Thanksgiving

#CranberryWeek: Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars

~ lk529 ~ 7 Comments

It’s the final day of #CranberryWeek hosted by Caroline of Caroline’s Cooking. We’ve been sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. Search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration.

My husband chipped away at the dish full of cranberry cream cheese bars with a warmed serving after the boys went to bed. I think he used it as his source of energy before tackling the dishes from dinner. 😉

I on the other hand, would have a little bit in the morning around 10 am. You know, when my first breakfast has worn off but it’s too close to lunch to have a second breakfast.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars for #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook (1)

I really like desserts that are acceptable for my mid-morning snack. The crust of these bars is made of oats – breakfast. The filling involves cream cheese – breakfast. Cranberries are a fruit – breakfast!

I liked eating my cranberry deliciousness with whipped cream, but no one would complain if you served yours with vanilla ice cream.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars

Ingredients:

  • 2 C flour
  • 1 1/2 C old fashioned oats
  • 1/2 C brown sugar
  • 1/4 C + 1 tbsp sugar, divided use
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 sticks butter, softened
  • 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4 C key lime juice (or lemon juice)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking pan.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, 1/4 C sugar, cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and the butter with a hand mixer. Set aside 1 1/2 C. Press the remaining mixture into the prepared pan. Bake 12 – 15 minutes, until golden. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer until fluffy. Add in the condensed milk, key lime juice, and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Spread over the baked crust.
  4. In a small bowl combine the cranberry sauce, cornstarch, and remaining tablespoon of sugar. Evenly distribute over the cream cheese.
  5. Top with the remaining oat mixture.
  6. Bake 40 – 45 minutes, until golden.

*This recipe is adapted from Danelle at https://www.letsdishrecipes.com/2014/12/cranberry-cream-cheese-bars-with-quaker-whole-grain-oats.html*

Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars for #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Be sure to check out these other great cranberry recipes:

Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Copycat) from Family Around The Table

Cranberry Clementine Gin from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Cranberry Clusters by The Freshman Cook

Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Cranberry-Pistachio Dark Chocolate Bark from Books n’ Cooks

TBD from Palatable Pastime

Panettone from Caroline’s Cooking

You Make Me Blush Cocktail by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Warm Cranberry Punch from Everyday Eileen

 

#CranberryWeek: Cranberry Tandoori Chicken

~ lk529 ~ 5 Comments

It’s day four of #CranberryWeek hosted by Caroline of Caroline’s Cooking. We’re sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. Search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration.

I always like to do a savory item during these events, particularly when we’re celebrating a fruit that’s sweet and tart. Going savory with cranberry isn’t too difficult given it pairs so well with every item of Thanksgiving dinner!

I was going to make a cranberry balsamic roasted chicken but then I noticed someone else had planned to share a cranberry balsamic chicken! I’d already done the shopping list for chicken dish idea number one so I had to improvise with something new.

I took the original idea and combined it with a cranberry curry recipe  I’d found. I didn’t have curry powder (I thought I did) but found some tandoori seasoning my sister-in-law gave me. I read the ingredient list and thought those flavors complimented cranberries perfectly! Game on.

I roasted the chicken to achieve a crispy skin, served it with rice, and the tandoori-cranberry sauce. It has heat, it has tart, it has sweet. A fabulous twist on a week night chicken dinner.

An Original Recipe

Cranberry Tandoori Chicken

Ingredients:

  • 6 – 9 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken
  • 1 1/2 tsp tandoori seasoning, divided use
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 large red onion, diced
  • 1 tbsp mustard seeds
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel
  • 1 C vegetable broth
  • 1 1/4 C dried cranberries
  • 1 C fresh cranberries

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place a metal cooling rack on a rimmed baking sheet.
  2. Season chicken on both sides with S+P and 1 tsp tandoori seasoning. Place, skin side up on the prepared cooling rack. Bake 40 – 45 minutes.
  3. In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Sauté onion and mustard seeds 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1/2 tsp tandoori seasoning, ginger, and cardamom, coating the onions. Cook another minute. Add in the Rotel, broth, dried cranberries, and fresh cranberries. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until reduced to a chutney-like consistency, about 20 minutes.
  4. Serve chicken with rice and top with the cranberry mixture.

