12 Days of Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen: Day 8

Gifts from the kitchen aren't limited to cookies and candy.  This Cranberry Delight Spread makes a tasty gift.  An easy way to present it is in a small Mason jar or a seasonal bowl.  A nice added touch is to put some vanilla wafers or gingersnaps in a Christmas cellophane bag, tie the bag closed with colored raffia and attach a Christmas spreader for an all inclusive gift.

© Margaret's Morsels

Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup

It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is only eight days away!  If you're planning your menu or looking for something new to serve, here's some Thanksgiving recipes I've shared in the past.  I'm putting the finishing touches on two recipes -- one vegetable, one dessert -- I plan to post before Thanksgiving.  

Cranberry Delight Spread

 

Cornbread Dressing

Cranberry Orange Relish

 Sweet Potato Souffle

Potato Salad

Carrot Souffle

Southern Cranberry Salad

Quick and Easy Candied Sweet Potatoes

One Hour Buttermilk Rolls

Fruit Tea

Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Pie

No Bake Turkey Cookies

© Margaret's Morsels

Afternoon Appetizer

My mother always served the Thanksgiving meal in the early afternoon. Some years, I serve the meal in the afternoon -- depending on who's coming and whether or not they're going to their in-laws later that day -- but I prefer serving it in the evening.  I like having more time to cook the food plus the ambiance that comes from having candles lit while we eat.

The years I serve an evening meal, I offer an array of appetizers for guests to nibble on during the afternoon while the turkey, dressing and all the trimmings are cooking.  Cranberry Delight Spread is one of my favorite seasonal appetizers.  Like the previous cranberry recipes I've shared, it's also a combination of cranberries and oranges, but this time in the form of dried cranberries and a fresh orange.

Cream cheese is combined with concentrated orange juice, cinnamon, sugar, chopped pecans, dried cranberries and orange zest.  Zest, the outermost layer of the rind, contains aromatic oils which are very flavorful.

The easiest way to remove the zest is with a microplane zester.

The microplane zester is the one on the right.

Don't scrape the orange too deeply; you don't want to remove the white part -- known as the pith -- because it's bitter.  The zest adds a lot of flavor so if you're using a large orange, start by adding part of the zest; you might not need all of it.  Taste the mixture to see if you need to add more zest. This is especially important if you're doubling or tripling the recipe.   

Dried cranberries can be tricky to cut because they're sticky.  A quick and easy way to cut them is with a pair of kitchen shears.  If the cranberries stick to the shears, spray the shears with a little bit of nonstick cooking spray.  The cranberries will slide right off.

I mix up the spread a couple of days ahead of time so the flavors have time to blend.  When I'm ready to serve it, I put the spread in a bowl on a platter surrounded by vanilla wafers and gingersnaps.  The friend that gave me the recipe serves it with Triscuits to balance sweet and salty.

After our Thanksgiving meal is over and the leftovers are put up, we play -- what one of my nephews calls a family tradition -- several friendly, but competitive rounds of Taboo.  As the evening progresses, the leftover afternoon appetizers are brought out for people to munch on while trying to figure out how to describe cranberry without using the words red, bog, juice, Thanksgiving or Ocean Spray!

Cranberry Delight Spread

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. concentrated orange juice (undiluted), thawed

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. sugar

zest of 1 orange

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

1/4 cup finely chopped dried cranberries

In an electric mixer bowl, combine the cream cheese, orange juice, cinnamon and sugar.  Beat on medium speed until smooth.  Fold in the orange zest, pecans and cranberries.  Refrigerate.

© Margaret's Morsels

Thanksgiving Traditions

When it comes to cooking, I'm a creature of habit.  When I find culinary combinations that work well, I tend to stick with them.  For instance, I always serve Marinated Baked Chicken with Mushroom Rice Casserole

and Baked Ziti with salad and garlic bread.

This habit comes in handy at Thanksgiving, especially when the fourth Thursday in November falls early like it does this year.  My Thanksgiving menu will be reminiscent of years past which, in reality, is almost identical to what my mother served every year at Thanksgiving.

There will be slices of roast turkey on a colorful turkey serving platter and a big bowl of Cornbread Dressing.  To save time, I bake the frozen biscuits and packaged cornbread mix the day before.  The recipe makes a lot -- 8 to 12 servings -- so if there's any left, you can freeze it and use it later.

A lot of people serve mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving, but my mother always served Potato Salad and so do I.  In fact, it's the only Thanksgiving recipe I use that came from my mother.  This tasty side dish can be made one or two days ahead of time.  You can substitute a 24 ounce package of Ore-Ida Steam 'n Mash cut Russet potatoes and avoid peeling, dicing and cooking the potatoes.

