sauce

Can you believe Christmas is this week? December has flown by and I can’t believe we’re here! It’s wonderful to be home with my family. I just finished reading The Vacationers and eh, it was okay. I had heard great things about it but it was pretty predictable… I guess I rarely read light, “beach” books like this so I’m not used to the lack of a complex plot 🙂 On to the next book on my list! Anyone have any recommendations to add to my list?

I have a quick post to share today – cranberry sauce is one of my favorite side dishes during the holidays. Thanksgiving or Christmas… I just love cranberry sauce on turkey or on sandwiches stuffed with leftover meat. So if you’re making some kind of meat for Christmas – why not try this Orange Cranberry sauce to go with it? It’s festive and delicious! We originally got the recipe from about.com and I’ve been making it now for several years and I love the flavor combination of sweet oranges, tangy cranberries and nutty toasted pecans!

Merry Christmas! Enjoy the time with family and friends!

Orange Cranberry Sauce

Recipe Type: Side dish

Cuisine: Holiday

Author: Mackenzie

Prep time: 25 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 3 cups

Ingredients

1 navel orange
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
4 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed
1/2 cup chopped pecans, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grate the orange peel and place grated peel in a medium saucepan. Stir in the sugar and ginger.
Juice the orange and add it to the saucepan, bringing the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Stir frequently with a whisk, about 5-10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved.
Meanwhile, toast the pecans in preheated oven for about 5-7 minutes, until fragrant.
When the sugar has dissolved, add the fresh cranberries. Cook, stirring often, until the cranberries begin to pop (about 5 minutes). Stir in the toasted pecans and remove from heat to cool.

Oh, it’s been so nice to have free time again! I’ve been able to go to the gym most days or at least take a big walk with Calli, have been able to cook and join my friends for meals, watch The West Wing, and sleep! Two nights ago I fell asleep on the couch and fell asleep there again yesterday afternoon! But who cares, right? Yes, I should be working more on my thesis then I am, but hey – I’ve got a great start on it and am trying to spend at least two hours a day on it. That should give me a solid start come January when I really need to get cracking.

I head back to Seattle on Wednesday and am looking forward to spending time with my family and seeing old friends! I’ve only spent 11 days in Seattle since January so it will be some much needed family time before I venture off into the unknown come May!

This week the Coop had our annual Winter Potluck and I brought this Pear Butter with Brie and crackers. Oh my goodness, it was delicious! I found the recipe in the Weight Watcher’s Holiday magazine and was excited to have an opportunity to try it! The recipe itself is so easy to make – have you ever made homemade applesauce? It’s just like that. You cut the pears into small bite-sized pieces and boil it down with apple cider. I used an immersion blender to make it smooth and voila – a delicious and easy appetizer! It’s a perfect spread on crackers and cheese or toast, or even just to eat like applesauce!

Pear Butter

Recipe Type: Appetizer

Author: Mackenzie

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 12 servings

A great holiday appetizer! Quick, easy and only 1 WW point per 1/4 cup.

Ingredients

5 Comice pears, cored and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 1/2 cups apple cider
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
Serve with cheese and crackers

Instructions

In a medium/large saucepan, add the chopped pears, apple cider, and the cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook over medium-high heat to get a roiling boil. Continue to cook at medium heat until the pears are soft, 10-15 minutes.
From here, you can do a couple of things. I used an immersion blender to puree the pears while still in the saucepan. It left a few small chunks but I loved it that way and it was super easy.
Alternatively, you can remove the pears and puree them separately in a food processor. Continue to simmer the remaining liquid until it reduces to a syrup. Then pour the syrup into the food processor and blend it with the pears. This will probably get you a smoother substance but I couldn’t find the Coop’s food processor so I was left with the immersion blender.
Serve with crackers and cheese for a great appetizer!

Mackenzie

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