The Perfect Cranberry Sauce

I can't believe that Thanksgiving weekend is almost over. It has been an amazingly beautiful weekend, warm and sunny, I was still wearing capri pants and flip flops today. I wish it would stay like this until Christmas, not likely but a girl can hope!

I can’t have a turkey dinner without cranberry sauce. The stuff out of a can just doesn’t cut it.

Making your own is easy and it tastes WAY better!

What you need,

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1 bag of fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)

1 cup water

¾ to 1 cup of sugar (I like mine a bit tart so I use ¾ cup)

¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

A pinch of nutmeg

In a large saucepan combine the water and sugar, over medium high heat cook until the sugar dissolves and it starts to boil.

Add in the cranberries and stir to coat with the sugar mixture.

Stir in the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Cook for 5-8 minutes until the cranberries begin to burst, stirring occasionally.

I like mine a bit chunky so I go about 5 minutes, if you like it a bit smoother cool closer to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Let it cool for 15 minutes then transfer to a bowl.

I like to make mine a day ahead and keep it in the fridge.

There you have it, fresh delicious cranberry sauce.

The left overs are great on toast or over plain yogurt or even ice cream!

Jen

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies

It is Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada. Tonight is the big Turkey dinner with all the fixings. I can't wait!

I hope you guys aren’t sick of pumpkin yet? I keep finding all these amazing recipes with pumpkin that I just have to make!

I love pumpkin so it isn’t a problem for me!

These brownies are light and cakey and awesome!

What you need,

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½ cup pumpkin puree

1 whole egg

2 egg whites

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cocoa powder

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground all-spice

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ tsp. salt

2/3 cup brown sugar

½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray an 8x10 inch baking pan with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, egg, egg whites and oil, blend until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, all-spice, nutmeg, and salt.

Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool completely before cutting.

These pumpkin brownies are perfect.  Really they seem pretty healthy, only 1 tablespoon of oil!

I say go ahead and eat 1 or 3, they are so good you are going to want to!

I hope all my Canadian friends and family are having an amazing Thanksgiving!

Jen

Recipe from Pennies on a Platter

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

I have always loved Chicken Cordon Bleu. I have never made it at home before, so when I saw this recipe in the new Martha Everyday Food magazine I knew it was finally time to give it a try.

This is kind of a lazy version, which worked for me.

It turned out beautifully and tasted amazing!

What you need,

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2 large chicken breasts, trimmed of any fat

3 slices of Canadian bacon or ham

¼ cup Swiss cheese, sliced or grated

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

½ cup panko crumbs

1 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Preheat your oven’s broiler. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray.

Carefully slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally, be sure not to go all the way through, open up the breasts, like a book, and press flat with your hand.

Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper, then layer on one side, half of the Canadian bacon and half of the cheese. Fold over the chicken to cover. It might not be perfect but it will be ok.

Repeat with the second chicken breast.

Place the filled chicken breasts on the greased baking sheet. Brush the top of the chicken with a little more olive oil and season with a little more salt and pepper.

Bake the chicken under the broiler for 7-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile stir the panko crumbs with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to moisten.

Once the chicken is cooked remove from the oven. Spread 1 teaspoon of the mustard over the top of each breast and top with the panko mixture, pressing the crumbs to adhere. Put the chicken back under the broiler for 2 minutes or so, until the crumbs are brown and crisp.

Serve immediately.

I served mine with a simple baked potato.

What a great meal, so simple and so tasty!

Jen

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food Magazine

Mini Meatloaves

My in house taster’s favourite meal is meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

I always end up making it on weekends because it takes so long to cook it. 

I took some ground beef out of the freezer the other night for dinner, I had no idea what to do with it.

Then it hit me, I could make meatloaf a lot faster if I just made it smaller.

So, I baked it in a muffin tin.

It worked perfectly; I got 10 perfect mini meatloaves, in less than 45 minutes.

What you need,

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1 lb. ground beef

1 package stove top stuffing

1 cup water

¼ cup ketchup

¼ cup grated cheddar cheese.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a muffin tin liberally with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl combine the ground beef, stove top stuffing and water.

Scoop the meat mixture with a large ice cream scoop into the prepared muffin tin.

With the back of a spoon, press down in the middle of the meatloaf to make and indent. Put about a teaspoon of ketchup on the top of each meatloaf and spread around. Sprinkle with a little grated cheese.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until cooked through.

Serve with creamy buttermilk mashed potatoes and your favourite veggie.

Now, you could make your own meatloaf with your own spices etc. but since I was trying to make this a “quick” meal I used the stove top stuffing, it is the perfect mix of breadcrumbs and seasonings.

They tasted great, I loved that they were crispy all the way around, crispy edges are the best part!

I am so happy that I figured out a way that we can have Dave’s favourite meal on a weeknight. I am sure he is happy too!

Enjoy!

Jen