Thanksgiving: Fruit

Cranapple Salad

• 2 C chopped Cranberries (the easiest way to chop them is to put them in a food processor while they are still frozen)
• 2 C shredded Granny Smith Apples (peel, core, and then shred)
• 1/3 C Sugar
• 2 C Mini Marshmallows
• 1 C Heavy Whipping Cream

1. Combine cranberries, apples, sugar and marshmallows and chill for about an hour.
2. Whip the cream  (don't add sugar) then fold it into the fruit mixture.
3. Serve chilled.
4. Optional: add walnut pieces, you can also leave the marshmallows out.

This makes a really pretty pink salad that is just so festive in flavor and presentation!

Baked Peaches with Ginger Glaze

• 2 Cans Peaches (halves work best but slices are fine too)
• 3 T brown sugar
• 1/3 C peach juice (taken from draining canned peaches)
  
• 1 T minced, peeled fresh ginger (or 1/8 t ginger powder)
• 1/4 C minced, purple onion
• 2 t grated orange rind
• 2 T orange juice (squeezed from orange)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (f).
2. Spray shallow casserole pan with nonstick spray.
3. Drain peaches, reserving 1/3 C of the juice.
4. Arrange peaches in the casserole pan.
5. In a separate small bowl combine brown sugar, peach juice, ginger, onion, orange rind, and orange juice.
6. Pour juice mixture over the peaches.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
8. (If you want a crispy top, you can combine 1/4 C quick oats, 1/4 C brown sugar, 1 T softened butter, and 2 T flour and crumble over the top of the peaches)

Lime Jello Stuff
(recipe by my MIL)

• 1 C crushed pineapple, heated
• 1 large pkg lime gelatin
• 1 C cream (or Cool Whip)
• 1 C miniature marshmallows
• 1 C cottage cheese
• 1/2 C chopped pecans

1. Dissolve gelatin in heated pineapple.
2. Cool to room temperature.
3. In a separate bowl, add marshmallows, cottage cheese, and pecans to whipped cream.
4. Fold cream mixture into gelatin mixture
5. Salad may be served at once or molded for later use.
   

Food Friday - Baked Pears (no sugar added)

Ingredients:

• 2 Cans of Pear Halves in light syrup
  
• 1/2 C Pear syrup (drained from the pear halves - discard the rest)
• 1 C Vanilla Yogurt
• 1 t Corn Starch
• 1/4 t Cinnamon
• 2/3 C Your favorite crunchy cereal (Grape Nuts, Honey Bunches of Oats, Corn Flakes, etc.)

Instructions:

1. Spray a square baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Arrange the pear halves along the bottom of the dish.
3. In a bowl, mix the pear syrup, yogurt, corn starch, and approximately1/4 t cinnamon.
4. Pour yogurt mixture over the pear halves.
5. Sprinkle the crunchy cereal over the top of the yogurt/pears.
6. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
7. Let sit for 15 minutes and serve. (Can be served with ice cream or alone.)
   

Food Friday - Caribbean Salsa

This is so amazingly beautiful and yummy! It is also quick (about 15 minutes).

1 C (8 oz) of crushed pineapple (retain some of the juice whether using canned or crushing fresh)
1/3 C chopped red (or orange) bell pepper
1/2 C cubed mango (you can also use peaches, apricots, papaya, kiwi, or whatever fruit you want - just think "tropical")
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro*

Combine all the ingredients, pour off unwanted juices (although you don't want it dry), and serve.

Serving suggestions:

• We had this on top of a deliciously grilled chicken breast over a bed of rice. It was seriously so beautiful and so good and really healthy! The whole meal came together in 30 minutes.
  
• Phil said, "this would be great with chips too!"
• I think it would be good along with any kind of Mexican dish like tacos or especially on top of a taco salad.

So, let me know what fruits you've added to this great recipe and also let me know of the yummy ways you've served this.


*Cilantro is hard to deal with. I usually use scissors to cut it into little pieces but it all sticks to the scissors and to me. I've actually begun just using it whole-leaf and that works for me because I really like it. Still, it sticks to my fingers as I pluck it from the stem. Any great suggestions about how to prepare cilantro? Don't be scared off though because it has such a unique, fresh, wonderful taste, it is so worth the little bit of annoyance it gives me.

Food Friday - Yummy Apple Cake

This recipe is from Lion House (and yes it is their title ... including the "yummy").

2 C sugar
1/2 C butter
2 eggs
4 C grated apples (or 3 C applesauce)
2 C flour
2 t soda
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t salt
1/2 C nuts

Butter Sauce
1 C butter
2 C sugar
1 C light cream
2 t vanilla
dash nutmeg

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cream together sugar and butter in a large bowl.
• Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
• Mix in apples, dry ingredients, spices, and nuts and pour into a greased and floured 9x13-inch pan.
• Bake 50 minutes.
• Pour Butter Sauce over cake and top each serving with whipped cream

I halved the recipe and baked it in an 8x8 pan.
I used applesauce.
I used pecans (because my neighbor gave us some fresh, home-grown, already shelled pecans!)
I used whole milk instead of light cream in the butter sauce.
I used ice cream on top instead of whipped cream.

Next time I am going to try using half the butter in the cake because it was plenty moist and I think it would still be great with half as much butter.

Food Friday - Cranapple Salad

In honor of Thanksgiving, here is a favorite salad for the holidays.

2 C chopped Cranberries (the easiest way to chop them is to put them in a food processor while they are still frozen)

2 C shredded Granny Smith Apples (peel, core, and then shred)

1/3 C Sugar

2 C Mini Marshamallows

Combine these ingredients and chill for about an hour.

Prepare 1 C of Heavy Whipping Cream (don't add sugar) then fold it into the fruit mixture.

Serve chilled.

Optional: add walnut pieces, you can also leave the marshmallows out.

This makes a really pretty pink salad that is just so festive in flavor and presentation!

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!