Cranberries Two Ways

Be glad we only did two this year and not THREE (like last year). Yes, we love cranberry sauce that much.

You see, Robin (lil’ sis), likes the canned stuff. Yes, the jellied cranberry sauce straight from the can. Which, you can hereby come and collect my foodie credentials if I ever serve such a substance at our Thanksgiving table. Nope. So instead of shelling out the $1.67 (or whatever) to buy a can for her, I decided we need to make HOMEMADE canned cranberry sauce.

For those interested, we used the recipe I *thought* I used last year for the jellied stuff, this one here. After one bite, however, we quickly realized it must have been a different recipe, since the sauce last year was flavorful and soft, far superior in flavor and texture to the canned stuff. This year it could have passed for Jell-O. Flavorless Jell-O. Thank goodness we made two kinds, otherwise we would have been very disappointed. Next year we’ll surely try a different recipe for the homemade canned version. I shall prevail!

Me, on the other hand, I like my cranberries chunky. With pizazz. And jellied cranberry sauce just would not do, even the chunky canned stuff. So we bought three bags of cranberries (yes, the checker in the grocery store looked at me a bit oddly, probably thinking this chick must REALLY like cranberries). Why yes, yes I do. Thank you for asking. We bought three bags of cranberries and made two different kinds of cranberry sauce.

My chunky sauce was a huge success. And considering I didn’t really have a recipe (mmm, agave? that would be good with cranberries, right? glop, glop, glop…) I am very proud of my special sauce. Slightly sweet (but not too sweet), with just a hint of tang from the grapefruit, it may just be my favorite part of this years’ Thanksgiving meal.

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Grapefruit Agave Cranberry Sauce

Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

Ingredients:

1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (about 1/2 a grapefruit)
1 teaspoon grapefruit zest
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:

Bring all ingredients to boil in heavy medium saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until most of cranberries have burst, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer sauce to medium bowl. Cool, cover, and refrigerate. Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Keep refrigerated.

Thankful.

It probably comes as no surprise that Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays. It is, after all, the only holiday that centers around good food and good company, and not buying crap. And the key to an even more enjoyable Thanksgiving? Keeping it small. That whole ‘too much of a good thing’ saying is also true when it comes to friends and family. This year, like last, it was just three of us, as my little sister Robin came to visit. And it was perfect.

I don’t know if we’re just getting better or more comfortable in the kitchen, but we were shocked at how smoothly it all went. Except for a bit of a panic over the pumpkin pie (stay tuned for photos of the mutant pie), it was easy. How often do you say that about preparing a huge meal all by yourselves? Cranberry sauces were done the day before, and even with the pie-do-over, the turkey was done and we were sitting down to eat by 3:30. Compare that to our late night 6:00 meal on our very first Thanksgiving alone, and we’ve come a long way.

I realized I never posted the recipes we cooked last year. And kicked myself for not doing so, since I couldn’t for the life of me remember what pie or stuffing recipe we had used (and whether we actually liked the result or not). So this year, in an effort to prevent Thanksgiving-amnesia, I’m posting it all, good, bad, and mediocre. Then, come next Thanksgiving, I’ll be able to easily identify what deserves a repeat and what would be better off left in the archives for good.

On the menu this year (recipes to come):
- Honey Brined Turkey with Sal’s Holiday Gravy
- The Definitive Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Haricots Verts with Herb Butter
- Jellied Cranberry Sauce
- Grapefruit and Agave Cranberry Sauce
- Sausage and Cornbread Stuffing
- Pumpkin Pie

So yes, it is probably overkill to cook an 11-lb turkey and all this food for 3 people (we’ll be eating leftovers for at least another week), but I’d hate for the small-size of our gathering to hinder the Thanksgiving experience.

And if you’re looking for recipes for your own Thanksgiving leftovers, why not give these delicious Ramekin Turkey Pot Pies or Turkey Tacos with Cranberry Salsa a try?

As for the turkey, we’ve only been on our own for 3 years now, that’s 3 turkeys we’ve cooked by ourselves. We’ve used this delicious recipe for a Brined Turkey with Cranberry Glaze for the past two, but this year decided to try a slightly different recipe (still brined – I don’t think I’ll ever cook a turkey otherwise).

The verdict? It was a delicious turkey by any standards, but I think Emeril still has the upper hand. The brine seemed to impart a bit more flavor to the turkey, while the cranberry glaze is just that little extra kick to take it over the top.

