Ah the ever so popular cranberry sauce... word to the wise

[nadinbrzezinski]

if it burns... cleaning that pot for the next batch will be a nightmare

Here is my recipe by the way... done with splenda since I am a diabetic

PLENTY of water... how much... use your judgment, (Two cups work though)

Bring to a boil and put in a small bag of cranberries with four sticks of cinnamon, ground cinnamon to taste, as well; as salt, pepper and cardamon and dry apricots (one of my sources of sugar, the other, well the cranberries)

Once this comes to a boil, let it simmer and once it starts to thicken add splenda to taste, and other spices if need be

Let cool down if you like it chunky and put it in fridge overnight and serve next day... if not use your blender and then cool it down in fridge, it is best when it has had time to have flavors meld.

It is easy and I can have some

:-)

Happy turkey day DU, we have plenty to be thankful for, oh and remember be nice to your consev relatives and friends... trying to rub it in will not be good for peace and harmony... and yes I know we've taken it in for the last eight years (and I am blessed, the table tomorrow will have NO conservatives present, or crazy uncle)

[FloridaJudy]

1. Could you substitute orange juice for the water?

I love the combo of orange and cranberry.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Of course you could and I used to do it that way

just that this means too much sugar for me

[Jennicut]

2. Oh, I am diabetic as well. I usually just eat the real stuff (for one day) and take extra insulin

Using Splenda in your own recipe...I need to try that. Thanks!

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. I don't take insulin so I do have to use splenda

if you don't have the cooking splenda at home, what you use for your coffee works too

Just taste it to make sure it is sweet enough

[Jennicut]

11. Thanks. I am only 32 but already on the insulin...I wish it was just metformin

or another drug like lots of other people take. I had gestational diabetes with my second daughter and it just never went away. My endocronlogist tells me I am an unusal case with no family history of diabetes and my BMI is pretty good. But they started me on insulin when I was pregnant and I never stopped taking it and its working so I guess its shots for the rest of my life.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Ask about the insulin pump... me considering asking the doc

about long term insulin... that morning high mostly

And yes I know talking about these things makes most folks (who don't have it) go ICKY

[Jennicut]

14. Well, strange thing is I don't need that much insulin. but morning highs are a bummer

I will look into the pump, I take both long acting and short acting insulin(for meals). And I used to hate needles and be so afraid of them, not anymore. Got a flu shot this year and it did not phase me one bit. Testing 5 times a day? After three years, not a problem. Good luck with your diabetes, its a lifelong disease but one that is manageable you if you take care of it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

16. Yeah dad has it, and at 84 he's got precious few

complications

He's doing exactly what you are doing for your insulin regime... well actually mom does it for him... I wish he'd test the way he should... but oh well

I lost over sixty pounds (and lost one med in the process). Oh the lows were far from fun

But yes them morning highs can be a pain, are a pain.

I also have a gazelle at home that is not used for hanging clothes... aka it is used every day or so

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. delete

[TygrBright]

23. Ask your endocrinologist about Byetta

It made all the difference in the world for my esposo.

helpfully,
Bright

[tblue]

3. My hubby is making some, for the 1st time, right now! I'll pass this on to him.

Many thanks and happy holiday!!!

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. You welcome, just make sure it does not burn

it is nasty

I had that happen with the first batch and boy, cleanup was a real mess... it is really sticky

[dixiegrrrrl]

19. Badly burned food pans are easy to clean with ammonia.

Pour household ammonia into the pan, covering the burned food by 1.2 inch,
put lid on pan, let pan set outdoors until morning. ( it smells pretty bad indoors)
You can re-cycle the ammonia if it is clean enough. Then use a wad of newspapers to wipe out pan, should be pretty clean. Maybe a follow up with SOS pad, but most of the burned stuff turns to gooey gunk.
You can put ammonia soaked newspaper or paper towels along sides of the pan if needed.

Really works.

[nadinbrzezinski]

21. thanks!

[Liberal_in_LA]

27. Thanks for the tip.

[Digit]

7. If you have only tried the canned variety, you MUST try homemade

I applaud your diabetic receipe. Although I do not have diabetes, I am printing out your receipe for future use in case I might have guests, and need to improvise. I have not tried adding the cinnamon, as I liked the plain ol receipe, but will have to set aside some to experiment...in the future.

It appears this year, I will be on my own, so I am not going to all the bother cooking just for myself. I will just spend the day relaxing...and will definitely be sleeping IN!

Thanks for sharing tho!

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. You welcome and the home made stuff is really good

I sometimes make this over the course of the year, since it takes literally half an hour

[ocd liberal]

9. But!

Can't I, my 8 year old son and 4 year old daughter PLEASE wear our "YES WE DID" T-shirts the Saturday AFTER Thanksgiving, when we leave? Is that too "in your face?"

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Hey if that makes you happy.. go fer it.