Cranberry Tandoori Chicken for #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Be sure to check out these other cranberry recipes:

Apple Cranberry Crisp from Everyday Eileen

Cranberry Apple Jam from Cookaholic Wife

Cranberry Chicken from Frugal Pantry

Banana Cranberry Pistachio Muffins with Chocolate Glaze from The Crumby Kitchen

Cranberry Pound Cake from Palatable Pastime

Cranberry Tandoori Chicken from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Oatmeal Cranberry Pancakes from Jonesin’ For Taste

Orange Cranberry Bundt Cake from A Day In The Life On the Farm

Sparkling Bay Breeze from Family Around The Table

 

#CranberryWeek: White Cheddar and Cranberry Dip

~ lk529 ~ 4 Comments

It’s day three of #CranberryWeek hosted by Caroline of Caroline’s Cooking. We’re sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. Search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration.

I made this dip last year at Christmas and it was enjoyed by all. Who doesn’t love a dip in a bread bowl!? I held on to it hoping that #CranberryWeek would indeed return in 2017.

White Cheddar and Cranberry Dip for #CranberryDip from Sew You Think You Can Cook

The photos taken at my parents’ house last year were not worth editing and I knew I’d have to make this dip again. It’s still delicious – the cheddar cheese has a bite that challenges that of the fresh cranberry while the cranberry sauce lends just a back-note of sweetness.

White Cheddar and Cranberry Dip

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 C shredded extra-sharp white cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 C shredded Gruyere cheese
  • 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 C fresh cranberries
  • 1/4 C cranberry sauce
  • 1 sourdough boule loaf

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together shredded cheese and cream cheese until combined. (Option to reserve some of the cheddar cheese for topping.) Fold in the cranberries and cranberry sauce.
  3. Create a bowl from the sourdough by cutting the top and scooping out the insides, leaving enough thickness for a wall. Cube up the removed bread for serving.
  4. Pour cheese mixture into the bread bowl. Place on a baking sheet and bake 30 minutes. Top with reserved cheese, if desired, and broil until golden.
  5. Serve with cubed sourdough bread, vegetables, and crackers.

*This recipe is adapted from https://californiagoldminer.com/recipe/white-cheddar-cranberry-dip*

White Cheddar and Cranberry Dip for #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Be sure to check out these other great cranberry recipes:

Butternut Squash Wild Rice Salad with Cranberries and Fennel from Caroline’s Cooking

Cranberry Almond Chicken Salad Wraps from Family Around The Table

Cranberry Cheeseball by The Freshman Cook

Cranberry Cobbler from Cookaholic Wife

Cranberry Gremolata from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Cranberry Orange Relish from Books n’ Cooks

Jellied Cranberry Sauce from Palatable Pastime

Orange Cranberry Sweet Rolls from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

Pear Holly Cocktail from Bear & Bug Eats

Roasted Green Beans with Cranberries from Making Miracles

Slow Cooker Cranberry BBQ Chicken from Jonesin’ For Taste

Slow Cooker Cranberry Pot Roast from Everyday Eileen

White Cheddar and Cranberry Dip from Sew You Think You Can Cook

White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies from House of Nash Eats

#CranberryWeek: Cranberry Cider Punch

~ lk529 ~ 4 Comments

It’s the second day of #CranberryWeek hosted by Caroline of Caroline’s Cooking. We’re sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. Search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration.

Cranberry Cider Punch for #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Do you have a themed beverage at your holiday gatherings?

I’ve done one for The 4th of July and for Auburn game day (both of those a sangria). Surprisingly, I’ve not done one for Thanksgiving or Christmas! How is that possible?!

This punch I’m sharing for #CranberryWeek is non-alcoholic, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a little something to it should you desire.

The simple syrup created for this drink uses brown sugar instead of granulated sugar, giving it a beautiful Autumn color. Star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange impart their flavor on the sweetener.

Burst cranberries provide a bit of pizzazz that dress this punch up for holiday season.

Cranberry Cider Punch for #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook (2)

Cranberry Cider Punch

Ingredients:

  • 1 C brown sugar
  • 1 1/3 C water, divided use
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 star anise pods
  • 1/2 small clementine peel
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 C fresh cranberries
  • 3 C apple cider
  • 1 1/2 C cranberry juice
  • 1 bottle (12.7 oz) ginger beer

Steps:

  1. Make simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, 1 C water, cinnamon sticks, star anise, clementine peel, and nutmeg. Bring to a low boil until sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool.
  2. Put cranberries and remaining 1/3 C water in a small skillet. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst. Remove from heat.
  3. In a pitcher (or punch bowl), combine the cider, cranberry juice, 2/3 C simple syrup, and ginger beer. Gently stir to combine.
  4. Serve over crushed ice and garnish with burst cranberries.

