Cranberry Sauce, Fresh or For Canning {Recipe}

Cranberry sauce is the most neglected dish on the Thanksgiving table. It is over-sweetened to the point of tasting like jam, or worse, dumped and sliced from a can, ridge marks remaining. Why should these tart orbs be subjected to such a fate? Cranberries are easy to obtain fresh in November and full of flavor and vitamin C. It is impossibly easy to make them into an all-natural sauce. And once you do, you'll find new ways to appreciate the humble cranberry.

This sauce is a tangy antidote to any roast beast, of course. But it also plays beautifully on a charcuterie platter or cheese plate. Any rich dish that could use a balance of tart clear flavor will be improved by a dollop of cranberry sauce.

My sauce recipe is high in acid content and can be canned for use year round. I use an ample amount of apple for natural sweetness and just a bit of honey. Spices are light because they concentrate in the jar. If serving fresh, feel free to increase the spice quantities.

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Cranberry Sauce Makes: six half pint jars Time: 30 minutes cooking, 20 minutes canning

1 orange 2 12-ounce bags of fresh cranberries, washed with stems removed 6 medium apples, peeled cored and chopped 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4-3/4 cup honey

1. Peel orange, avoiding pith. 2. Place orange peel and remaining ingredients in a medium pot. Juice orange into pot. 3. Cook over low heat, covered, until apple texture disappear and cranberries 'pop'. Taste for spice and sweetness, adding more if necessary. 4. Remove orange peel and discard. 5. Serve sauce warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers and eat within two weeks or freeze for up to a year. 6. Alternately, ladle into sterilized jars with 1/4 inch headspace. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Remove from water, cool, and prepare for storage.

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Added to Simples Lives Thursday 70 and Punk Domestics.

Whole Wheat Snickerdoodle Cookies {Recipe}

I credit my mother with inspiring our family of cooks. She allowed us to prowl her cookbooks and recipe file. She encouraged us to make food for the family, despite the mess that often ensued. She (and Alex's mother) started the tradition of experiment cooking.

Because of Mom's encouragement, I started making whole wheat snickerdoodles when I was eight years old after finding a recipe in a kid’s cookbook. These cookies have a cakey texture and earthy flavor with a traditional cinnamon and sugar coating.

My cooking skills have expanded considerably since those days of messing around in Mom's kitchen, but I still prefer whole wheat snickerdoodle cookies over most others. They are just barely sweet, wholesome and a little boring. Kinda like me. ;)

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Whole Wheat Snickerdoodle Cookies Makes: 2 dozen Time: 20 minutes preparation, 10 minutes baking

½ cup unsalted butter ¾ cup brown sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon cream of tartar ¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons white sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 2. Cream together butter and brown sugar. Add egg and continue creaming until light and fluffy. 3. Stir in vanilla. 4. Measure whole wheat flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt onto creamed mixture. Stir together just until mixed completely. 5. In a small bowl, combine white sugar and cinnamon. 6. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Place in cinnamon sugar and cover dough completely. 7. Place snickerdoodles on silpat-lined cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. 8. Cool on a rack. Keeps well.

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Beet Creme Brulee {Recipe}

One birthday tradition in our family is that the birthday girl selects the dessert for the day. My dad always has German chocolate cake; Alex and my sister Megan usually share a pie; Lil likes chocolate cake (homemade, of course). Now that my youngest sister Heather is a trained pastry chef and freelance cake and truffle maker, I usually give her a few ideas and tell her to make me something tasty. This year, I wanted to see her interpret the trend I see of including beets in desserts.

Heather served up two awesome sweets for my beety birthday earlier this month - chocolate beet cake and beet creme brulee. KatySheCooks has a great chocolate beet cake recipe.

The first thing one notices about beet brulee is that it is shockingly pink. The color would lend itself to a baby girl shower or Halloween 'bloody brulee' treat.

The earthy beet flavor compliments the eggy custard nicely. It is great on its own, as we ate it, but we all thought it might be fun to play with additional flavors - perhaps a tiny bit of smoky paprika in the crust, or a tad of spicy ancho powder in the custard. If you try it with an extra flavor, let me know!

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Beet Creme Brulee

courtesy of Taysetee Pastry chef Heather Tayse

Makes: 4-6 servings, depending on the size of ramekins

Time: 30 minutes active cooking, 1 hour baking, 12 hour cooling

2 2/3 cups cream

pinch salt

2-3 medium sized beets, peeled and roughly chopped

1 cup egg yolks (approximately 16 eggs worth)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 t vanilla

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1. Pour cream, salt, and beets into a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cover, and set to a very low simmer for 45-60 minutes or until the cream has a deep pink color and tastes of beets.

