Homemade Jellied Cranberry Sauce

Hi, I'm back!  I have not forgotten about this blog.  I often write posts in my head, when I can't find the time to sit and type.  I feel as though, now, four months into the school year, I'm getting back on my feet after having kids home all summer and homeschooling one last year.

This recipe for jellied cranberry sauce is so good, it prompted me to FINALLY get back on here!  When I was a kid, a special treat with a meal would consist of a small amount of cranberry sauce or apple sauce.  I remember on Thanksgiving being able to have more than just a small amount of cranberry sauce and it was delicious!

The past two years, I have made my own cranberry sauce (more of a relish style).  This year, I found this recipe for jellied cranberry sauce and I had to share.  I know it's a favorite at my parent's house and people who might not be compelled to try the relish would love this recipe.  It is my goal to eliminate prepackaged and processed foods from my eating.  For the past three weeks, I have not eaten much sugar and little to no grains.  I am not above eating sugar or grains, I just like to make these products myself, so I know what I am putting into my mouth.  I find eating healthy is not a cold turkey and you're done deal, it takes a long time.  My way is do it myself first, then move on to elimination, portion control, etc. If I can't do it myself, I wonder should I be eating it.

At any rate, this sauce came out just like store bought, but with no chemicals.  It's easy and delicious, I hope that I will inspire someone to try to make their own cranberry sauce this Thanksgiving.

Jellied Cranberry Sauce:

2 bags cranberries
2 cups sugar (sugar in the raw is ok too)
juice from 1 orange- then add water so it totals 2 cups liquid
zest from half of the orange

1) Put all ingredients in stockpot and bring to a boil.
2) Let boil for ten minutes, cranberries will start to pop- I gently mashed the berries against the side of the pan.
3) Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve- press hard on the berries to remove juices and pulp.  I ended up putting the remnants from the sieve into a cheesecloth and squeezing out more liquid afterwards.
4) Place in air tight container in refrigerator for up to one week, or seal in a canning jar by boiling in water for 15-20 minutes.  Jar should be ~1" below water level.
Jar can be stored at room temp for one year if sealed.

Once refrigerated, if you use a jar that is straight (wide mouth)- you should be able to overturn and get the sauce to pop out of the "mold".  I will just scoop mine out, as I did not have a straight style jar.

Source:  Foodie with Family (I halfed her recipe and got 3 pints )

Cider Glazed Chicken with Apple Shallot Vinaigrette

Soooo, I'm still holding strong on this no gluten, no legumes, no starch, no dairy, no sugar thing.   I spent my first week down in the dumps about not being able to bake, but then I started realizing how many dinner recipes I have that I want to try.  One thing that I have going in my favor is that I LOVE TO COOK.  There are a lot of recipes I have in my folder to try that involve none of the above ingredients.  My spirits are raised- I may not be making sweets and fun colored treats to eat, but I am making delicious, healthy meals for my family to enjoy.

This is a recipe that has caught my eye when flipping through my recipe binder several times.  Last night, I was planning on making chicken soup, but Dave came home with a gallon of fresh pressed apple cider and it was like fate.  This dinner was more than I imagined it would be.  The homemade vinaigrette set this over the top!  Eating an apple dipped in the vinaigrette, made a sweet taste, almost like I had sprinkled sugar on top of it (yes, I'm getting desperate!).  But, seriously, I was surprised by how delicious it was and I was excited when there was enough left over chicken for me to make another salad for lunch the next day.  This is a great recipe to try to kick off the fall apple season!

Cider Glazed Chicken:
2 TBSP grapeseed or olive oil
4 boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup apple cider
1 TBSP cider vinegar

Apple Shallot Vinaigrette:
1 medium apple (Gala or McIntosh)
1 shallot
3/4 tsp mustard powder
3 TBSP grapeseed or olive oil
2 TBSP cider vinegar

Garnish:
Slivered Almonds

1) Preheat the oven to 400'.

2) Heat an oven safe skillet with 2 TBSP oil in it over medium heat.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken.  Cook chicken on one side until browned (about 4 min), flip, cook then flip and brown other side.  Place pan in oven and bake until chicken is cooked through (12-15 min). When chicken is cooked, remove pan from oven, place chicken on a plate to cool, return pan to a burner for the cider glaze.

