I am posting this recipe with full knowledge that most people will simply purchase a can of cranberry sauce when they need it. Especially this time of year, when you are likely to score a sale brand for under a dollar.

However, making homemade cranberry sauce is super easy and tastes much fresher than the canned variety. You can also jazz it up a bit, adding dried fruits, nuts, citrus peel, etc to make a sauce much more extraordinary than anything you can find on the store shelves. And if you live someplace (like here in Oregon) where there are cranberry bogs, you’ll be able to get super fresh cranberries and support the local farmers as well.

So, after many, many attempts at the perfect cranberry sauce, this is my version of it. It’s slightly tart, slightly sweet, and chock full of fruit. I have discovered, that while you want the sauce to taste of cranberries, adding dried fruits, like raisins and cherries, really provides that something special. Not only is it slightly sweeter, but the texture is improved as well. And whatever you do, don’t forget the citrus. I think both the juice and the peel really add the perfect amount of flavor, but if you don’t have an organic orange I would just use the juice.

And although cranberry sauce is typically served with turkey, I think it makes a nice side with pork as well. And if you really like cranberries, I have to be honest, it’s pretty tasty spread on a sandwich or eaten by the spoonful.

Cranberry Relish

This makes about 4 cups.

• 1 (12 ounce) package of fresh cranberries
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup cherry juice (cranberry or apple juice would work well too)
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• the zest from 1 orange

1. In a medium saucepan, cook the cranberries, sugar and juices over medium heat, stirring often, until the cranberries begin to pop, about 15 minutes.
2. Add the raisins, cherries, and orange zest and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. It will thicken quite a bit as it cools, so don’t be alarmed if it doesn’t appear thick enough. Cool and refrigerate covered until serving. *It’s a great make ahead recipe, as it stays nicely for several days in the fridge.

Sauces & Dressings, Sides cranberry cherry relish, gluten-free cranberry sauce

Heirloom Tomatoes

You know how some kids have faces only a mother could love? Or at least that is the expression.  Well, heirloom tomatoes are the produce only a cook could love.

They are ugly, wrinkly, and multicolored, but I just love them! They are interesting and colorful and are bursting with flavor this time of year.

Perhaps salsa is not the best use of these expensive tomatoes, but what can I say, I am a girl that loves a homemade salsa. So these beautiful tomatoes met their fate in the food processor today.

I tend to make my salsa in a food processor, just because it’s so fast and easy, but it does tend to make it watery, so it might need drained slightly before serving. Chopping the salsa ingredients seems to alleviate most of this issue, but it takes more time and effort.

Roughly chopped for and going into food processor

Seeded tomatoes (I used the reddish ones)

Chips & Heirloom Salsa

Heirloom Tomato Salsa

You don’t really have to use Heirloom Tomatoes, any large ripe tomato should work just fine. And if you prefer not to use a food processor, you can simply chop all the ingredients and stir it together in a bowl.

• 1/2-1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
• 1 red onion, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and cored
• about 1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• juice of one lime
• salt to taste

1. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times.
2. Add tomatoes, cilantro, oil, and lime juice and pulse to desired consistency (but don’t overdue it or you’ll have soup). Taste and add salt if desired.
3. If the salsa is too watery pour through a strainer to remove the excess liquid before serving.

 

Make ahead, quick and easy, Sauces & Dressings, Sides heirloom tomato salsa recipe

Plant a zucchini, feed a neighborhood. If you garden or have neighbors that do, chances are you have some zucchini waiting to be used. I know a lot of people dislike zucchini, but I actually enjoy it and have no problem coming up with ways to use it.

Even if you don’t care for it, chances are there are two ways you’ll eat it: zucchini bread and fried zucchini sticks. Maybe. No? Come on, who doesn’t like a quick-bread. And anything fried is better right? With enough crispy, crunchy coating and red sauce it’s not so bad. You know it’s true.

Well, fried zucchini might get your family to eat their veggies, but it’s messy and not exactly the recommended way to get your 5 a day. I came across a baked zucchini recipe from King Arthur Flour. Of course, with panko crumbs, it was full of gluten.

Lucky for me a local store carries gluten-free panko crumbs (Kinnikinnick Crumbs – Panko Style Gluten Free). And since I mentioned the brand, what’s with the name Kinnikinnick? Sorry, that name is insane to spell and pronounce (just saying).

These gluten-free panko crumbs look and feel like traditional panko crumbs and are gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free (unfortunately they do contain egg though, so they are a no-go for my oldest kid). With some modifications to the original recipe I was able to make some excellent gluten-free baked zucchini sticks that were a huge hit at a recent family dinner. In fact they were so popular they were gone before I got a chance to take any pictures. Oh well, it just meant I had to make them again. I am not complaining though, these are super tasty and way less messy than frying.