So next year? Who knows. Maybe we’ll try something new, maybe we’ll stick with our tried and true favorite.

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Honey-Brined Turkey

Adapted from Epicurious.

Ingredients:

1 19- to 20-pound turkey; neck, heart and gizzard reserved for gravy
8 quarts water
2 cups coarse salt
1 cup honey
2 bunches fresh thyme
8 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons coarsely cracked black pepper

2 lemons, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil

5 cups (about) canned low-salt chicken broth

Directions:

Line extra-large stockpot with heavy large plastic bag (about 30-gallon capacity). Rinse turkey; place in plastic bag. Stir 8 quarts water, 2 cups coarse salt and 1 cup honey in large pot until salt and honey dissolve. Add 1 bunch fresh thyme, peeled garlic cloves and black pepper. Pour brine over turkey. Gather plastic bag tightly around turkey so that bird is covered with brine; seal plastic bag. Refrigerate pot with turkey in brine at least 12 hours and up to 18 hours.

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Drain turkey well; discard brine. Pat turkey dry inside and out. Squeeze juice from lemon halves into main cavity. Add lemon rinds and remaining 1 bunch fresh thyme to main cavity. Tuck wings under turkey; tie legs together loosely to hold shape. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Rub turkey all over with 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Roast turkey 1 hour. Baste turkey with 1 cup chicken broth. Continue to roast until turkey is deep brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, basting with 1 cup chicken broth every 30 minutes and covering loosely with foil if turkey is browning too quickly, about 2 1/2 hours longer. Transfer turkey to platter. Tent turkey loosely with foil and let stand 30 minutes. Pour pan juices into large glass measuring cup. Spoon off fat; reserve juices for gravy.

Another Birthday and a Pretty Tall Cake

Little sis is in town. For her birthday. Her 21st birthday to be precise. And she only had one request. The Really Tall Cake. That’s it. No cake soaked in brandy or vodka-infused cupcakes. Nope. Just the infamous Really Tall Cake. Delicious, moist chocolate cake (it’s practically pudding), layered with a tart raspberry filling, and encased in rich chocolate ganache frosting.

It was all she wanted, she said, to taste the cake that she has been starting at for so long (she’d visit the post whenever she was having a bad day. Just looking at the pictures would cheer her up).

So I made it for her.

Except this time I didn’t overfill the pans.

So the cake didn’t stack up quite as tall. It was still pretty darn tall, with three good-sized layers. Just not REALLY tall.

I hope she wasn’t disappointed.

Because height aside, it was a beautiful cake cake (I say WAS because it IS no longer). I stenciled the top with the giant number 21, lightly dusted with powdered sugar. This is what happens when you let a graphic designer bake your cake. Cakes with fonts. Mmmm. But I’m getting better at leveling out my cakes and so the top and sides of this one were delightfully straight and smooth (for the most part). I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next birthday, or any occasion really, when I can bake it again.

(And for those interested, the recipe for this cake, which just so happens to be the best birthday cake, like, EVER, can be found right here).

Israeli Couscous with Black Bean and Tomato

You know those nights when you have a meal planned, but just don’t feel like eating it? That happens to us, quite a bit actually. We plan out our entire weeks’ meals every Tuesday when we go to the grocery store (one of the benefits of being self employed is NOT having to brave the market on the weekends). This was one of those meals, when it came time to make it for dinner, I just wanted to go out for a hot dog instead. But we resisted, and you know what? This turned out to be one of the best things we’d made in a while. We substituted Israeli couscous for the quinoa (along with regular couscous, there’s something about quinoa that Taylor just doesn’t like… the texture maybe? Who knows!) But you could easily use the quinoa as originally specified in the recipe.

We’ve made this twice since that initial evening, and the second time tossed in half a rotisserie chicken for a bit more substance. And with only 2 tablespoons of butter (which make it incredibly smooth and satisfying), it can definitely be called a healthy meal. Quick and healthy… AND delicious? I’ll take that over a hotdog anyday! :)

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Israeli Couscous with Black Bean and Tomato

Makes 4 servings. Adapted from Epicurious.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons grated lime zest
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sugar

8 oz. Israeli (pearl) couscous
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cup boiling water

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Preheat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add couscous and cook for 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden, stirring occasionally. Add cumin and cinnamon and stir to coat. Add boiling water and return to a boil. Cover pan and cook until couscous is tender and water is absorbed, 10-12 minutes (refer to package directions for exact cooking times).

Add couscous to dressing and toss until coated, then stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.