3) Mince the apple and the shallot, place in a small bowl.  Mix in the cider vinegar and mustard and set aside to marinate, about 10 minutes.  After the ten minutes, add in the 3 TBSP oil, season with salt and pepper to taste, mix and set aside for later.

4) In the pan that you placed back on the burner, add the cider- heat over medium heat.  Stir the cider, scraping bit off the bottom of the pan.  Boil and reduce the liquid by half, about 2-3 minutes.  Add the 1 TBSP cider vinegar.  Mix, remove pan from heat (optional to swirl in 1 TBSP butter).  Set sauce aside until serving.

5) Shred chicken breasts into bite sized pieces- throw them in the pan with the cider sauce, mix it up to coat.   Place chicken on top fresh lettuce.  Cut the remaining apple into thin slices- place this in the bowl with the chicken and lettuce.  Drizzle on the apple shallot dressing.  Optional, sprinkle on a handful of slivered almonds.

Source: Bon Appetit November 2011

Hope you like it!

Homemade Sandwich Buns

It's been about a year since I've been making my own buns.  I have to warn you, once you start, it's hard to stop.  They are so good, they make store bought ones like Pepperidge Farm taste like saw dust.  I plan out my menus every week and for the nights when I want to have burgers or chicken salad (anything requiring a bun),  I have to plan it for a night where I know that day I will have time to make the buns because I kind of refuse to buy store bought ones, unless it's an emergency.

I was going to post this on the blog on Friday, with it being Memorial Day weekend and all, kind of the official start to the grilling season.  But, life with 5 kids does not always present the opportunity to sit and type.  It ended up being a busy weekend, with our pool being opened for the season and I raced a 5K.  So, here it is Tuesday and I am finally writing about the rolls I've been meaning to write about for over a year.

I wish I had the courage to try to make my own rolls when I lived in Japan.  Since a burger is not a customary food in Japan, it is very hard to find buns.  We used to have a running joke, "how many stores do you need to go to to make a burger?".  When I found buns, they were in packs of four, and I used to buy them ALL and freeze them until we needed them.  These rolls put those rolls to shame!  Friends in Japan, make these, they will not disappoint.

Light Brioche Buns:


Oven:  350'

3 TBSP warm milk
1 cup warm water
2 tsp yeast
2 1/2 TBSP sugar
2 eggs
3 cups bread flour
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 TBSP unsalted butter
optional:  sesame seeds, dried onions (for garnish on tops)

1) In large glass measuring cup or bowl, combine warm milk, water, yeast, and sugar.  Set aside for five minutes until foamy.

2) In bowl of mixer, combine flours and salt.   Using dough hook, cut in butter, until dough forms small clumps.  (you can also do this by hand and cut the butter in with a fork or pastry blender).  If using mixer, keep dough hook on, slowly blend in the yeast mixture and 1 beaten egg.  Keep mixing until dough comes together, it will be slightly sticky.  Knead for about 8 minutes until smooth, it is okay for dough to be slightly sticky, otherwise the buns will be tough.

3) Grease a large bowl, place the dough ball in it, cover it, and let it sit until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

4) Punch dough down, cut in 8 equal pieces for large buns or as I like to do, cut in two pieces, and from the first piece, cut it into 4 pieces, roll them into a ball gently, and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  For the second piece, cut into 8 pieces and gently roll into balls.  This will make slider rolls, which are great for small kids.

5) Cover the buns loosely, and let rise 1-2 more hours until doubled in size.

6) Beat the last egg.  Brush it on the tops of the buns.  Sprinkle the tops with desired garnish, or leave plain, your choice.  Bake in preheated oven for about 15 minutes ( I rotated the pan 180' half way through). The tops will turn golden brown.  Let cool before serving.

Source:  Smitten Kitchen

(So, I always have people asking me how I do it, here's my quick version of how these buns happened:
12:30-Make batter in kitchen aid, while it's mixing, finish feeding baby lunch- put dough in bowl to rise, finish dishes, put baby in for nap, do laundry, come back at 2:00, form rolls, set aside to rise, get baby, go get kids from school, 3:45-preheat oven, cook buns while dinner is cooking and kids are doing homework or playing outside. 6:00 eat dinner- it's all good)

They made this dinner extra special, more to come on this party in your mouth soon:

I know somebody who really likes these buns:

Pecan Crusted Chicken

Have you ever wanted to marry your food?  Beware- you might want to marry this chicken.  While I was making it, I was just going over the proposal in my head..

