Since the new year began, I have been really making an effort to cook more healthy meals at home to avoid eating out. Sometimes that is easier said than done. With trying to cook more at home, I am also trying to add some variety to our meals – as much as we love them, we have been getting a little bored of our go-to dinners.

This Orange Walnut Crusted Salmon was pretty effortless and the entire meal was ready in just under 30 minutes. It’s a light, high in protein, low in carb meal and with all the omega-3s in the salmon and walnuts, it’s heart healthy too. It’s pretty much a winner all around in my book.

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It’s not too late…to make this cranberry sauce! I promise.

It is wonderful..super fresh, tart but sweet.  I found the recipe for this Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce last year on Williams Sonoma’s site.  I love that it has chunks of apples in it along with orange zest and juice.  And the best part is it will probably be the easiest thing you cook for Thanksgiving dinner.

Wishing everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!  I’m feeling super blessed and thankful for all the good things in my life…my wonderful husband and kids, our families, our friends and our health.  I’m also very thankful for all the wonderful opportunities that I have experienced this year thanks to this blog…I’m thankful for all of you who read it and who comment and who support me.  I’m thankful for all the great people I’ve met “virtually” and in person whether through blogging, Facebook or Twitter…

Life is Good. God Bless.

Future Food Blogger?  🙂

Apple-Orange Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
• 2 bags fresh cranberries (about 6 cups), rinsed
• 3 cups water
• 2 cups sugar (original recipe calls for 2 1/2 so if you adjust to your liking)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

1. In a medium sauce pan, combine fresh squeezed orange juice, zest, apples, cranberries, water, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a slow boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Gently stir occasionally, until cranberries "pop", apple softens and sauce thickens, about 10-15 minutes.
2. Let cool completely before serving. Makes a large batch, perfect for leftovers.

Over the years, I've started to reduce the sugar gradually. If you have a sweeter tooth, stick to the two cups. If you are looking to cut back, try with 1 cup of sugar and you can always add more.

To help with adding more natural sweetness, I like to include the squeezed halves of oranges and the apple cores to the cooking process and then remove.

Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma

 

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I know I’ve mentioned my addiction to Facebook on this blog several times.  I almost think I can dedicate a whole category to “Facebook Inspired” recipes and creations…this one being one of them.

I saw this recipe posted on Facebook last week on Food Network’s fan page and I immediately bookmarked it.  I thought a festive sweet bread like this would make a nice addition to our Thanksgiving meal, and I was right.  The flavor combination of orange and cranberry is just perfect…and it couldn’t have been easier to bake up at almost the last minute – which is why I’m a huge fan of quickbreads.

When I first saw the recipe I didn’t realize that I would need a food processor to make this bread.  It wasn’t until after I got all my ingredients in order that I hit a road block.  I don’t have a food processor!  Actually, I have a mini one (that I purchased a couple of years ago when I was really into making purees)…but the mini one just doesn’t do the job for most recipes that call for a food processor.  So it’s official.  I am asking Santa for a food processor this year.  What kind should I get?  Help!

So how did I get past the “crap, I don’t have a food processor moment”?  Well, I improvised by using my hands.  Isn’t that what they probably did back in the day?  I basically used my fingers to cut up the cold butter and blend it with the flour.  Ann Burrell mentions in the recipe that the mixture should resemble “grated cheese”…and that’s the result I got as I was mixing with my hands so I went with it.  And it worked!

But I still want my food processor.

Cranberry Orange Quickbread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for loaf pan
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 stick cold butter, cut into pea size pieces, plus extra for loaf pan
• 1 orange, zested
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 orange, peeled, sections removed and diced
• 1 egg
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a food processor combine the flour, sugars, salt, baking soda and butter. Pulse, pulse, pulse until the mixture resembles finely grated cheese. Add the orange zest, juice and the egg. Pulse, pulse, pulse until the mixture is just combined. Remove to a bowl and stir in the diced orange and cranberries.
3. Grease and flour the loaf pan and add the batter. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through the cooking time to insure even cooking.
4. When done let cool for about 20 minutes and remove from loaf pan. Let cool completely before cutting.

Recipe from Anne Burrell, Food Network

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