If you prefer sweet potatoes, I've got two recipes to share.  Sweet Potato Souffle, a fancy name for sweet potato casserole, can be made with three pounds of sweet potatoes or a package of Ore-Ida Steam 'n Mash cut sweet potatoes.  It can be made a day or two ahead of time and reheated in the oven or microwave.  If you leave it in the dish you baked it in, no one will even know it was made ahead of time.

Quick and Easy Candied Sweet Potatoes are a nice alternative to the traditional casserole.  You don't have to peel potatoes because this recipe uses canned sweet potatoes.  Unlike the sweet potato souffle that can be made ahead of time, this is best made right before serving.  It only takes a few minutes and is cooked on the stove top, which is helpful when the oven is already being used.

If you're a cranberry lover like me, I've got three tasty recipes that share some of the same ingredients, but with completely different textures.  The first one, Cranberry Orange Relish, is a sweet-tart combination made with fresh cranberries, apple, orange, pineapple and sugar.  It can be made up to two weeks ahead of time and stored in the freezer.

Southern Cranberry Salad is a congealed salad that combines whole berry cranberry sauce, mandarin oranges and pineapple with cherry gelatin. It can be made a couple of days ahead of time.

Cranberry Orange Casserole also uses whole berry cranberry sauce and mandarin oranges, but not pineapple.  The sauce and oranges are combined with lemon juice and sugar and baked in the oven.  Unlike the other two cranberry recipes that can be made ahead of time and served cold, this one is best served hot from the oven.  The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.

My mother made homemade rolls from scratch, but I use a bread machine to make One Hour Buttermilk Rolls, which means they take longer than an hour to make.  If you don't have a bread machine, the recipe includes directions for making the rolls by hand.  The rolls can be made a month ahead of time, stored in the freezer and reheated in the oven or microwave.

To quench everyone's thirst, I serve Fruit Tea.  This sweet tea is combined with pineapple juice, lemon juice and, the secret ingredient, ginger ale.  It's best made the day it's served.

I'll be posting some new Thanksgiving recipes next week, including a dessert that combines two traditional Thanksgiving flavors.

© Margaret's Morsels

                                                     

Countdown to Easter: Part 1

Easter is 11 days away, but I'm already planning my menu.  It's actually easy because my family expects the same thing -- ham, macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs, homemade rolls and fruit tea -- every year.  The menu might get boring, except I change things up by preparing different side dishes.

A few years ago, I discovered I loved cranberries paired with oranges.  I think the cranberry/orange combination is especially delicious served with ham.

Last Easter, I served a cranberry/orange side dish in the form of Cranberry Orange Relish.  This sweet-tart relish is a combination of fresh cranberries, apple, orange, pineapple and sugar.   If you don't have fresh cranberries on hand, you can still enjoy a cranberry/orange side dish.

Cranberry Orange Casserole uses canned whole berry cranberry sauce and mandarin oranges mixed with lemon juice and sugar.  Unlike the relish, the casserole is heated in the oven and served hot.  The recipe only makes four servings, but it can easily be doubled or tripled.

If you want to serve a cold side dish, try Southern Cranberry Salad.  It also uses whole berry cranberry sauce and mandarin oranges, but is combined with cherry gelatin, water and pineapple for a congealed salad.

If you prefer a seasonal side dish, check back soon for a recipe that uses the quintessential spring vegetable. 

Cranberry Orange Casserole

4 Servings

1 (14 oz.) can whole berry cranberry sauce

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained

1/2 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. sugar

Preheat the oven to 350°.  Combine the ingredients and pour into a greased casserole dish.  Bake 25 minutes until hot and bubbly.

© Margaret's Morsels

Easter Menu: Part 1

This is the first of a three part series with recipes from my Easter menu.

For as long as I can remember, Easter has been my favorite holiday.  I love the pastel colors, the reawakening of the earth with flowers and blooms and, of course, the reason for the season.  I cook a feast on Easter that rivals the feasts I cook for Thanksgiving and Christmas.


Although a lot of my holiday menus are similar to what my mother served, my Easter menu is quite different from hers.  My mother always served her Thanksgiving menu, but with roasted chicken instead of turkey.  On Easter, the centerpiece on my table is a ham.


I love pairing ham with macaroni and cheese.  I also like to serve ham with green bean bundles, deviled eggs and fruit tea, all of which I've written about in previous blogs.


I do add one fall element to my menu:  Cranberry Orange Relish.  This is an unusual side dish to make at Easter since fresh cranberries aren't in season.  However, the relish goes great with ham and provides a refreshing burst of fruit flavor.

I'm a late in life cranberry convert.  I love cranberries so much now, I enjoy eating them year round.  I buy extra bags when they're in season and store them in the freezer.  That way, I can make this -- or any cranberry dish -- during the year.


In addition to fresh cranberries, you'll need a food grinder or food processor to prepare the relish.


Rinse the cranberries under cold water and drain them in a colander.  If you're using frozen berries, don't thaw them ahead of time.