My husband had texted me while he was at Whole Foods and asked me if I needed any meat.  I quickly grabbed my Cook's Illustrated Cookbook to find the fried chicken I wanted to try, but before I found it, I was sidetracked by the Pecan Crusted Chicken in the index.  I immediately went to that recipe and never looked back.

This chicken was relatively easy to make and well worth any extra effort it took (grinding pecans in food processor). Since there are toasted nuts and panko crumbs for the coating, this baked chicken still came out crispy and flavorful. The hint of lemon from the zest and the thyme really complimented the flavor, I was tempted to just eat the coating on its own!  It was such a hit at dinner, my grandmother told me it was the best chicken she's ever had (and she's 83!) If that's not a compliment, I don't know what is.

Add this to your menu for next week, you'll be glad you did!

Pecan Crusted Chicken:


Oven:  350'

4 boneless breast chicken, tenderloins removed
4 TBSP unsalted butter
1 shallot, chopped finely
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup pecans, coarsely ground (about 20 pulses in food processor)
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp thyme
1/2 cup flour
3 eggs

Preheat oven to 350' and set wire baking rack over a cookie sheet, set aside.

1) Prepare chicken by removing tenderloins, set aside.

2) Melt butter in 12 inch skilled until browned and bubbly.  Add the chopped shallot and salt and stir until fragrant, about 4 minutes.  Next, add chopped pecans and panko crumbs, occasionally stir until golden and toasted, about 8 minutes.

3) Remove pan from heat, pour crumb mixture into a shallow dish, such as a pie pan.  Mix in the lemon zest, thyme, and pepper.  Stir.

4) Put about 1/2 cup flour in a medium bowl.  Evenly coat the chicken in the flour.

5) Beat the eggs in another medium bowl.  Dip and coat the floured chicken with the egg mixture.

6) Place the egg coated chicken in the pie pan with the crumb mixture, evenly coat each piece with crumbs, lightly press to set the crumbs.  Place the chicken on a wire baking rack set over a cookie sheet and bake in oven for 20-30 minutes.

7) Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy!

Source:  Adapted from Cook's Illustrated Cookbook

Thin Crust Pizza (take two)

Every Friday since we lived in Japan, I make homemade pizza.  Since moving into our new house, for some reason, I really haven't been happy with how the pizza has been turning out.  I have been experimenting with different crust recipes, different procedures, and different cooking temps.  Be prepared to see pizza on here a lot in the upcoming month.  I have found two delicious ways to make deep dish pizza, and three different ways to make a thin crust, depending on what you're looking for.

The pizza restaurant I worked at through high school and college, had a pretty fluffy crust and thin, crispy bottom.  This is what I have achieved with this recipe.  The solution to my problem of a dry burnt cheese on top came to me about a month ago.  I was putting the pizza on a cold stone into a hot oven.  At the restaurant, the pizza went right into a hot oven on a hot surface- cooking the bottom faster, to help create a crispier texture.

I posted about pizza before, but I hate the picture I took and I found a different crust recipe that I think is easier and makes more dough.  This crust is of course, from America's Test Kitchen- Family Baking Book.

Pizza Crust:

4 cups bread flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/4 tsp yeast (1 packet)
2 TBSP olive oil
1 1/2 cup warm water
corn meal for dusting the bottom of the dough

1) Put pizza stone in oven.  Preheat to 450'.  Put flour, salt, and yeast in bowl of food processor fitted with the dough blade.  (If you don't have a food processor, you can use a stand mixer with the dough hook).  Pulse to combine

2) Add olive oil, pulse a few times to combine.  Pour in water, mix to combine into a ball, about 30 seconds.  Let rest for 30 seconds, then mix for two minutes to knead the dough.

3) Grease a bowl and place the dough in the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm area until doubled, about 2 hours.  (I found that letting it go that extra 1/2 hr rising, makes a difference in the texture of the dough when cooked.  I usually make the dough at 2 in the afternoon for a 5 o'clock dinner).

4) Remove dough from bowl, divide in half.  Using one piece at a time, roll it on a counter lightly sprinkled with cornmeal (you can use a rolling pin or spread it with your hands, which will require more cornmeal).  Once dough is shaped, and you use your fingers to pinch a crust around the edges, careully lift the dough and place it on a lightly cornmealed pizza peel ( I still don't have a pizza peel, so I've been using a large cutting board- you can use the bottom of a rimmed cookie sheet too).  The cornmeal helps the pizza slide off the surface when you shake it into the oven.