2. Pour hot cream mixture into a blender and blend until fully smooth - this step may need to be done in batches, or you can use an immersion blender.

3. Whisk yolks, sugar, vanilla, and salt together until ribbon stage. (Light and fluffy)

4. Temper the egg mixture into the cream mixture by pouring a little bit of hot cream into the yolks and whisking. Add a little more cream and whisk again. Pour both yolks and the rest of the cream back into the pot.

5. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens to coat the back of a spoon.

6. Strain through a fine sieve and cool over a water bath, then chill 4-8 hours to let flavor's mellow (over night is better).

7. Pour into oven safe ramekins or bowls and place into a deep casserole dish (or a pan with at least 2" sides).

8. Place into a 325 degrees F pre-heated oven.

9. Pour hot water into the casserole dish to come at least half way up the sides of the brulee dishes, being careful not to splash any water on the dessert.

10. Cover entire dish with a cookie sheet, sheet pan, or aluminum foil.

11. Bake for 30-90 minutes (depending on the size of ramekin/bowl you use), or until when the creme brulee is gently shaken, the mixture is no longer in a liquid form.

12. Remove from oven, being careful not to spill the water bath into the brulee.  Immediately remove dishes from the water bath and let cool to room temperature.  Once at room temperature cover each individually with plastic and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving so they are thoroughly chilled.

13.  To brulee: Place a thin layer of turbinado and granulated sugar on the surface of the brulee and using a blow torch very carefully caramelize the sugar.  Let cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.[/print_this]

Added to Hearth and Soul.

Grandpa's Grilled Chicken {Recipe}

I am fortunate to come from a family of home cooks. Women are not the only ones in the kitchen - my father, uncle, and grandfather don aprons and feed the family as well.

This recipe is for my mother's father's grilled chicken. The marinade is nothing particularly special, but the method of re-basting it creates a succulent crispy glazed skin.

In honor of Grandpa, I never change the spices. Without nostalgia holding you back, I encourage you to add in a little cayenne, chili powder, or dry mustard.

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Grandpa's Chicken Serves: 4-8 depending on how much chicken is used Active cooking time: 10 minutes to prepare, 45-75 minutes grilling

½ cup oil ½ cup vinegar ¼ cup water 2 teaspoons salt ¼ teaspoon pepper 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon minced onion 5 pounds bone-in chicken, your favorite cut or a whole chicken cut in halves.

1. Whisk all ingredients together. 2. Pour over chicken pieces and allow to marinate for 30 minutes - 6 hours. (If marinating longer than an hour, place the chicken in the fridge.) 3. Heat a grill to moderate heat. Place the chicken on the grate. 4. Use a pastry brush to brush on leftover marinade. 5. Continue grilling, turning the pieces as necessary for even browning. Reapply marinade every 15 minutes. 6. Remove chickens from heat when internal temperature of thickest cut reaches 165 degrees F. 7. Allow to rest five minutes before serving.

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 Added to Hearth and Soul.

Apple Crisp {Ratio Recipe}

Apples are abundant in our house after our trip to Lawrence Orchards. When the oven was on for family dinner roasted potatoes last night, I couldn't help but whip up an apple crisp. I use a simple crumble topping ratio that is adaptable to the ingredients I have on hand and needs of my guests. I can use white flour, white sugar and butter for a traditional crisp. More often I choose oats, whole wheat flour and unrefined sugar for a healthier crunch. Coconut oil or vegetable shortening work when you are out of butter or want to avoid dairy.

I spice unsweetened apples (a variety of types works best) with freshly ground nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. You could use pears or plums if you have them and change up the spices to your taste. The topping is intentionally un-spiced because I like to let the fruit flavors shine through the crisp.

For the pictured pie pan of eight medium sized sliced apples, I used one cup flour and oats as my measure. For a 13x9 inch pan, I would use twice that amount.

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Apple Crisp Ratio Recipe

1 part flour, oats, or a mix 1/2 part sugar (white, brown, or turbinado) 1/2 tsp salt per cup flour 1/3 part solid fat (butter, coconut oil, or vegetable shortening)

1. Stir together flour, sweetener, and salt in a mixing bowl.

2. Cut fat into mix until no distinct pieces remain.

3. Spread evenly over a pan of sliced and spiced baking fruit.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until fruit is soft and topping browned.

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  Added to Simple Lives Thursday.

