Happy Thanksgiving : Sugared Cranberries

These little treats are sweet and tangy, they look great garnishing cakes, pies, or gelatins, and they are so easy to make. All you need is:

1 part granulated sugar
1 part water
1 part cranberries
Superfine sugar (AKA regular sugar that you ran through the food processor)

First make a simple syrup by mixing the water and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Stir so that the sugar dissolves and then bring it just to a simmer (**DON'T LET IT BOIL**). Take it off the heat, stir in the cranberries, then pour all of it into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let it set overnight (or at least 8 hours).

Drain the syrup off the berries (don't rinse them!) and place the superfine sugar in a shallow dish. Add the cranberries and gently shake the dish so that they roll around and get coated in sugar. Move them to a pan so they can lay in a single layer. Assuming you aren't storing them in a bathroom (and that it isn't August in Florida), they will dry in about 1 hour.

The heat from the syrup will cook the cranberries just enough (if you boil them they will pop). Letting them sit in the syrup will make the sugar stick. The final result is a candied little berry that has a crispy sweet bite to contrast a cranberry's tartness. Trust me, you can't eat just one!

Writing in Chocolate

I discovered a new way to melt chocolate and use it for decorating. Chocolate melts at a very low temperature, which means you should never just put it in a pot and stick that pot on a burner. You can melt it in the microwave, but you have to pull it out every few seconds to stir and check it. The best way (most of the time) is to use a double boiler. Since you need very little heat you can boil the water, turn off the burner and then set the top of the boiler with the chocolate. You don't have to be there to check it or stir it, a few minutes later it will be ooey gooey.

I needed to melt chocolate, then put the melted chocolate in a baggie, snip off the end and "draw" with the chocolate. The double boiler was fine, but it wasted a lot of chocolate transfering it to the bag. So the next time I was in this situation I dropped some chocolate chips in a baggie and took out a dish rag. I got the dish rag wet and rang it out, then popped the rag into the microwave for about 30 seconds. Then I took the steaming hot rag and wrapped it around the baggie. Minutes later, the chocolate was melted in the bag! Voila! And no mess!

Chocolate Fix : Chocolate Chip Cake

If you're like me, the name of this cake alone will get you in the mood for baking! And what an easy cake this is - plus it is super duper moist. It's dusted with powdered sugar instead of being iced, so it's easy to transport when you need to bring something to a friend's house.

Chocolate Chip Cake*

1 package yellow cake mix
1 package (3.4 oz.) instant vanilla pudding
1 cup milk
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
4-5 tbsp grated German sweet chocolate (divided)
1-2 tbsp powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine first 5 ingredients on low until moistened. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Stir in chocolate chips and 3 tbsp. of the grated chocolate. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan.

Bake at 350 for 55-65 minutes, test with a toothpick. Cool for 10 minutes then turn out the cake onto a wire rack and cool completely. Comine powdered sugar and remaining grated chocolate and sprinkle over the cake. YUM!

*Taste of Home, October/November 2002, pg. 36 - submitted by Abigail Crawford.

November 11 - December 8, 2006

Our Thanksgiving trip is in the middle of this meal plan.

11 S - Call FM Event (FBC "Country" Fair)
12 U - Potluck Dinner at Church (I'm bringing Chocolate Chip Cake)
13 M - Spicy Jamaican Jerk Chicken (BC 283), Potatoes, Carrot Sticks
14 T - Cheesy Meatball Skillet , Peas, Carrots
15 W - Church Dinner
16 R - Smothered Chicken (BC 295), Baked Potatoes, Broccoli
17 F - No Fuss Tex-Mex Rollups , Refried Beans
18 S - Grilled Chicken Quarters, Broccoli, Baked Potatoes
19 U - Pappas House Dinner (I'm bringing Eggnog Pumpkin Pie)
20 M - Black Bean Chicken Tacos, Salad
21 - 27 Thanksgiving Trip
28 T - Frozen Pizza!
29 W - Church Dinner
30 R - Spaghetti with Italian Sausage, Salad, Garlic Bread
1 F - Potstickers, Salad
2 S - Miss Stokers' Lasagna (PIE 38), Salad
3 U - L.O. Lasagna
4 M - Grilled Chicken, Creamy Orzo, Carrot Sticks
5 T - L.O. Spaghetti
6 W - Church Dinner
7 R - L.O. Potstickers, Carrots and Celery Amandine
8 F - Chipotle Cashew Chicken, Rice, Broccoli

(The link for Eggnog Pumpkin Pie requires a login, if you would like the recipe and don't have a login at Taste of Home, please leave a comment and I will get the recipe for you.)

Cooking Methods : Foil Packet Dinners

Cooking with foil packets is a clean and healthy way to cook. That said, it won't work for every meal, I think pork chops and steak need a little direct heat to give them some color and taste, but using chicken breast you can vary this method in a thousand ways.

To cook with a foil packet, work in layers. From the bottom up:

A big piece of aluminum foil (roughly a 15-18 in. sheet).
Rice right in the middle, but not too close to the sides, think a rectagle about 3 in. by 5 in. with the 3 in. side parallel to the long side of the foil.
A raw chicken breast
Dry seasonings
Sauce or Salad Dressing
Choose two chopped veggies
Shredded cheese

Fold up the long ends of the foil to make a tent over the mound of food. Crimp the foil so that it is sealed, then crimp the ends. Put the packet on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 deg. for 25-30 minutes.

When it's finished, just transfer the packet to a plate and pierce the foil a few times to release steam (away from your face, it's hot!)

Here's how I like to make foil packets, but be creative!

When I boil the rice water I add a chicken boillion cube. On top of the chicken breast I sprinkle ground cumin and cayenne pepper and drizzle on ranch dressing. I top it with broccoli florets and diced pepper (red, green, orange, whatevers handy). Finally, I love colby jack cheese.

Wouldn't it be easy to replace the dressing with spaghetti sauce and use mozarella - almost like chicken parmesan. Or you could use jasmine rice, teriyaki sauce, and snow peas for a sort of Asian packet. That's why this recipe is more of a method than a meal.

Comfort Food : Prairie Land Pot Roast

Pot Roast is such a forgiving dish. It's been said that it's impossible to overcook it, plus it's easy and cheap. The perfect meal for the novice cook.

Although there are many varieties, I like this version...

Prairie Land Pot Roast*

1 boneless beef chuck roast (or any big hunk of beef, bone or no bone, it won't matter once this thing's done)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 8 oz. bottle Catalina dressing (divided)
2 large onions, sliced
2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
1 lb carrots, peepled, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Season both sides of beef with salt and pepper, brown in a big pot or dutch oven on both sides with 1/4 cup of the Catalina dressing. Add onions, stir to brown.

Add remaining dressing and vegetables and enough water to come 3/4 of the up the meat. Bring to a boil; cover. Reduce heat to low. Simmer at least 2 hours or until meat and veggies are tender.

Slice up the meat, sprinkle with parsley, enjoy! Serves about 8 - or 2 people for almost a week!

(Alternately you could throw everything in a crock pot after browning the meat, set on low for about 8 hours.)

* Mary Smith, Kraft Food and Family, Fall 2005, pg. 64.