Spicy Cranberry Chutney

This recipe is adapted from Madhur Jaffrey who is one of my favorite cookbook writers. This cranberry sauce has a nice kick to it, and the cayenne adds some heat which works very well with Thanksgiving Dinner.

1 inch piece fresh ginger, sliced finely
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/3 C apple cider vinegar
3 TBsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp cayenne1 can whole cranberry sauce, roughly chopped
dash ground black pepper

Cook the ginger, garlic, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and cayenne in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook on a medium heat form about 15 to 20 minutes until the sauce has reduced by about half.

Add the can of cranberry sauce, stir and gently heat for about 10 minutes or so.
Cool before serving.

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!

Green Bean Casserole

This is the old-fashioned green bean casserole that is the traditional accompaniment to Thanksgiving Dinner.
1 can condensed mushroom soup
1/2 C milk
5 C green beans, cooked
2/3 C French's Fried Onions

Cook the green beans until done. Drain and spoon into a large casserole dish.
Sprinkle 1/3 C of the fried onions over the green beans, and gently stir and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Meanwhile, stir the soup and milk together in saucepan, and gently heat for a few minutes.
Pour the hot soup over the green beans and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes until the beans are heated through.
Top with the remaining fried onions and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Sourdough Bread

Don't you just love sourdough bread? This recipe uses some starter and is quite easy to make, it just takes a little time. Although I like this bread, I still prefer the no-knead recipe that I've been using for a number of years now. But you have to keep experimenting!

1 C sourdough starter ("baby sponge")***

1/3 C warm water

1 tsp salt

2 C bread flour

1/2 tsp instant yeast

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium sized bowl

Knead the dough in a food mixer for 10 minutes.

Put the dough ball in a large oiled bowl (I use olive oil), and roll it gently so that it doesn't stick.

Proof the bread dough in a warm and sheltered spot (around 85°F) for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Knead the dough on a table sprinkled with some regular flour. Feel free to add a little flour if the dough is a bit sticky. You can also put a few drops of olive oil on your hands to help too.

Cover the bowl with cling film and allow to rise for about 2-1/2 hours or so, until the dough has doubled in size.

*A good rule of thumb is that the dough is ready when you poke it with your finger and the dough doesn't ooze into the hole.

Line a loaf tin with foil, and rub it lightly with some olive oil. Gently roll the dough into the loaf tin.

Score the top of the dough with a sharp knife

Preheat the oven to 475°F.

Place a casserole dish with about 2 inches of hot water on the bottom shelf. When the water begins to steam, remove the dish.

Bake the bread in the middle of the oven and reduce the heat to 425°F. Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

Cool the bread on a wire rack for a few minutes before you dive in!

***Baby Sponge Starter recipe

4-1/2 C whole wheat flour

Olive Cheese Bread

This is super easy to make and absolutely scrumptious. But you must be warned, this isn't light when it comes to calories!