5) Gently swirl sauce and sprinkle cheese and toppings onto pizza.  Carefully open the oven, pull out the rack with the hot stone on it.  Starting at the back side of the stone, slowly wiggle the peel or cutting board, the pizza should slide off of it onto the hot stone.  Close oven door and bake about 10-15 minutes until crust is light brown.

Source:  America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

Black Bean Burritos

Ok, if you know me, you might be thinking, "did she seriously make and eat black bean burritos?"  Yes, I did and in fact, I have made them MANY times!  All of my kids but one will eat them and it literally takes all of ten minutes to make- that sold me on the recipe right there.

When I was a kid, my mom made this 1,000,000 bean soup - no lie, there were that many beans in it.  She would not let us leave the table until we ate it.  It took some serious strategy to figure out how to make it disappear without eating it, but luckily I was sitting relatively close to the trash.  Since then, I have been averse to beans, with the exception of course to Boston Baked Beans.

This winter, I made some chili, which I will post about later, that had black beans in it.  They were surprisingly good.  I'm really trying to make more quality healthy meals for my family and I thought this recipe sounded good and I know beans are healthy.  I'm glad I tried it because I truly enjoyed it.  If you like black beans, give this a try, or if you've never cooked with them, give this a try- you might surprise yourself too.

Black Bean Burritos:
(Note:  this recipe can easily be cut in half, I have done that too)

2 cloves garlic
2 tsp canola oil
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp minced chipotle chili in adobo sauce (I omitted, but if you like spice, put it in)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup water, chicken broth, OR vegetable broth
2 15-oz cans black beans, draine and rinsed
6 TBSP salsa

To serve:
flour tortillas
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
sliced green onion
lettuce

1) Heat oil in skillet.  Add minced garlic into pan, along with chili powder, minced chipotle chili, and salt.  Cook until fragrant 30-40 seconds.

2) Add beans and water or broth to pan, bring to a boil over medium heat.  Reduce heat to a simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) Remove pan from heat, stir in salsa, and slightly mash up some of the beans with the back of a spoon.

4) Lay a tortilla on a plate, put on lettuce, cheese, and sour cream.  Scoop on the bean mix, top with chopped onion, roll up, and enjoy!

Source:  adapted from Pink Parsley, who adapted it from Cooking Light, January 2010

Skillet Lasagna

Monday nights I take a class and I need to leave home by 5:45.  I need to have dinner made and kids eating before I leave, so I usually like to have something quick and easy. Recently, I started making my way through the Skillet Meals chapter in my America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook.  This lasagna will be the fourth skillet meal I've made within the past month.

Let's put it this way, this lasagna was so good and easy to make, I may never make one in the oven again. In less than one hour, I started to make the meal, photographed it, and had it on the table.  One thing I don't like about making lasagna is that the noodles always stick together and rip when cooked and you are trying to layer them.  Even if you use the non-cook noodles, you still have to layer and it just takes time.  Even a novice can make this and have it taste good too.

The hardest thing in the recipe was dicing the onion- seriously!  If you've never made lasagna before, or are intimidated by it, I'd suggest you give this a try.  It's going to be added to our family's regular meal rotation, that's for sure!

Skillet Lasagna:

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (I only had crushed, so that's what I used)
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves
1 TBSP olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
pinch red pepper flakes
10 lasagna noodles (broken into 2 inch segments)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 lb ground beef
3 TBSP fresh basil (I used a few tsp dried)

1) Put diced tomatoes in a 4 cup measuring bowl.  Add water until it reaches the 4 cup mark- set aside.

2) Heat olive oil in 12 inch skillet.  Add in diced onion and salt, then saute until shiny, about 4-5 minutes.  Add in minced garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Mix in ground beef, and saute over medium heat until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

3) Place broken lasagna noodles on top of beef.  Pour the diced tomato/water mix on top of the noodles, and then add in the tomato sauce.  Cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes over medium low heat.  Stir occasionally.

4) Remove from heat, add in all but 3-4 TBSP of parmesan cheese, mix to combine.  Drop spoonfuls of ricotta cheese on top of the lasagna, sprinkle with basil, and serve topped with a sprinkle of the remaining parmesan cheese.