Cranberry Sauce with Orange Liqueur

Cranberry Sauce with Orange Liqueur

(8 servings)

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz.) pkg. Fresh Cranberries, divided

¾ cup Sugar

2½ tbsp. Water

2 tsp. Fresh Orange Zest

1 tbsp. Orange Liqueur

½ tsp. Kosher Salt

½ tsp. Black Pepper

Directions:

Reserve a ½ cup of cranberries.  Place remaining cranberries, sugar, water and zest in a medium sauce pan over medium-low heat.  Cook stirring often for about 10 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high and add the orange liqueur.  Cook 8 minutes or until juices begin to thicken.  Remove pan from heat and stir in the ½ cup of cranberries, salt and pepper.  Cool and then refrigerate in an airtight container at least over night or up to a week before use.

Note:               You can use frozen cranberries if fresh ones are not available.

Ideas for Future Efforts

_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

Basic Cranberry Sauce

Basic Cranberry Sauce

(2½ cups)

Ingredients:

1 lb. Fresh Cranberries

¾ cup Sugar

½ tsp. Kosher Salt

1 tbsp. Fresh Orange Zest

¼ cup Water

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a 2-quart sauce pan over low heat.  Cook stirring often until most of the cranberries have popped.  This will take around 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Put in airtight container and refrigerate at least overnight and up to a week ahead of use.

Note:               You can use frozen cranberries if you can’t find fresh ones.  You can also adjust the sugar to personal taste.

Ideas for Future Efforts

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

_______________________________________

Thanksgiving is Coming

The “Thanksgiving” season is upon us.  We are all starting to plan our big meal for that day. 

Most people will serve turkey as it’s the Thanksgiving entrée of choice.

But while many will serve similar meals, most have their own twists on how they do it.  Many have recipes handed down for generations for some special dish to serve everyone.

Today, I have two recipes for a side dish that is as tied to Thanksgiving as turkey.

It’s “Cranberry Sauce” and as I said it goes hand in hand with turkey.

I just received some fresh cranberries that were handpicked from a bog in Wisconsin.  I can’t wait to use them.

If you have never tried cranberry sauce, you owe it to yourself to give it a try.  Especially fresh cranberry sauce.  The canned version is and alright substitute if fresh are not available, you really want the fresh ones.

Cranberry sauce is great with all the other leftovers of the holiday feast too.  Try a turkey sandwich with the cranberry sauce and leftover stuffing.  There’s a recipe for this under the “Sandwich” recipe tab above.

So Wednesday’s recipe is for “Basic Cranberry Sauce” to get you started.  Then on Thursday, we have a jazzed up one called “Cranberry Sauce with Orange Liqueur.”  Now the best orange liqueur to use would be “Grand Marnier” but there are other less expensive ones too.

So enjoy giving one of these recipes a try this year at your “Thanksgiving Feast” and “Happy Cooking” until next week.

Cauliflower Polenta

Cauliflower Polenta

(4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 (10 oz.) pkg.  Fresh Cauliflower Florets

2 cups Chicken Broth

1 cup Water

¼ tsp. Kosher Salt

½ cup Quick-Cooking Polenta

1 tbsp. Unsalted Butter

Directions:

Place cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.  In a medium sauce pan, bring broth, water and salt to a boil over high heat.  Slowly add polenta, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Reduce heat to a simmer for 5 minutes.  Add cauliflower and continue cooking 5 more minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in butter.  Serve when ready.

Note:               This goes great with “Beef and Vegetable Ragout” recipe on my food blog, “Cabana Boy Cooks.”

