Cranberry Orange Relish - No cooking required!

Cranberry relish has always been a Thanksgiving favorite for me.  It also happened to be the only thing I helped make for about 20 years.  Not a coincidence, as you can imagine.  My mom uses a meat grinder, which creates a better texture to the relish, but most people don't have a 45 year old meat grinder hanging around their house.  A food processor will have to do.

All you need is one package of fresh cranberries, two NAVEL oranges, and 1-2 cups sugar.  Is that easy, or what?

 

Wash your cranberries in your brightest red colander for optimum results.

 

When you use a meat grinder, you alternate adding cranberries and orange pieces, but here we will add the entire package of cranberries to a food processor and process them to death. 

 

This is about the texture you want.  Pretty finely chopped.

Now cut your NAVEL oranges in half and then in half and then in half.  So make eighths.  You are keeping the skin on here, which makes it all the easier.  Now process the oranges in the food processor until they are about the same size as the cranberries.

 

Throw your cranberries and oranges into a large mixing bowl.

 

Now add 1 - 2 cups sugar.  We added 1 1/2 cups and then tested it the next day and it was a bit sour, so we added another another 1/2 cup.  In order to have the flavors combine thoroughly, it is best to make this 24 hours in advance. 

 

Here it is all ready...to go in the fridge for 24 hours.  Make sure you put it in a pretty little dish for the Thanksgiving table.  This would be a great easy dish to bring over to someone's house for Thanksgiving too.  It is tart with a little sweetness (depends on how much sweetness you want really).  For me it is a must on the holiday table because it adds some contrast to all the savory dishes. 

Cranberry Orange Relish

1 package cranberries

2 navel oranges, cut into eighths with skin-on

1-2 cups sugar

Chop finely 1 package cranberries in a food processor and add to large bowl.  Cut 2 navel oranges into eighths and chop finely in a food processor.  Add oranges to bowl with cranberries.  Add 1-2 cups sugar and mix thoroughly.  Make a day before serving and test in the morning to see if more sugar should be added.  Enjoy at Thanksgiving or any other festive holiday!

Thanksgiving Menu

This year is my inaugural year cooking Thanksgiving dinner.  And if you know anything about me, you would realize that this has spurred infinite hours of online research as well as countless lists of recipes, ingredients, and stores I need to visit.  So here is the final menu, folks (I know you've hardly been able to sleep with the anticipation).

We're having a fresh Willie Bird turkey from Mollie Stones and we are brining it, which is new to our whole family.  Everything I read seemed to rave about how moist and delicious a brined turkey is, so they better be right.  I am going a little lazy on the process, though, and just bought the brining mix at Williams Sonoma.  I'm hoping to roast the turkey while basting it with butter a few times to make it extra delicious.  My mom is going to be invaluable by helping me roast the turkey and especially in helping me make gravy.  Thank God she'll be here!

As for the sides, we're making lots of Pioneer Woman recipes.  Sweet potato crisp/casserole.  Cornbread stuffing.  Fresh dinner rolls.  But two things I know are my favorites every year are my mom's recipes for cranberry-orange relish and pumpkin pie.  I'll be sure to share those delicious recipes with you soon.  Sadly it will be a little late for Thanksgiving this year though.

Pumpkin Bread Puddin'

A couple of weeks ago my mom sent me an email entitled "if you love me :-)" and this recipe for pumpkin bread pudding was attached.  Apparently subtlety is not a family trait. 

 

Luckily for her, I am always up to try a new recipe, and I made it for my parents tonight.  Everyone agreed that it tastes best with a big dollop of whipped cream on top.  It tastes a lot like pumpkin pie...except, well, in bread pudding form.  It's rich but not too overwhelming and the spices really take it over the top.  So if you have extra cans of pumpkin in your pantry waiting to be used, how about trying something creative with it this time - like pumpkin bread pudding!  Or pumpkin dog treats...which are coming to a blog near you. 

Pumpkin Bread Pudding
From About.com

French bread, torn into small pieces, about 5 cups
2 cups half-and-half
3 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
1 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla
sugar, optional, for topping

Butter an 11x7-inch baking dish (I only had a 9x13 and it worked fine). Preheat oven to 350°.  In a large bowl, cover the torn bread with the half-and-half; set aside.  In another bowl, combine 3 eggs, 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 1 can pumpkin, 1 cup dried cranberries, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon vanilla (I used my electric mixer with whisk attachment). Pour pumpkin mixture over soaked bread and stir to blend.  Pour entire mixture into the buttered baking dish. Sprinkle top with sugar, if desired. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until set.  Enjoy with loads of whipped cream!

New Computer

 

Somehow I let John talk me into getting a new computer.   This monstrosity isn't mine or anything, it is "ours" to share (really it is his).  So far I've only used it when I am too lazy to wait for my slow PC to boot up.  I've looked at some of our photos on the big screen though, and it makes me glad we have a real camera in time for this mega screen. 

I have a ton of recipe posts in the cooker, as well as some thoughts on Thanksgiving.  I'm about to run off and pick up my parents at the airport though, so I don't have time for a long post.  I'll be in touch, friends!

Fort Funston

We didn't just catch views of cute dogs at Fort Funston last weekend - it was one of the most picturesque places I've been in ages. 

 

This is the view from the top of the cliff, which obviously meant that in order to get down the beach we had a bit of a steep sandy climb ahead of us. 

 

 

But once we made it down there we were surrounded by dogs and people on horseback (not always the best combination when said horses are afraid of said dogs).

 

All smiles from our crew.

 

 

I have no caption for this, but I'm trying to learn how to take better photographs so I will include it.  We shall call this one "Barnacles." 

 

 

I don't know what type of pier or something once existed on this beach, but it sure left a heck of a lot of wooden poles for me to take pictures of.

 

He led a nice life, that Mr. Crabby.

 

 

Let's pretend they are riding off into the sunset. 

 

 

This picture looks much cooler blown up.

 

John begged me to walk back along the top of the cliff/mountain/dune thing, and I relented.  There were a lot of random paths, as shown in the picture, but luckily they all led to the same place.

 

Maddie is doing her soap opera stare off into space look.  She shoulda been in pictures!  We had the most amazing time and can't wait to go back!