or lower fat beef

1 cup Italian style dry breadcrumbs

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 egg

1/4 cup low-fat milk

1 14.5-ounce can green beans, drained

3/4 cup marina or any pasta sauce

Directions:

Use a 1 1/2 quart size oven proof baking dish. Preheat your oven to 350°.

Mix the bison, egg and milk in a large bowl. Add in the bread crumbs and herbs, mixing well. Gently mix in the green beans with your hands. Pat into the baking dish and spread the sauce on top.

Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until baked through (at least 165° when tested with a thermometer).

Serves 4 hearty appetites.

~Sarah