TASTY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2021 – NATIONAL CRANBERRY RELISH DAY
To celebrate National Cranberry Relish Day on Monday, November 22nd, this week’s blog will include a recipe for cranberry relish and as EXTRA celebration, a BONUS recipe for Stuffing, since National Stuffing Day is on Sunday, November 21st. It took me about 60 years to find a way I really LIKE Cranberry Relish. Cranberries are bitter in my opinion, need sugar for sure. There are fresh cranberries, canned cranberry relish, and jellied cranberries. My mother always made them. I never ate them. So, trust me when I say – as an adult I think I’ve perfected a Cranberry Relish I can enjoy. In fact, today I even enjoy some Cranberry Relish on my left-over Thanksgiving turkey sandwich!
I also admit, I prefer a Cranberry Relish with added fruit, like apple and pear. I have many recipes, but I also admit, I have NOT tried many of them. Dried fruit, oranges, nuts – none of these appeal to me. But, if you are creative, experiment. I enjoy making plain cranberry relish with fresh berries – but this recipe I am sharing with you, you may either make your own, or you may buy a can and make it simpler to prepare.
This time of year is always good for a wonderful Cranberry Relish for both taste and for color! (Remember, we eat with the eyes first!)
CRANBERRY RELISH
TO MAKE CRANBERRY SAUCE FROM FRESH CRANBERRIES:
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
Combine in a saucepan and stir to dissolve sugar. Heat to boiling, boil for 5-10 minutes. Add 1-pound fresh sorted cranberries. Cook until the skins pop. About 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
SPICED CRANBERRY RELISH
16 ounces of cranberry sauce (freshly made – like above, or canned)
1 15-ounce can cinnamon pear halves, drained and chopped, OR fresh ripe pear peeled cored and diced. IF USING PLAIN PEARS, ADD 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Adjust to taste.
1 sweet apple peeled, cored, and diced
1 cup sugar (taste when finished and add more sugar if needed) – remember you can always add but can’t take out sugar.
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan, cook uncovered about 45 minutes (stir and check often – especially at 30 minutes – do not overcook and burn)
Remove from pan and cool. Refrigerated is how I prefer it – chilled.
SUGGESTIONS: You could add chopped walnuts or pecans. You could add cut orange or mandarin pieces. You could even add dried fruit before cooking if you want.
STUFFING
Stuffing is sometimes also known as Dressing – depending on if you “stuff” your turkey, bird or chicken with it or you bake it as a side dish in an oven proof dish.
A stuffing/dressing may be used in or with baked/roasted turkey, or chicken, or I love it served with pork also. Even duck would be good. It’s terrific served with gravy! You probably have most every ingredient already – and it’s easy to make. Yes, there are a variety of recipes – and I’ve used most of them! But my family prefers my old standby which I am going to share with you here. I’ll give you the varieties and you may choose what you want and/or have on hand. But if you enjoy stuffing/dressing and think it is complicated – this may surprise you. If you’ve never had a “good” stuffing/dressing, try this one. Everyone I’ve ever served (and I’ve served thousands) stuffing/dressing to seems to like this one best.
STUFFING/DRESSING
This would be called a Dressing, but the same could be stuffed inside a bird of any kind to roast/bake, and then it would be called Stuffing.
Ingredients
My recipe is not exact. I just use the ingredients below.
Dry bread – any kind you might have or day old from the store. I generally use a half to a full loaf of bread and/or assorted breads/rolls (not sweet rolls) for 2-3 people. For my family of 6 I use 2 full loaves or the equivalent. If it’s not very dry, toast the bread in the oven or bread toaster or toaster oven until dry and crispy – not burned.
Onions, diced small – depends how much your guests enjoy onions, but at least ¼-½ onion.
Celery, diced small – at least 1 spine of celery, 2-3 for the 6 servings.
Salt/Pepper
Poultry Seasoning
Poultry broth or stock – either from pieces of the bird I make myself or a can or box from the grocery shelf. Just enough to make the bread mixture moist – not dripping wet, but moist – dry stuffing/dressing is NOT good!
Melted butter/margarine
Instructions
- Make sure the bread is in bite sized pieces.
- Combine. Add any extra you want from the list below – or others you enjoy.
- Grease a pan with butter or margarine if baking out of the bird and bake it in a 375 degree F oven until browned – like picture above on the right. At least 30-45 minutes. Longer for larger pans.
- If putting in the bird, clean the bird, dry with paper towel, add some butter/margarine in the cavity, add the bread mixture but not quite to the top – it will expand as it bakes. It’ll be done when the bird is done.
TIPS:
You might enjoy adding some of the following:
- Cornbread pieces to your bread
- Garlic
- Cooked sausage
- Additional spices/herbs – your choice but think how the flavors will mix with the rest of your dinner
- An egg or two
- Diced sweet peppers
- Chopped water chestnuts
- Soy sauce instead of salt
There are limits, but you can see a stuffing/dressing can be adapted to most any cuisine menu – it can be eaten along side potatoes and/or rice or instead of. It is a starch after all.
Since without eggs it is safe, taste it before putting it in a pan and baking.
Please try and enjoy!
Bon Appetite’ With Love,
To download this recipe, click here.