Cranberry Sauce

I really wanted to make my own cranberry sauce this year instead of using the traditional canned sauce. This recipe was simple and tasted so sweet and delicious with turkey! I found this recipe on the Real Simple website.

Recipe:

4 cups fresh cranberries

2 cups apple juice

¾ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon orange zest

1. Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, and cook until the liquid has slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, let cool, cover, and refrigerate in a serving dish.

A couple notes:

The sauce can be prepared and refrigerated up to 4 days in advance. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Casserole

I found this sweet potato casserole recipe on skinnytaste.com. I was looking for a recipe that was healthier than the traditional side dish recipe. The use of fresh sweet potatoes, golden raisins, pecans and crushed pineapple was a wonderful addition to this casserole. The recipe as written will provide 10 servings. I cut the ingredients in half to serve 4 to 5 people. Every one in the family can enjoy this dish!

 

Recipe:

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 5 medium), peeled

½ cup golden raisins

1 teaspoon agave

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

pinch allspice

8 ounce can unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained

2 tbsp chopped pecans

1 cup mini marshmallows

1. Cut sweet potatoes into large chunks; boil potatoes in a large pot covered with water until potatoes are soft if pierced with a fork. Drain and return to the pot.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Mash the sweet potatoes and add in raisins, agave, spices, and pineapple.
4. Lightly spray a casserole dish with oil, spoon in sweet potatoes.
5. Sprinkle with pecans and marshmallows. Bake for 15 minutes.

A couple notes:

I used 1 tablespoon of brown sugar instead of the agave.

Instead of spraying the casserole dish with oil, I lightly buttered the dish.

I used a bit more than just once cup of mini marshmallows to cover the whole casserole.

Enjoy!

Green Bean Casserole

Green Bean Casserole is one of my favorite side dishes to make year-round. The recipe is easy and it always tastes good. For Thanksgiving dinner I used Trader Joe's Portabella Mushroom Soup in the place of the traditional cream of mushroom soup. The texture was much creamier and the taste was fabulous. I also added sliced almonds to this casserole that added a nice crunch.

 

Recipe:

4 cups cooked cut green beans

1 box of Trader Joe's Portabella Mushroom Soup (or 1 can of cream of mushroom soup)

½ cup milk

1 1/3 cups fried onions

¼ cup sliced almonds

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1. Mix soup, milk, green beans, almonds, salt and pepper in a 1 ½ quart casserole dish.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
3. Stir, sprinkle fried onions on top. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Wild Rice Stuffed Squash

I was looking for a new fall recipe and this one looked tasty! Thank you Martha Stewart! This was my second time cooking with acorn squash and I'm surprised how much I like it! Great texture and flavor. For this recipe I used Basmati Rice Medley from Trader Joe's. It is a blend of Aged Indian Basmati Rice and Wild Rice with Garden Herbs and Vegetables. I also used dried cranberries instead of dried cherries to add some Thanksgiving flavor!

Recipe:

2 acorn squashes (1 ½ pounds each), halved lengthwise, seeds removed

2 tablespoons butter

1 shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 box (6 ounces) wild-rice blend (seasoning packet discarded)

½ cup dried cherries

½ cup pecans, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange squash cut side down; cover sheet tightly with aluminum foil. Roast until tender when pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 40 minutes.
   
   
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat butter over medium. Add shallot, garlic, and sage; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add rice and 1 3/4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, without stirring, about 25 minutes. 
    
3. Remove rice from heat, and stir in cherries and pecans; season stuffing with salt and pepper. Season the inside of each squash half with salt and pepper. Dividing evenly, mound stuffing into halves, and serve.

A couple notes:

I used 6 ounces of Basmati Rice Medley and it only took about 20 minutes to cook.

Instead of dried cherries I used dried cranberries and absolutely loved the sweet flavor that they provided.

This dish needs a lot of salt and pepper! I seasoned the rice and squash separately. Also sprinkled the entire dish again before serving.

Enjoy!

Artichoke-Parmesan Crostini

This is a fantastic appetizer for parties! Very quick and easy to prepare. The taste and texture are exquisite. This Artichoke-Parmesan Crostini makes a healthy alternative to the traditional appetizers that involve sour cream and mayonnaise. 

Recipe:

8 slices (¼ inch thick) baguette

2 tablespoons olive oil

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 jar (6 ½ ounces) marinated artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make crostini: Brush baguette slices on both sides with a total of 1 tablespoon olive oil; Season with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, and bake, turning once, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool.
   
   
2. Meanwhile, make topping: Finely chop artichokes, and combine in a bowl with Parmesan, parsley, and remaining tablespoon olive oil.
   
   
3. Dividing evenly, spoon topping onto crostini, and garnish with additional Parmesan, if desired.

A couple notes:

I found it was necessary to add a bit more olive oil to the artichoke mix than just 1 tablespoon.

I didn't add more Parmesan as a garnish, there was plenty in the mix.

Enjoy!

Honey Mustard Salmon Salad

I was browsing the Whole Foods recipe collection and found this recipe for Honey Mustard Salmon Salad. I love to eat salmon and I am always looking for new ways to prepare it because of the omega-3 benefits. The rich salmon, lightly sweet honey mustard and crisp vegetables make this fresh take more flavorful than tuna salad. This recipe stood out to me especially because it does not include mayonnaise. This is a delicious lunch or dinner idea and can be served with crackers, on multigrain sandwich bread, or on lettuce leaves. I chose to serve the salmon salad with Multigrain Pita Bite Crackers from Trader Joe's. 

Recipe:

2 tablespoons honey mustard

2 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt

1 (6 oz) can Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon, drained

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 rib celery, thinly sliced

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

1. In a large bowl, whisk together honey mustard and yogurt.
   
   
2. Add salmon, pepper, celery, and red onion and stir gently until combined.

A couple notes:

I added 2 stalks of celery instead of 1 as the recipe calls for to add more crunch.

Season with Salt and Pepper before serving.

Enjoy!

Clove Garlic Soup with Arugula Salad

Dinner nights with friends are always fun! It's even more fun trying new recipes and tasting the result of an evening full of cooking and laughter. My friend found this recipe for Clove Garlic Soup in Whole Living magazine so we decided to give it a try! Living so close to the Garlic Capital of the World, this garlic soup recipe looked intriguing. The soup had a great creamy texture and tasted delicious. The garlic wasn't overpowering at all. Serving this soup in a whole wheat bread bowl made this dinner warm and cozy. We added a light arugula salad to the menu to add some freshness.

 

Clove Garlic Soup Recipe:

2 heads garlic, halved crosswise

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups low sodium chicken broth

8 ounces Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle garlic heads with oil. Wrap tightly in foil and roast until tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool, then squeeze garlic from papery skin and set aside.
   
   
2. Bring, stock, potatoes, and roasted garlic to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan.
   
   
3. Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

A couple notes:

I substituted vegetable broth for chicken broth.

It took longer for the potatoes to become tender than the recipe mentions...about 15 to 20 minutes total.

If you would like to add some heat to the soup, sprinkle a small amount of red pepper flakes to the bottom of the bread bowl.

We added a personal touch to the salad and used the top of the bread bowls to make our own croutons. Cut into small pieces and drizzle with olive oil. Turn the oven onto broil and place croutons in oven until crispy. Add to your salad!

Enjoy!