*This recipe is adapted from Jessica at https://www.howsweeteats.com/2014/11/cranberry-cider-punch/*

Cranberry Cider Punch for #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook (3)

Be sure to check out these other great cranberry recipes:

Cranberry Chicken Salad Wrap by Making Miracles

Cranberry Dijon Ham by Cookaholic Wife

Cranberry Cider Punch by Sew You Think You Can Cook

Cranberry Margaritas by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

Cranberry Orange Wild Rice by Jonesin’ for Taste

Fresh Cranberry Muffins by Family Around the Table

Pickled Cranberries by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Salad with Cranberry, Pear, Walnuts and Gorgonzola by Palatable Pastime

#CranberryWeek: Cranberry Swirl Bread

~ lk529 ~ 9 Comments

Welcome to #CranberryWeek, hosted by Caroline of Caroline’s Cooking. We’ll be sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. Search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration.

National Cranberry Day November 23rd – which is Thanksgiving Day this year. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love the extended weekend with family and friends. I love cooking all day (all week, really) and enjoying a plateful of the best sides of the year.

Last year’s #CranberryWeek was such fun – I’d made 3 of those recipes within the month and can’t wait to see what everyone is sharing this year.

Cranberry and Walnut Swirl Bread for #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook (1)

To kick off this week I’m sharing a beautiful bread perfect for you holiday morning. The bread itself is sweet, flaky, and buttery. The swirl is tart with walnuts providing texture.

Cranberry and Walnut Swirl Bread for #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook (2)

Cranberry Swirl Bread

Ingredients for bread:

  • 1/2 C milk
  • 1/2 C water
  • 1/3 C butter, cubed
  • 3 – 3 1/2 C flour
  • 1/3 C sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 pkt (0.25 oz) instant yeast (I used Red Star Platinum)

Ingredients for filling:

  • 1 C chopped fresh cranberries
  • 1/4 C water
  • 1/4 C brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)

Steps:

  1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, water, and butter over medium-low heat until butter is melted. Remove from heat and allow to cool down to 120 – 130 degrees F.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together 1 C flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add the warm milk mixture and mix 2 minutes at medium speed. Add the remaining flour and switch to the dough hook. Knead until the dough comes together around the hook and pulls away from the bowl.
  3. Place dough in a greased bowl. Cover and keep in a warm place until doubled in side, about an hour. (I put mine in the microwave.)
  4. Make the filling: In a small saucepan, heat cranberries, water, and brown sugar over medium heat, until cranberries are soft. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter, vinegar, and walnuts. Allow filling to cool.
  5. Punch down the dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Roll into a rectangle. Spread the filling on the dough, leaving a 1/2″ border on all sides. Roll, like cinnamon rolls. Cut in half and place into two greased 9″ x 5″ loaf pans. Cover and let rise in a warm place, about 45 minutes.
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  7. Bake bread 40 – 45 minutes, until an internal temperature of 190 degrees is reached.

*This recipe is adapted from https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cranberry-swirl-loaf*

Cranberry Swirl Bread for #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Be sure to check out these other great cranberry recipes:

Cranberry Apple Cider Sangria from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Cranberry Apple Pecan Bread from Cookaholic Wife

Cranberry Apple Pie from House of Nash Eats

Cranberry Butter from Family Around The Table

Cranberry Coffee Cake from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Cranberry Loaf from Making Miracles

Cranberry Moscow Mules from Books n’ Cooks

Cranberry Mousse Chocolate Dessert Bowls by The Freshman Cook

Cranberry Swirl Bread from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Double Chocolate Cranberry Almond Bark from Frugal Pantry

Frosted Cranberries from Bear & Bug Eats

Pear Frangipane Tart with Cranberries from Caroline’s Cooking

Roasted Cranberry Chicken Salad from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

#FoodieExtravaganza: Maple Syrup

~ lk529 ~ 9 Comments

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The Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly party hosted by bloggers who love food! Each month we incorporate one main ingredient or theme into recipes to share with you. We take turns hosting and this month it’s my turn!