Ideas for Future Efforts

_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

Beef and Vegetable Ragout

Beef and Vegetable Ragout

(4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 lb. Ground Sirloin (90% lean)

1 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp. Black Pepper, divided

¾ tsp. kosher Salt, divided

½ tsp. Garlic Powder

½ tsp. Onion Powder

3 Green Onions, white and green parts sliced and divided

½ cup Frozen Pearl Onions, thawed

3 cups Fresh Tomatoes, chopped, divided

1 tbsp. Ketchup

1 cup Chicken Broth, divided

1 tbsp. Cornstarch

1 tbsp. Fresh Chives, chopped

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add meat and cook 5 minutes, stirring to crumble.  Stir in Worcestershire sauce, ½ tsp. pepper, ½ tsp. salt, garlic powder, onion powder and white parts of the green onions.  Cook 2 minutes and then remove using slotted spoon from pan and set aside.  Add pearl onions to pan and cook 2 minutes.  Now add 2 cups of tomatoes and ketchup cooking another 3 minutes.  In a small bowl, combine ¼ cup broth with cornstarch using a whisk.  Add cornstarch mixture, remaining broth, remaining pepper and remaining salt.  Cook this mixture 3 minutes or until thickened.  Stir back in the meat mixture, green part of green onions and remaining tomatoes.  Heat mixture through, sprinkle with chives and serve over noodles, rice or Cauliflower Polenta (see note).

Note:               Cauliflower Polenta recipe will be posted on blog the after this recipe appears.  Check recipe tabs for “Sides” on “Cabana Boy Cooks” food blog.

Ideas for Future Efforts

_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

Chicken and Tomatoes

Chicken and Tomatoes

(6 servings)

Ingredients:

6 (4 to 6 oz.) Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1½ tsp. Dry Basil

1½ tsp. Garlic Powder

1 tsp. Dry Rosemary

3 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour, divided

3 tbsp. Canola Oil, divided

1 small Yellow Onion, finely chopped

1 (14½ oz.) can Diced Tomatoes, drained

1½ cups Chicken Broth

2 tbsp. Heavy Cream

Directions:

Pound chicken breasts as needed to evenly flatten to ½ inch thickness.  In a small bowl, combine basil, garlic powder and rosemary.  Reserve 2 tsp. of mixture and set aside.  Combine 2 tbsp. of flour with remaining mixture in a shallow dish.  Coat chicken pieces in this, shacking off excess.  Place pieces in a large skillet over medium heat with a tbsp. of oil already hot.  Cook pieces on each side for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove chicken to a platter and keep warm.  Cook in batches if needed and add up to a tbsp. of oil as needed.  When oil is ready add onion to pan.  Cook, stirring for about 3 minutes or until softened.  Now stir in remaining flour and cook 1 minute.  Next add tomatoes, broth and reserved seasoning mix.  Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes.  Stir in heavy cream and then add chicken back to mixture.  Continue to cook until chicken is done and heated through.  Serve chicken and sauce over cooked and warm pasta, noodles or rice.

Note:               If you like a little heat in your dish, try using Rotel tomatoes of your choice in this recipe.

Ideas for Future Efforts

_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________

Some Hearty Fall Entrees

It’s the beginning of November and we’re into the heart of the fall season.  Things are cooling down outside and we are wanting some “stick to the ribs” dishes.

This week I have some recipes that are great served over pasta, noodles or rice.  But I throw in another recipe for “Cauliflower Polenta” on Friday that works well with Thursday’s recipe and even the one on Wednesday.

It seems somewhat funny that when it starts cooling down outside, we like to go to warm comforting foods for our meals.

There are many out there for you to try.  Even quite a few on my food blog here.  Be sure to check under the entrée recipe tabs above to find more than just this week’s.

Wednesday’s recipe is for “Chicken and Tomatoes” and it’s an easy dish to make.  I use boneless skinless chicken breasts in it but you could use boneless thighs too.

The “Beef and Vegetable Ragout” on Thursday goes well over anything but I do recommend trying over the cauliflower polenta recipe above.

For anyone needing gluten-free dishes, both of these can be adopted to GF.

Well, “Happy Cooking” until next week and thank you for checking out my food blog.  Please be sure to share it with others.