Spiced Cranberries...

Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving at my house without  my dads spiced cranberries.  I have had them for everything Thanksgiving as I can remember...and now that I have a family of my own, I continue to make them every year. 

 

Even if you don't like cranberries, you will probably still  like these.  They taste nothing like the can of cranberries you open and plop into a bowl!

 

They are super easy and don't require very many ingredients (which I like) so give them a try!  You won't regret it!

 

This recipe makes about 2 pints.  If you don't want to make this much (which really isn't that much because you will want to cover everything you eat with this stuff...seriously I put it in my mashed potatoes, on my stuffing...or I just eat it with a spoon.)  I will include a recipe for a smaller batch below.  The only thing with a smaller batch is that it uses a bag and a half or cranberries, so you are left with just a half a bag of cranberries that, unless you find some use for a couple cups of cranberries, you will probably just throw away.

 

 

Two 12 oz packages of cranberries

1 1/2 c. dark brown sugar (I've used light brown sugar and it turns out just fine as well)

1 1/2" ginger root

3 cinnamon sticks

15 whole allspice

15 whole cloves

1 1/4 c. white wine vinegar (I've used red wine vinegar and it works too)

 

Wash the cranberries and throw out any that are soft or rotten. 

 

Put the cloves and allspice into a tea strainer or wrap them in a cheesecloth and tie it shut.

To prepare the ginger, cut it into about a 1 1/2" chunk, and then peel off the skin using a spoon to scrape it off.  A peeler would be too rough.

 

Combine the berries, vinegar, sugar, spices, ginger and cinnamon sticks into a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Lower the heat, cover the pan and let it simmer for 20 minutes or until the berries are tender.

 

Once they are done, take the spices, ginger and cinnamon sticks out and store in jars in the fridge.  This recipe makes about two pints.



For a smaller batch:

4 c. cranberries (about a bag and a half)
1 c. dark brown sugar
1 inch ginger root
2 cinnamon sticks
10 whole allspice
10 whole cloves
3/4 c. white wine vinegar.

Lemony Roasted Cabbage

http://www.kalynskitchen.com

So I was looking for something yummy to serve with my corned beef last Sunday, and I came across this recipe on Pinterest, from the blog attached above.  I was nervous because I had never really cooked cabbage before and not many people like it.  Needless to say...this was a  HUGE hit in our house! (So were my Rubens by the way!)  And it was SO EASY!!!

Take a head of cabbage and cut it into 8 wedges.  Lay them down on a greased roasting pan.

Mix together 2 TB of olive oil and and between 2-4 TB of freshly squeezed lemon juice.  I had a big head of cabbage and I used about 4 TBS of lemon juice and it was the perfect amount to cover my wedges, and it was the perfect level of lemoniness (?)....

Once you've mixed the oil and juice, use a pastry brush and baste the ouside of the cabbage with the mixture.  Then salt and pepper them as well.  Carefully turn them over and brush, salt, and pepper them again. 

Roast them at 450 for about 15 minutes on one side, then flip and do the same for the other.

SO YUMMY!! ( And for those who care it's only 1 WW Point per wedge!)

Breakfast Cookies

I skip out on breakfast way too much, and with the winter coming and the flu bug going around the school I NEED to start eating breakfast.

My good friend gave me this recipe the other day. I tried it this morning and they are very easy and delicious! Plus...for the weight conscious each cookie is only 3points plus on the weight watchers scale.

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1tbsp splenda

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce ( I didn't have unsweetened applesauce so I used one of the lunch pack cinnamon applesauces. In turn I didn't use the cinnamon or the splenda)

1tbsp flour

1/3 cup dry nonfat milk

1 package instant oatmeal

Mix all ingredients and shape into two cookies on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for ten minutes.

You can do any flavor instant oatmeal. I've tried maple brown sugar pecan and I'm excited to try others. I liked it warm, Jessie preferred it cool.

Yummy Pumpkin Crescent Rolls

My family LOVES this recipe. I also made it for a work pot luck and it was a big hit. I like it fresh out of the oven with some whipped cream but if you really like pumpkin you will probably like it better after it has been refrigerated. Super easy to make!!

Pumpkin Crescent Rolls

2 tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls
1 block of cream cheese
1 cup of canned pumpkin
Add in pumpkin pie spices (from the recipe on the can)
3 T Sugar
4 T Sugar

Makes: 32 mini croissants

Roll out crescent rolls, and cut each lengthwise in 2.

Place 4 T Sugar, and Cinnamon in bowl; set aside

Beat remaining ingredients together until fluffy and creamy. Spread mixture over crescent rolls. Roll each mini crescent roll and toss in sugar/cinnamon mixture. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 375* for 15-18 minutes.

** Best after Refrigerated**

Dip!

I got this recipe from a friend a few weeks ago.

Pickle Wrap Dip

8oz- Cream Cheese

8oz- Sour Cream

3 Packages of Buddig Ham (That cheap lunch meat Stuff)

1 Jar of Pickles- I get a large jar of Zesty Dill Spears (SO YUMMY)

Mix everything together and eat with crackers! Yummy! When it sits the juice from the pickles turns the dip yellow, ignore the color because if you like pickle wraps you will LOVE this dip!

Shrimp Cocktail Soup

If you like shrimp cocktail, you will like this soup. It is wonderful for summer because it is served cold.

2 qts. tomato juice
4 cups chopped celery
1 green pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 bottles seafood cocktail sauce
1-2 Tbs horseradish
3 Tbs vinegar
2 Tbs worchestershire sauce
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
1-2 lbs. tiny salad shrimp

Combine all inredients and refridgerate at least overnight. Will keep for several days in the fridge. (I leave out the green pepper because I hate green pepper. Also, I usually don't use all 4 cups of celery, especially if I use 2 lbs. of shrimp.)

Mandarin Salad

This is such a yummy salad!!!

2 pkgs romaine lettuce

2 green onions

11 oz. can of mandarin oranges, drained

1/2 c. slivered almonds

3 TBS sugar

Dressing

1/2 tsp salt

1 TB parsley

2 TB sugar

1/4 c. salad oil

2 TB vinegar

dash of pepper

In a small pan on medium heat cook almonds and sugar, stirring contatnly until coated.

Mix dressing and chill.

Combine oranges and salad and dressing right before serving.  If you do it too early the salad gets 'soggy'...  I think some red onions would be good in this too!!