December 17th is National Maple Syrup Day and I challenged the crew to bake with, cook with, or make a beverage with maple syrup. (For some international bloggers who can’t find maple syrup, they’ll be joining the fun with honey as a substitute.)

With the hectic holiday season, I managed to forget to make something for this event. Before I scrambled to add extra maple syrup to my grocery list, I scrolled through my camera to see if I had anything that would satisfy my call for this maple syrup extravaganza.

Happily enough, I did! Unhappily enough, the photos made want to curl up into a ball and hide. Alas, that’s just the way it is.

I made this turkey breast in January. (Hey, at least it was January of this year!) In January we were living in Ohio. It was cold. I assume it was snowing. And it most definitely was dark at an unacceptable early hour. Those are the excuses I give for the awkward glare of the glaze. It’s a bummer, too, because as I pulled it out of the oven, my husband (and I remember this vividly) declared that it was almost too pretty to eat and that it belonged on the cover of a magazine.

This Rosemary Maple Glazed Turkey is perfect for your holiday table and pairs nicely with Roasted Pears and Parsnips.

Rosemary Maple Glazed Turkey Breast

Ingredients:

  • 1 turkey breast, 4-6 lb
  • 4 onions, halved
  • 6 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 6 stalk of rosemary
  • 2 C chicken stock
  • 2 C balsamic vinegar
  • 1 C maple syrup

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Season the turkey breast with S+P, inside and out. Stuff the cavity with 2 onions, 2 cloves of garlic, and 1 stalk of rosemary.
  3. Arrange the remaining onions, garlic, and 2 stalks of rosemary in the bottom of a roasting pan. Place the prepared turkey on top. Pour the stock into the pan.
  4. Roast turkey for 2 – 2 1/2 hours (or according to turkey instructions) until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached.
  5. Make the glaze: In a small saucepan over medium heat bring vinegar, syrup, and remaining rosemary to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to reduce 30 minutes, stirring often.
  6. Brush the glaze over the turkey every 30 minutes. Reserve any remaining glaze and keep warm for serving with the finished turkey.

*This recipe is adapted from Erin at http://www.5dollardinners.com/real-food-holiday/*

Rosemary Maple Glazed Turkey Breast for #FoodieExtravaganza from Sew You Think You Can Cook

And don’t forget to check out all these other maply recipes:

Basbousa – Egyptian Semolina Cake from Sneha of Sneha’s Recipe

Bangin’ Breakfast Potatoes from Rebekah of Making Miracles

Gluten-Free Maple Chestnut Cookies from Caroline of Caroline’s Cooking

Maple Pecan Bars from Nichole of Cookaholic Wife

Maple Sugar Cookies from Sue of Palatable Pastime

Maple Walnut Vinaigrette from Tara of Tara’s Multicultural Table

Momiji Tempura from Camilla of Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Overnight French Toast Casserole from Elaine of Cookin and Craftin

Roasted Maple Glazed Carrots from Wendy of A Day in the Life of the Farm

The Back Forty Cocktail from Stacy of Food Lust People Love

If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you’re a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE.

#CranberryWeek: Cranberry Glazed Pork Loin

~ lk529 ~ 10 Comments

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Welcome to #CranberryWeek, hosted by Caroline’s Cooking and A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. We’ll be sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. Search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration.

When I made this glazed pork, I was hoping to find a turkey breast to serve with the cornbread dressing I shared yesterday.

Actually, I had a couple ingredient finding hurdles to overcome.

I’ve been in a grocery store loyalty crisis. Now that Treat is too big for the Baby Bjorn (not impossible, but highly uncomfortable), I prefer to shop with him in the cart. That leaves Firecracker to walk beside me. There isn’t enough magnetic force in the world to keep that kid by myside for more than three minutes! That energetic 2 year old is off running up and down the aisles as soon as I let go of his hand. Or, he’s touching every single item at arms level when he is staying near. My patience with him wanes thin and I have to load him up into the basket. As I try to start each grocery trip with a positive attitude, by the time I “give up” I have a cart full of groceries. And to add to the frustration, Treat has a habit of screaming at an insanely high pitch. He’s not upset or crying, just screaming to scream. It’s a happy and excited sound, but one that deafens ears. Naturally, his older brother follows suit and I’m standing in the grocery store pulling out my hair half laughing half crying and all about yelling at my children.