The coating has Parmesan cheese and pizza seasoning, which really gives a nice flavor. However, if you are dairy-free, I think skipping the cheese altogether would be fine.

The dipping stations.

Coated and ready for the oven.

Hot, crunchy, & ready to dip!

Baked Zucchini Sticks

These are really easy to prepare, but it does dirty a few dishes.

• 2 small-medium zucchinis, unpeeled, ends trimmed and cut into 3 inch sticks
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup panko style bread crumbs (I used kinnikinnick gluten-free)
• 1/4-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I didn’t really measure, just guessed)
• 1 tablespoon pizza seaoning (Italian Seasoning would also work)
• 2 large eggs
• about 1/2 cup cornstarch

1. Preheat oven to 425 (if you have a convection setting use it). Line a baking sheet with silpat mat or parchement (or at least grease it really well).
2. Place the zucchini sticks in a colander over a bowl (or in the sink) and sprinkle evenly with salt. Allow to set for at least 15 minutes (and up to an hour). Rinse zucchini with water and allow to drain.
3. In a shallow dish or bowl, combine panko, Parmesan, and pizza seasoning.
4. In another shallow container, add eggs and lightly beat.
5. In yet another shallow container add cornstarch.
6. Dredge a few zucchini sticks at a time in cornstarch, then egg, then crumb mixture. (As the mixture gets wet, I noticed I had to press the crumbs onto the zucchini to make it stick). Place on prepared sheet.
7. Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned and crisp, about 12-15 minutes (I like them crisp-tender; but they could be cooked a few minutes longer if you prefer them soft). I don’t need to turn these, but I have a convection setting on my oven, so you might want to watch these and turn if needed.
8. Serve immediately with a marinara sauce or an onion dip.

quick and easy, Sides, Snacks gluten-free baked zucchini sticks

One of my favorite ways to cook vegetables is roasting. Not only are they easy to prepare, but they taste great.

Roasting really brings out the sweetness in the vegetables, an attribute that is typically popular with the kids in the house. Of course, I love the flavor, too.

Earlier this week I saw some beautiful organic zucchini on sale, I bought it without a plan on how to use it.

Ultimately I decided to roughly chop it, add some other veggies, toss it with olive oil, and roast it until nicely browned…and then (here comes the good part) I sprinkled on some feta cheese and baked a few more minutes until the cheese was slightly browned and melted.

If you love feta and love vegetables, this is a dish for you. Seriously, the flavors are sublime. Even my kids ate their zucchini.

We at it as a side dish with grilled steak, but I also think this you could also toss this with some warm pasta for a light salad, or even served with eggs…a roasted vegetable and feta omelet, yum!

If you really hate feta, I think Parmesan could work, but would obviously impart a different flavor.

Roasted Vegetables with Feta

There really is no need to measure anything exactly here and you could easily vary the vegetables; I think eggplant, small potatoes, or mushrooms would be good choices.

• 2 small zucchini
• 1/2 an onion
• 1/2 a bell pepper
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4-1/2 cup feta cheese
• salt and pepper to taste, optional

1. Preheat oven to 400 (or 375 convection).
2. Roughly chop all vegetables. Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper if desired (I find feta plenty salty for my taste, but you may want more seasoning). Lay vegetables in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or shallow pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven until vegetables are soft and slightly browned, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for about 5 minutes, or until cheese melts and begins to brown. Serve warm.

 

 

Sides

Tortilla chips are a favorite at my house. They are great for chips and salsa, or as a topping for taco salad, taco soup, or chili.

So when I read how to make Lime Tortilla Chips I had to give it a try. This method would also work if you want to make baked tortilla chips (a healthy alternative to the store-bought, fried variety). You could add the lime juice when they are hot out of the oven.

My kids really enjoyed that we could adjust the lime flavor; we opted for a “hint of lime” flavor, as opposed to the really strong lime flavor that typically comes with lime tortilla chips. We also used blue chips, which the lime juice actually discolored. If you have picky eaters, you might want to use white or yellow corn, so their are no funny lime juice stains.

A lime quartered.

A bowl of Chicken & Bean soup with Lime Tortilla Chips!

Lime Tortilla Chips

We use 1/4 lime per baking sheet of chips; but for a stronger lime taste, use more.

• tortilla chips
• 1 lime, quartered

1. Preheat oven to 350. Place some of the tortilla chips on each baking sheet; they can overlap some, but try to have mostly a single layer. Bake until hot, but not browned; about 5 minutes.
2. Squeeze the juice from one lime section oven each baking sheet of hot tortilla chips. Allow to cool before eating.

Cooking With Kids, lunch box, Sides, Snacks lime tortilla chips