CAN’T HAVE THANKSGIVING WITHOUT YAMS

Want a real showstopper at your Thanksgiving Dinner Table?  Make your very own Cranberry Sauce.  My friend David’s Mom Joan always makes her own.  She has seven sons and each likes a different way of doing the sauce s she makes several kinds.  Each is different and delicious and you’ll be glad you tried them.  They’ll become a tradition at your holiday gatherings.  Thanks for sharing , Joan!

Cran-Raspberry Sauce

2 cans  (14 oz. each) jellied cranberry sauce

1 bag  (10 oz.) unsweetened frozen raspberries

Combine the cranberry sauce and frozen raspberries in a microwavable bowl. Microwave on high power, stirring occasionally, until the cranberry sauce has melted, about 8 minutes. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Strain, if desired, to remove any seeds. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.   Serves 10.

Fresh Orange-Cranberry Sauce with Walnuts

1 12-ounce bag cranberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

1 medium seedless orange, all peel and pith cut away, fruit diced

3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

 

Combine first 4 ingredients in medium saucepan; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook until cranberries are tender and mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in orange pieces and walnuts. Transfer to bowl. Cover and chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.   Serves 8.

Another Orange-Cranberry Sauce with Pecans

1 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus more to taste
1 strip orange or lemon zest
1 orange, quartered (unpeeled), seeds removed
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, quartered (unpeeled), seeds removed
1/2 cup toasted pecans

 Empty cranberries into a saucepan, reserving 1/2 cup in a small bowl. To the saucepan, add 1 cup of the sugar, the lemon or orange zest, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste.

Roughly chop the apple and orange in a food processor with the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Fold into the cranberry sauce along with pecans. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

JELLIED CRANBERRAY SAUCE

This jelly bears no resemblance to the stuff in the can —it's definitely worth the effort. Though we call for 4 bags of cranberries, the yield is only 3 cups because all the solids get strained out. You'll be happy if you have any extra cranberry sauce when you make sandwiches with the leftover turkey.

 

4 (12-ounce) bags cranberries, thawed if frozen

3 cups sugar

3-1/3 cups cold water

2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin (from three 1/4-ounce envelopes)

Bring cranberries, sugar, and 3 cups water to a boil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until all berries have burst, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into a large fine-mesh sieve set over a 2-quart glass measure or a bowl and let stand until all juices have drained through, about 30 minutes. If necessary, press on solids until there is enough juice to measure 3 cups, then discard solids.

Stir together gelatin and remaining 1/3 cup water and let stand 1 minute to soften. Bring 1 cup drained cranberry liquid to a simmer in a small saucepan, then add gelatin mixture and stir until just dissolved. Add gelatin mixture to remaining cranberry liquid and stir well. Pour cranberry sauce into lightly oiled mold and chill, covered with plastic wrap, until firmly set, at least 12 hours.

To unmold, run tip of a thin knife between edge of mold and cranberry sauce. Tilt mold sideways and tap side of mold against a work surface, turning it, to evenly break seal and loosen cranberry sauce. Keeping mold tilted, invert a plate over mold, then invert cranberry sauce onto plate.