Me... well some of the locals are now sporting the ever so popular but Obama is a Marxist home made bumper stickers, not that they know what the term means... so for those folks, I'd wear my Obama Revolution T-Shirt (if it ever bothers getting here)

As I said, I am blessed, by brother in law is a liberal, so is hubby, and me, and sis... the kids are way too young for this fun and games, at four and six they really are not into it

I suspect we will have a heady talk about the coming recession\depression and parallels to 1932... but not the crazy uncle to tell us that Obama is a marxist, a real parallel to FDR is a Communist back in '32

Enjoy your turkey day

[Indenturedebtor]

13. Can you substitue gravy for the cranberry sauce?

:hide:

:P

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Of course you can

Hell over the years that hubby was in the navy at times I didn't even bother cooking for me and a parrot (yes she and her brothers eat whatever we cook... except a few things like this cranberry sauce, too sticky on talons)

In those days getting the gravy out of a can (still do it to this day) was my way of dealing with things

:-)

I take it you don't like cranberrys?

Happy Thanksgiving, regardless how you do it.

[Historic NY]

18. wHY? unless its got gibblets or etc. in it.

[8 track mind]

20. This is really making me miss my Grandma

As the years go by i miss the simple things more and more. She would set her cranberry sauce in the back bedroom of her house to harden. The old house wasn't insulated at all and the bedrooms were closed off during the day to warm up the rest of the house. The back bedroom would get the coldest. You knew it was thanksgiving when you saw the cranberry sauce in the back bedroom!

you truly do not know what you have until its gone......

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. Some of this you can recreate

I did not grow up in the US... but I learned how to do this sauce (after watching Iron Chef) This is truly a MODIFIED recipe from that show, just from watching

For me a similar memory is the Jewish new year, mom and my nanny doing the gefilte fish on the table, using kitchen axes...

And the smell that filled the house

[ashling]

24. Here is my recipie:

Also, when I brine the turkey, I add a bottle of cranberry juice

[nadinbrzezinski]

25. Mine has less carbs

and why I can have SOME.. not much, just some...

thankfully I am not doing the turkey.... that is my sister's job

[ashling]

29. Stir-Fried Sweet Potatoes - Skip the Marshmallows

I luv sweet potatoes, any variety (though my favorite are the really sweet red#3 or the like)

I luv 'em baked french fried, made into chips, diced and sauteed, hash browned with bacon & eggs, broiled, braised, boiled, on the grill, etc. ......

I think I am going with these for tomorrow:

Time: 20 to 30 minutes

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 to 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and grated, 4 to 6 cups

Salt and pepper

1/2 stick butter, more to taste

4 cloves garlic, crushed

20 sage leaves.

1. Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add sweet potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring only occasionally, until they change color and begin to brown, then stir more frequently until they are tender but not at all mushy.

2. Meanwhile, heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and sage; shake pan occasionally. When butter turns brown, turn off heat.

3. Use tongs to remove sage and garlic from butter. Serve potatoes drizzled with butter and garnished with a few sage leaves. garlic on the side

[Retrograde]

26. cranberry relish

in a blender or food processor, put

1 bag fresh cranberries
1 orange, quartered or eigthth
a couple of jalapenos

whir until finely chopped. Refrigerate for a few hours and serve. I like to add cilantro, but not everybody likes that.

[Sin]

28. Used these 2 for the past like 5 years :)

Make like 3 to 4 batches of the sauce and one or more of the relish but thats just to ensure leftovers for a week or so :)

Sauce

1/2 orange
2 cups water
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, pippin or
McIntosh
3 cups fresh cranberries
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves



Squeeze the juice from the orange and set the juice aside. Remove and discard the membrane from inside the orange rind and cut the rind into small dice. In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the rind and the water and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.

Peel, core and quarter the apple. Cut into 1/2-inch dice and place in a saucepan. Sort the cranberries, discarding any soft ones. Add to the apples along with the orange juice, orange rind, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low and cover the pan partially. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, the apple is tender and the cranberries have burst, 10 to 15 minutes.



Transfer the cranberry sauce to a heatproof bowl and let cool for 1 hour before serving. Or cover and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before serving. Transfer the cranberry sauce to a sauceboat and pass at the table. Makes 3 1/2 to 4 cups.

Relish

1 orange, unpeeled and preferably
organic, scrubbed
2 bags (12 oz. each) fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger



Cut the orange (with its peel on) into 16 chunks and discard any seeds. Working in batches, combine the orange chunks, cranberries, sugar and ginger in a food processor. Pulse to chop finely and evenly, stopping once or twice with each batch to scrape down the sides of the work bowl.

Transfer to a storage container, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours to develop the flavors. Bring to room temperature and stir well before serving. Serves 8 to 10.

Make-Ahead Tip: This relish improves when made in advance, since the flavors have more time to marry. Prepare it up to 3 days before serving.