homemade

I consider my Homemade Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce with Apple and a Hint of Cinnamon a ‘bonus recipe‘ in my series of 6 ‘make ahead’ recipes, all of which can be prepared – or prepped – a day or two ahead, which will help to make your busy life a bit easier! By preparing a few dishes each night for two nights, all you’ll need to do the day of The Big Feast is roast the turkey, make the gravy and cook the green beans.

Everything was very casual the night of the ‘taste testing’.

MENU

Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives

https://myyellowfarmhouse.com/2014/11/13/make-ahead-turkey-dinner-recipe-no-1-mashed-potatoes-with-sour-cream-and-chives/

Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon, Nutmeg and a Dash of Bourbon

https://myyellowfarmhouse.com/2014/11/15/make-ahead-turkey-dinner-recipe-no-2-sweet-potatoes-with-cinnamon-nutmeg-and-a-splash-of-brandy/

Herb Stuffing with Baby Bella Mushrooms, Celery and Onion

https://myyellowfarmhouse.com/2014/11/15/make-ahead-turkey-dinner-recipe-no-3-herb-stuffing-with-baby-bella-mushrooms/

++ Green Beans with Browned Butter and Sesame Seeds

https://myyellowfarmhouse.com/2014/11/22/green-beans-with-browned-butter-and-sesame-seeds-browned-butter-can-be-prepared-ahead/

Turkey Breast (or Turkey) with White Wine, Oranges & + Savory Turkey Gravy

https://myyellowfarmhouse.com/2014/11/17/make-ahead-turkey-dinner-recipes-no-4-5-roasted-turkey-breast-or-whole-turkey-with-white-wine-oranges-and-apples-savory-turkey-gravy/

Bonus Recipe – Homemade Whole-Berry Cranberry Sauce with Apple and a Hint of Cinnamon

– – – –

I’m so pleased with how this cranberry sauce turned out. Adding a bit of apple mellows out the naturally tart taste of the cranberries. And, the addition of just two small pinches of cinnamon and some brown sugar adds a subtle something extra. (I’m heading down to Philadelphia for Thanksgiving & I’m taking this cranberry sauce to share. I’ll be helping out where I can while I’m there. Still – it’s so nice to be a guest!!)

There are times… luckily not often… when I get a recipe idea that turns out really bad. Such was the case recently. I had the idea of substituting some orange juice for the water when making homemade cranberry sauce. DON’T EVER TRY THAT !! It was so sour – and I learned long ago that you just can’t fix sour… no matter how much sugar you add. (Perhaps freshly squeezed orange juice would’ve worked…. what do you think?)

Ingredients and Method

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar ++ NOT packed down !!
1 cup water
1 bag (12 oz.) fresh cranberries
1/3 cup chopped (peeled) apple ++ See photo below to give you an idea of what size chunks.
2 pinches cinnamon
++ You can add a few tablespoons of chopped walnuts, filberts or pecans etc. AFTER the cranberry sauce had been made.

Open a 12 oz. bag of cranberries – discard any bad ones. Set aside.

Peel and chop apple. You’ll need 1/3 cup. ++ No turkeys were abused during the making of this cranberry sauce. I did all the work myself, even though Mr. Turkey looks so very proud !

Bring 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar (not packed), and 1 cup water to a boil. Add cranberries, 1/3 cup chopped apple and 2 pinches cinnamon.

Lower heat a bit – continue to boil – stirring occasionally – for 10 minutes.

Pour the cranberry sauce into a bowl, cover – allow to cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time. Talk about e.a.s.y. !!

Happy Holidays to All – Enjoy !

My Dessert Crepes with Ice Cream and Homemade Fudge Sauce were a big hit recently when I brought them to a family dinner party. In fact, one of my brother-in-laws was just like a little kid – we almost had to tell him, “First you have to eat your dinner, then you can have the crepes”.

Just before we served dessert, I “tried” to photograph the crepes but the whipped cream kept melting. So I decided to wait until the next day to do the photography. It certainly wasn’t a sacrifice – I saved one, photographed it at home… and ate it all by myself!!

Not only is this dessert delicious but you can make both the crepes and the fudge sauce the day before. These particular crepes are light and slightly more sweet than the crepes used for savory fillings – or the crepes I sometimes make on a Sunday mornings. (I’ll post that recipe sometime soon!)

When it’s time to serve the crepes, you simply warm them… and the fudge sauce… in the microwave. Then you place a scoop of ice cream (I used vanilla) in the middle of each crepe, roll it up, drizzle on the yummy fudge sauce and top with whipped cream and a cherry. (I like to use Reddi Whip Original ’cause it’s easy.)

Although this dessert looks rich, it’s actually rather light, which is appreciated after a big meal. Your guests will think you’re amazing!!!

Makes between 8 – 12 crepes

Ingredients – Crepes

3 eggs
3/4 cup water
2/3 cup milk
2/3 cup flour
2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. melted butter

Ingredients – Fudge Sauce

1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup whipping cream
4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate (In the “Baking” aisle.)
2 Tbs. butter
+++ 1 tsp. vanilla – add after sauce is cooked in microwave

In a medium bowl, mix 3 eggs, 3/4 water, 2/3 cup milk, 2/3 cup flour, 2 Tbs. sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt and 2 Tbs. melted butter. Beat for about a minute or so – just until all ingredients are combined.

Heat a small skillet on medium-high heat. (I use a 8″ teflon skillet, but, if you don’t have a small skillet, then just use whatever size you have. The crepes will probably be a bit thinner and a bit bigger – but they’ll taste exactly the same!)

Add about a teaspoon of butter to the heated skillet each time – before you pour in about 1/2 cup of the crepe batter. Immediately after you’ve poured in the 1/2 cup of batter, lift up the skillet and turn the pan a bit so that batter covers the pan evenly. When one side is a bit browned, turn the crepe over and slightly brown the other side. Place crepe on a plate and repeat until there is no more batter.

++ Tip – I “play around” with the heat while I’m cooking the crepes. As the pan becomes hotter and hotter, I lower the heat a bit – then, a while later, I might raise it a bit again. The heat should be hot enough so the crepes cook pretty quickly. You only want to brown the crepes a bit. And, the top of the crepe should look almost dry when it’s time to flip it.

++ Tip – The crepes will be light & “tender”, so you’ll have to be gentle with them. If one tears, don’t worry. It’ll still taste as good.

If you’re preparing the crepes for the next day, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. To warm before serving, remove plastic wrap – cover with a paper towel and microwave for a short time. (They don’t take long to warm up. You don’t want them rubbery, so keep an eye on them.)

For the fudge sauce – place 1 1/4 cup sugar, 1 cup whipping cream, 4 squares unsweetened baking chocolate and 2 Tbs. butter in a glass 2-quart measuring cup – or a microwave safe bowl. Cook on high for between 8 – 9 minutes, stirring often. ++ Add 1 tsp. vanilla after fudge sauce is fully cooked.

If you’re preparing the fudge sauce ahead, allow it to cool a bit – then cover and refrigerate. To warm, microwave until well heated, stirring often. Enjoy !!