Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce

This is the other Cranberry Sauce I made for Thanksgiving.  It was also really good, but I overcooked it just a bit so it was thicker than I'd like.

Orange Ginger Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

1 12 oz bag Fresh Cranberries, rinsed and drained
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Sugar, I used turbinado
Zest of one Orange
Juice of one Orange
2 Tbs Fresh Ginger, minced
Pinch of Salt
Splash of Cointreau (optional)

Directions


Prep Notes:  Always wash citrus before zesting it (or putting it in a drink)
My new method for getting grated or minced ginger?  Wash ginger and keep it in the freezer.  Grate FROZEN ginger, it's much easier to work with.

1.  Bring ingredients to a boil.


2.  Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer until thickened (15 to 25 minutes)


3.  Transfer to serving/storage dish and cool until needed.

Pomegranate Lemon Cranberry Sauce

This is probably one of the best Cranberry sauces I've made and has been my go to for leftovers this year.


Pomegranate Lemon Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

3 1/2 Cups Cranberries, rinsed and drained
1 Cup Pomegranate Juice
3/4 Cup Sugar, I like turbinado
1/4 Cup Fresh Lemon Juice
2 Tbs Finely Grated Lemon Peel


Directions
Note:  Wash off citrus before zesting or peeling (or putting into drinks for that matter)


1.  Combine ingredients in a large saucepan

Save yourself some cleanup and dishes by grating right into the saucepan.

2.  Stir over medium/medium-high heat until sugar dissolves


3.  Bring mixture to boil then reduce to medium.


4.  Simmer until berries begin to burst, stirring often.


5.  Optional - Simmer until desired consistency.


6.  Transfer to serving/storage dish and chill until needed.

Thanksgiving Table

Thirty minutes before people were scheduled to arrive for Thanksgiving I still had no idea what I was going to do about making the dining room table look presentable.  Here's what I ended up with:

I made the table runner from burlap for last years Thanksgiving table.  I love the fact that it's so neutral it can be used for any occasion (when I put the extra leaf in the table) any time of year.

Tips for sewing a table runner:

*I made this table runner about 13 inches wide and gave myself six to eight inches at either end of the table.

*Give yourself 2 inches on every side (so get a 17 inch length of fabric for a 13 inch wide runner).

*When I sew a straight seam, especially a long straight seam, I always iron it down first rather than just pinning it.  I think it keeps things straighter, it stays better and it's easier to fix a mistake when it's ironed than after you sew it.

I got these cute napkin holders last year:

I used what I had available for the centerpiece, clementines, granny smith apples, birds, pieces of a berry vine and some candles in a wood platter that I love.

Thanksgiving Plate

I stuffed as much as I could on my Thanksgiving plate... and in my stomach.  Most of the menu is represented here.  Clockwise from the top we have:

Mashed Cauliflower by Z

Stuffing by Eric

Fluffy Sweet Potato Casserole by Courtney

Pomegranate Lemon Cranberry Sauce by me

(Not shown is Ginger Orange Cranberry Sauce, also by me)

Roasted and Fried Turkey by Eric

Carrots and Parsnips by Pam

New Orleans Corn by Pam

Green Beans by Courtney in the center.

Everything was really, really good.

Follow This!

You've heard me talk a lot about JT.  It's cause he knows a lot... about a lot.  And he inspires me and the rest of our little clan in a lot of things.  He's a modern renaissance man.  So it kinda made sense when Marti started a blog about things JT has taught her.  JT has taught me a lot too so I'll probably be making an occasional appearance over there.  Follow So follow "Things I learned from JT."  You'll probably learn something.

Witches Brew

I make this for every event I host during the cold weather.  It's warm and cozy, it reminds me of cider, but is different enough to be interesting.  Oh, and it's delicious and simple.  This recipe came to me via Shannon's childhood.  It serves about 8, but I always at least double it.


Witches Brew
Ingredients
1 Quart Apple Juice
1 1/2 Cups Unsweetened Pineapple Juice
2 Tbs Lemon Juice
3 cinnamon sticks
Spiced Rum (Optional)


Directions
Mix first four ingredients in a saucepan over low heat for about 10-15 minutes.


I transfer to a crock pot during the party to keep it warm and put a bottle of spiced rum next to it for people to mix (or not) as they please.

I'm a Slacker

I know I said I was going to post a bunch of recipes from Thanksgiving last week, but I've been lazy.  So sue me!


I promise I'll get to it, but in the meantime enjoy these pictures of Kota and Duff I took goofing off w/ my Lumix LX3 while Eric was working on brining turkeys.