Wash an orange and cut it into eighths.  You're going to use the whole orange -- including the peel -- which gives the relish more flavor.  If you're not using a seedless orange, be sure to remove any seeds.

Peel, core and slice an apple into quarters.  I use a Granny Smith apple which is tart.  You can use a sweeter apple such as Gala, Red Delicious or Rome or something in between, such as Baldwin, Cortland or Jonathan.

Grind the fruit into small pieces.  If you're using a food processor, be careful not to pulse it too much.  You don't want the relish to be runny. Depending on the size of your grinder or food processor, you might need to grind the fruit in batches.  I grind each fruit separately and combine everything in a mixing bowl.

The ground cranberries, orange and apple.

Once the fruit has been ground, stir in a can of crushed pineapple and sugar to taste.  Cranberries are acidic and when combined with a tart apple and pineapple in its own juice, the relish isn't very sweet.  I add 1 1/4 cups sugar, but you can add more or less to suit your taste.


Put the relish in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator.  I make the relish a few days ahead of time.  Not only does this save me time, it also gives the ingredients time to blend.


The relish can be made two weeks ahead of time and stored in the freezer. Take the relish out of the freezer a day or two before serving and let it thaw in the refrigerator.  If the relish is runny when it's thawed, drain it before putting it in a serving bowl.


If you've got cranberries in the freezer, you might want to add this relish to your Easter menu.  If you don't have any cranberries, you might want to buy some this fall and keep them in the freezer.  This relish makes a great side dish all year round which is a good reason to keep cranberries in the freezer.

Cranberry Orange Relish

6 Servings

1 (12 oz.) bag cranberries, rinsed and drained

1 orange, washed, cut into eighths and seeded

1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into quarters

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 to 2 cups sugar to taste (I use 1 1/4 cups)

Grind cranberries, orange with the peel and apple in a food processor.  Be careful not to pulse it too much.  Add pineapple and sugar, stirring to mix the ingredients.  Store covered in the refrigerator.

© Margaret's Morsels

On the Side: Part Two

Last week, I wrote about a Thanksgiving side that appears on my table some years, but not others.  As promised, today I'm going to write about the Thanksgiving side dish that, like the proverbial Christmas fruitcake, gets no respect at all, but is practically obligatory on the Thanksgiving table.  It's the side dish you either love or hate.  For most of my life I hated it.  You've probably guessed I'm talking about cranberries.

Why have cranberries become the brunt of so many jokes?  Probably because we've encountered them combined with a multitude of ingredients that do nothing to enhance the flavor of the cranberries.  

Each Thanksgiving, my mother made a congealed cranberry salad with cherry gelatin, fresh cranberries, celery, nuts and several kinds of fruit.  I hated it as a child and I hate it as an adult.  At the other end of the spectrum, my mother-in-law always served canned jellied cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving.  I didn't like it any better than I did my mother's cranberry salad concoction.

A couple of years ago, I found a recipe for Southern Cranberry Salad.  The recipe sounded delicious so I decided to make it for Easter.  My in-laws loved it and, surprisingly, so did I.  Seeming overnight, I became a cranberry convert.

This is not my mother's cranberry salad!

The adage less is more is certainly true with this recipe.  It only uses five ingredients, but they compliment each other and produce an extremely tasty salad.  Unlike my mother's recipe that used fresh cranberries, this recipe uses a can of whole berry cranberry sauce.  This means I can make the salad year round and not just October through December when fresh cranberries are in season.  This is a good thing because it's a wonderful accompaniment to an Easter ham.

I always use sugar-free gelatin and this recipe is no exception. Cranberries are tart so, if you want the salad to be a little sweeter, you might opt to use a package of regular gelatin instead.  Although the recipe calls for cherry gelatin, you could substitute another red gelatin if you prefer.  I think the salad would be delicious with cranberry gelatin.


This salad is an easy holiday dish because it can be made ahead of time. Sometimes I use a jello mold; other times, I put the salad in a Corning Ware casserole dish.  If I'm not unmolding the salad, I don't bother greasing the dish.  If I'm molding the salad, I follow the tips mentioned here.

Now that I know cranberries are delicious with the right combination of ingredients, I'm looking for new cranberry recipes.  The in-laws don't know it yet, but I'm trying a new cranberry relish recipe this year for Thanksgiving.  I hope they like it as much as they do the Southern Cranberry Salad.

Southern Cranberry Salad

8 Servings

1 (3 oz.) pkg. cherry gelatin

1 cup boiling water

1 (16 oz.) can whole berry cranberry sauce

2 (11 oz.) cans mandarin oranges, drained

1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained

Bring water to a boil.  Remove from heat and add the cherry gelatin.  Stir the gelatin until it is completely dissolved.  Add the remaining ingredients; blend well.  Pour mixture into a greased 4-cup jello mold or a 2-quart dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Refrigerate leftovers.

© Margaret's Morsels