The solution is to find a grocery store with “car carts” so both of my boys can be buckled into a cart. The bonus of a steering wheel definitely helps. Unfortunately, there aren’t many option for that out here in SoCal.

I do a decent amount of shopping at the commissary on base, particularly for yogurt as it’s about half the price of the local grocery stores. Being tax free means that processed foods end up being a tad cheaper, too. Only problem, is that I don’t quite trust their meat and seafood department, and the fresh produce is hit or miss on quality.

For small trips, I love walking to the local Whole Foods, but I’m limited to the space under the stroller. And while the meat quality is fantastic, it’s a bit pricy.

One Monday morning, I decided to try another store about a mile away. Took the kids on a walk and did some recon. Yogurt was the same marked up cost as the other stores. THe produce department was beautiful, and their bulk foods section to die for. Their meat departement looked fine, but was small; there wasn’t a turkey breast in sight (I assume that changed closer to the holiday?). I settled on a beautiful looking pork loin instead.

Another missing ingredient? Apple cider.

I knew one of the grocery stores I like sells it, but did I really want to get in the car for one item? Nope. Instead, I popped into the local coffee shop and ordered a cup of cider to go. Mission accomplished. I’m sure that 12 oz cup cost the same as a half gallon at a grocery store, but you can’t underestimate the price of my time, energy, and sanity!

Cranberry Glazed Pork Loin

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp butter, divided use
  • 1/2 shallot, chopped
  • 1 tsp whole juniper berries
  • 1 C fresh cranberries
  • 2/3 C apple cider
  • 2/3 C maple syrup
  • 1/2 C red currant jelly
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
  • pork loin, trimmed

Steps:

  1. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Saute shallot until translucent. Add the juniper berries, and cook one minute. Add cranberries, cider, syrup, jelly, and S+P. Simmer 3-5 minutes, until cranberries burst.
  2. Transfer glaze to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the saucepan after passing through a sieve.
  3. Bring glaze to a simmer over medium heat and cook until reduced to about 1 1/4 C, 10-15 minutes. Keep warm.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  5. Melt butter in a large oven safe skillet, sear pork abour 2 minutes on all sides. Brush with glaze and put in oven until an internal temperature of 145 degrees F is reached. Brush with glaze every 10 minutes or so. Cook time will depend on thickness of pork loin.
  6. Be sure to bring any extra glaze back to a boil to prevent contamination before serving alongside pork.

*This glaze recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart at http://www.marthastewart.com/261237/cranberry-glaze*

Cranberry Glazed Pork Loin for #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Be sure to check out all the other cranberry recipes being shared today:

Braised Short Ribs with Hoisin-Cranberry Sauce and Asian Coleslaw from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Cranberry & Cornbread Stuffed Pork Chops from Books n’ Cooks

Cranberry Borscht from Palatable Pastime

Cranberry Glazed Pork Loin from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Cranberry Lemon Curd Tart (No Bake, GF) from Caroline’s Cooking

Cranberry London Broil from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Cranberry Mustard from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

Cranberry Vanilla Bean Donuts from Hostess At Heart

Grilled Brie with Cranberries from Full Belly Sisters

Honey Roasted Cranberry Ricotta Crostini from Take Two Tapas

Orange Cranberry Turnovers by The Bitter Side of Sweet

Panko Crusted Chicken with Maple Cranberry Sauce from Family Around The Table

Sweet Heat Cranberry Spread from Cooking With Carlee

#CranberryWeek: Cranberry Cornbread Dressing

~ lk529 ~ 6 Comments

cranberry-week-logo

Welcome to #CranberryWeek, hosted by Caroline’s Cooking and A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. We’ll be sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. You can search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration.

I was really excited when I discovered #CranberryWeek was going to be a blogging event this year. I hope it’s one that will become an annual thing as I simply adore cranberries!

I’ll be posting each day this week and offering a variety of courses. Yesterday, I shared a dessert that is guarenteed to please your holiday guests. Today I’ve got a wonderful side dish to cranberrify your dressing/stuffing.

I’m sharing this cranberry cornbread dressing today becuase should you choose to serve it on Thursday you’ve got to get your ingredients today! The cornbread needs to be baked at least a day in advance, and there’s a loaf of white bread that needs to go stale.

There are a fair amount of moving parts in this dressing, but just about all of them can be prepped ahead of time, making your turkey day workload lighter.