Bacon Wrapped Almond Stuffed Dates {Recipes}

Last week I was looking for a first course for a corporate cooking class that was easy to prepare and certain to please. I decided to test making bacon wrapped dates. Am I ever glad I did. The bites are salty and crisp on the outside, soft and sweet in the middle and contain a dense, satisfying almond in the very center. They are best served very warm.

These babies are so simple that I made enough to feed my class of twenty (forty dates worth) in fifteen minutes. After a few minutes on the grill, they disappeared from the serving plate as quickly and with as much gusto as Devie the big hound pursues squirrels in the backyard.

When you want an appetizer to wow the crowd that takes just minutes, try these dates.

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Bacon-Wrapped Almond-Stuffed Dates

dried, pitted whole dates homemade or high quality bacon, one thin 6 inch piece per date raw or blanched almonds, 1 per date

1. Preheat oven or grill to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 2. Insert one almond into each date. Wrap bacon around the date and secure with a toothpick. 3. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until bacon is browned and crisp. 4. Serve warm over arugula salad for a plated appetizer or on a hot platter for a party.

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PS. Did you see the first of my birthday giveaways? Stay tuned tonight for another one and enter the Kroger Giftcard Giveaway today.

Apple Fennel Cabbage Slaw {Recipe}

What's colorful, nutritious, and full of autumnal ingredients? Apple fennel cabbage slaw! My mother originated this slaw in my family, probably as a spin off from a magazine. We now make the salad regularly as a side to grilled meats or bite of freshness among a rich oven roasted chicken.

With a very light dressing, the recipe is vegan, low fat, and full of vitamins and crunch. Fennel haters have been known to change their mind over this salad.

Apple fennel slaw keeps for up to seven days in the fridge. When we tire of eating it fresh, we toss it in a cast iron skillet and braise the mix over medium heat until the vegetables are sweet and tender.

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Fennel Apple Slaw Makes: 12-20 servings Time: 20 minutes preparation, 30 minutes resting

1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup white wine or champagne vinegar 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar or honey 2 teaspoon soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon ground dried ginger 1 fennel bulb, core removed and thinly sliced 1 small head red cabbage, core removed sliced thinly in 3 inch lengths 2 granny smith or other tart apples, peeled, cored, and cut into matchsticks

1. Whisk together or shake in a jar the oil, vinegar, sugar/honey, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and ginger. 2. Pour dressing over fennel, cabbage, and apples. Let macerate for 30 minutes at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.[/print_this]

Added to Hearth and Soul and Traditional Tuesdays.

Johnny Marzetti {Ratio Recipe}

Like many central Ohioans, I grew up with a pan of Johnny Marzetti on every church potluck spread. The concoction of elbow pasta, meaty tomato sauce, and cheese held little appeal to me but I do recall it being a favorite of many others. When John of Jarsloth approached a group of Columbus bloggers to write about this cowtown classic, I aimed to create a homegrown and local version. That mine happens to contain far less fat and more vitamins than the original is a bonus to the exciting flavors.

My backyard Johnny Marzetti contains everything I could harvest from the backyard garden today: peppers, pattypan squash, chard, parsley and thyme. Precooked elbow macaroni (not at all local because I do like the Barilla brand and do not have a pasta extruder) and the vegetables are smothered in home canned tomato sauce and topped with cheddar cheese. After a quick bake, my local 'zetti, or one you make with the following ratio recipe, would be right at home on a modern potluck table.

[print_this]Johnny Marzetti Ratio Recipe feeds four

1/2 # elbow macaroni, cooked to al dente and drained 3 cups diced vegetables and/or ground meat, seasoned and cooked 2.5 cups tomato sauce 1 cup shredded cheese

1. Combine macaroni, vegetables, meat, and tomato sauce in an oven-proof pan, such as a 8x8 glass pan or 12 inch slope-sided cast iron skillet. 2. Top with shredded cheese. 3. Place in a cool oven (if using a glass pan) and turn on to 375 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top browns. [/print_this]

Post Script: As our dog-who-eats-everything is wont to do, Devie scaled the counter and mawed on the Marzetti before it went in the oven. Bad dog! Like a good homesteader with limited time and a family to feed, I simply topped with more cheese and baked a bit longer than usual. You might notice the missing volume in the pre- vs post- baked pictures.

For more reflections on Johnny Marzetti according to local food bloggers, check out John's post Respect the Marzetti, Andreas's flavor packed update and Debra's South Texas style. Marzetti with locally sourced ingredients is planned for the menu at the 2012 OEFFA conference and the subject of an article in an upcoming Columbus Crave magazine.