Cranberry Sauce

This recipe is from the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, who is one of my favorite TV cooks. She has such an easy cooking style, plus I love having a peep into what life is like living on a ranch in Oklahoma.

3 C fresh cranberries, washed
1 C maple syrup
juice and zest of one orange

Put the cranberries in a medium sized saucepan, and then add the maple syrup and orange juice and zest. Stir gently and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook for about 10 minutes or so until the cranberries begin to break down.

This is one of the most delicious cranberry sauce recipes I've tried, and the best thing is that it's super easy to make! You can't go wrong with that!

This Thanksgiving I cooked three different cranberry sauce recipes, and this was definitely my favorite. Everyone else seemed to love it too!

Davenport Maple Farm Restaurant, Shelburne, Massachusetts

It's maple syrup time here in New England and everyone is anxious to come out of hibernation! The seasonal ritual is to go out for a weekend pancake breakfast served with real maple syrup of course.
Davenport Maple Farm Restaurant is tucked away in a very scenic location in the High Ledges area of Shelburne with breathtaking vistas. I went on opening day and the restaurant was very buzzy indeed with a casual and relaxed atmosphere. The banquet tables were full of families and couples eating elbow to elbow. They had a fun promotion which is if you rode in on your snowmobile you get $5 off your bill! Now what can be better than that?!

111 Tower Rd, Shelburne Falls, MA, United States (413) 625-2866
The restaurant is only open on weekends February through April, so it might be best to call first to make sure they're open.

Strata Bread

1 lb loaf French bread, or any other bread you have
8 oz cream cheese
8 eggs
2 1/2 C milk
6 T butter, melted (optional)
1/4 C maple syrup
1/2 C apple sauce

Butter a 9" x 13" pan or casserole dish and set aside.
Cut the bread up into cubes, and put half of them in the casserole dish. Top with cubed cream cheese.
Pour on the apple sauce, and cover with the remaining bread.
Blend the eggs, milk, melted butter and maple syrup and pour over the bread with a spatula, pressing down to help the bread absorb the liquid.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 2 1/2 hours or overnight.
Bake at 325º for about 35-40 minutes.
Serve with the warm apple sauce or maple syrup.
This dish is the perfect thing to make when you have guests visiting and you want to make breakfast super easy. Everyone loved this when I served it this week.