  • Pecans can be toasted and chopped ahead of time (or purchased that way if you can find them)
  • Celery and onion cut in advance, even cooked early on, too!
  • Cornbread and white bread cubed up early

If you get all that prep done, all you need to do is mix everything together and pop it in the oven (or stuff it in your bird). This recipe makes enought for two large casserole dishes – so if you’re stuffing the turkey, you’d have to have a huge cavity! Any extra dressing/stuffing could be baked and frozen for a taste of Thanksgiving another time of the year.

When I made this recipe, I had all intentions to freeze one of the casseroles for Thanksgiving enjoyment. But… my post-1 year-doctor’s-visit child was needing my attention. As I picked him up and turned to stir the veggies at the stove, he reached out and knocked one of the bowls of bread to the ground! The bright side was that I hadn’t added the egg or stock to it, so the mess wasn’t too difficult to clean.

We loved this dressing recipe and I’m remaking it and serving it today at my husband’s office Thanksgiving party.

Cranberry Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients:

  • 2 C pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 3 onions, chopped
  • 6 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 9″ skillet cornbread (day old), cubed
  • 1 loaf white bread (stale), cubed
  • 2 C dried cranberries
  • 1 bunch parsley, chopped
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp Kosher salt
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 2 – 3 eggs, beaten
  • 4 C chicken stock

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spread pecans on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast for 10 minutes. Set aside.
  2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and celery, until tender.
  3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  4. In a very large bowl (or two) toss cornbread, white bread, toasted pecans, cranberries, parsley, oregano, S+P. Add eggs – amount of eggs needed will depend on the moisture level of the bread – and chicken stock.
  5. Transfer dressing to two large greased casserole dishes. Bake, covered, 35 minutes. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes.

*This recipe is modified from Martha Stewart at http://www.marthastewart.com/317663/cranberry-cornbread-stuffing*

Cranberry Cornbread Dressing for #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Be sure to check out all the other cranberry recipes being shared today:

Baked Pork Chops with Cranberry Thyme Sauce from Hostess At Heart

Cranberry Caipirinha from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

Cranberry Chicken Thokku from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Cranberry Cornbread Dressing from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Cranberry Cornbread Stuffing from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Cranberry Oatmeal Sourdough Muffins from Cooking With Carlee

Cranberry-Sage Breakfast Sausage from Palatable Pastime

Jaegerschnitzel with Cranberry-Raspberry Sauce from Caroline’s Cooking

Pumpkin Cranberry Bread from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

#CranberryWeek & SRC: Cranberry Upside Down Cake

~ lk529 ~ 20 Comments

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Today’s  Secret Recipe Club post comes with a little good-news-bad-news.

Do you want the bad news first?

The bad news as that this post is the final Secret Recipe Club reveal day. I’ve spent 2 1/2 years with this wonderful group of people and I’m sorry to see it come to an end. I’ve made great friends, some even in-person! I know there will be other blogging opportunities that will cross paths with a lot of these wonderful bloggers.

Ready for the good news?

Today’s SRC post helps me kick of #CranberryWeek! Because I don’t want to steal the show from honoring my last SRC assigned blogger, I’ll delve into the brains behind #CranberryWeek tomorrow. (Hope you understand Caroline and Christie), but you can search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration.

cranberry-week-logo

I had no problem finding a recipe that would be the perfect kick-off to #CranberryWeek from my assigned blog this month. Heather of Join Us, Pull Up a Chair happens to love cranberries about as much as I do and my secret Pinterest board had 4 great contenders (and 11 non-cranberry recipes) saved to it! On the cranberry front I debated between Upside Down Cake, Shortbread Cookies, and Muffins. Heather’s Kung Pao Chickpeas and Hot & Sweet Chicken Thighs tempted my savory pallet.

So who is this Heather behind all of those delicious looking recipes? Heather is busy mom of two with a full time job in marketing as well as running an independent sales consultant gig. She started her blog to help organize her recipe hording lifestyle. I can completely relate as the magazine pages tend to pile up in my home, too. Heather grew up helping her mom in the kitchen and has passed on that love of cooking and baking to her kids. She says having her kids in the kitchen helps them be more adventurous in trying new foods – I hope Firecracker will end up being that way, but at age 2 it’s not quite as successful.

The Cranberry Upside Down Cake I settled on was a huge hit. So popular in fact, I made it twice! And it had nothing to do with the fact that I got pulled away from it and didn’t upend it on time and had a non-photography worthy cake. Instead of getting frustrated, I got excited that I’d be getting to make the cake again! The second time, I didn’t allow the kids to derail me and I flipped that cake when the time went off. A successful endeavor for a dessert I brought to the church to support their ministry of feeding the hungry once a week. (But not before stealing just one more piece for myself. I mean, I did need to do a quality check before serving others!)

Cranberry Upside Down Cake

Ingredients:

  • 8 tbsp butter, softened, divided use
  • 1 C sugar, divided use
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground allspice
  • 1 3/4 – 2 C fresh cranberries
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 C flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 C milk

Steps:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Spread 2 tbsp softened butter along the bottom and sides of an 8″ round or 8×8″ square cake pan.
  3. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 C sugar with the cinnamon and allspice. Pour evenly into the prepared cake pan. Arrange the cranberries in an even layer in the cake pan.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the remaining butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  6. Add half of the dry ingredients to the stand mixer, mix until combined. Add the milk, mixing until incorprated. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients.
  7. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake 30-35 minutes, until a knife inserted comes out cleanly. Let cake cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife along the edges and carefully flip out onto a plate.

*This recipe is adapted from Heather at https://joinuspullupachair.com/2011/11/20/cranberry-upside-down-cake/*

Cranberry Upside Down Cake for Secret Recipe Club and #CranberryWeek from Sew You Think You Can Cook

To see the other bloggers who participated in the final Secret Recipe Club click here:

But don’t stop your recipe stumbling there! Check out all of these great cranberry recipes to kick of #CranberryWeek:

Cranberry-Apple Sauce from The Chef Next Door

Cranberry Cornbread from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Cranberry Maple Delicata Squash Galette from Caroline’s Cooking

Cranberry Orange Baked Brie from Books n’ Cooks

Cranberry Palmiers from The Bitter Side of Sweet

Cranberry Rosemary Cornbread from Life Currents

Cranberry Snack Cake from Cooking With Carlee

Cranberry Upside Down Cake from Sew You Think You Can Cook

Noreaster from Family Around The Table

Pork Shashlyk and Tkemali from Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cranberries from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Slow Cooker Cranberry Brisket from Palatable Pastime

Stuffed Endive with Blue Cheese, Walnuts & Cranberries from Full Belly Sisters

Upside Down Cranberry Cake from Hostess At Heart

#SundaySupper: How to Use Holiday Leftovers

~ lk529 ~ 17 Comments

Thanksgiving is this week.

You guys. Thanksgiving is this week!

When you plan your holiday menu do you plan to intentionally have leftovers? I don’t, but I know there will be and I don’t necessarily try to mitigate them.

What do you do with all your leftover food? My brother’s favorite way to eat them is simply reheated in a skillet with some gravy. That’s really the best method for reheating the turkey and stuffing to make it taste just as good as T-day itself.

I’m a sucker for a cold turkey sandwich with some mayo on rye bread. I also enjoy a grilled cheese style sandwich with the turkey, creamed onions, and thin slice of apple.

But what do you do with the non-turkey items? I’m sure my Sunday Supper friends have some more creative and wonderful ideas on how to use up those holiday leftovers! A big thank you to Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventure for hosting today’s event.

wesWhen I had leftover sweet potato casserole last year, I decided to repurpose it into breakfast. (I mean, really, what else would I possibly do?) Waffles! I simply left out the streusel (marshmallow if that’s they way you go) topping and garnished my waffles with fresh pecans.

Just look at that cutie to the right! I can’t believe that was almost a full year ago. He looks so little. I mean, his brother can now wear that shirt! My how much can happen in one year.

Sweet Potato Casserole Waffles

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 C whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 C flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 1 C sweet potato casserole
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 C milk
  • 1 1/2 C plain Greek yogurt
  • pecans (optional)

Steps:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours and baking powder.
  2. In another bowl, whisk the casserole, eggs, milk, and yogurt.
  3. Combine wet ingredients into dry.
  4. Drop 1/3  C of waffle batter onto a greased waffle iron and cook until golden.
  5. Garnish with pecans, if desired.

Sweet Potato Casserole for #SundaySupper from Sew You Think You Can Cook

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Sunday Supper MovementJoin the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement