Mandarin Pom Cranberry Sauce

Yay! Cranberry time! This years berries are spin on last years. Celebrating tomorrow with part of the family and then work like mad and then off to the desert for Turkey day and dust and cold climates.

Mandarin Pom Cranberry Sauce

12 oz bag of cranberries
3/4 cup white sugar
a shake cinnamon
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup Cointreu
1 28 oz can mandarin oranges drained
1 cup dried cranberries

In a saucepan combine berries, sugar, juice, and liquer. On medium heat simmer untilthe bearries burst and the sugar dissolves. Approxiamately 20-25 minutes. Add the mandarin oranges and dried cranberries the last 5-10 minutes. Let cool before serving. Best to refrigerate overnight so the flavors can mix perfectly. Serve in a fancy dish along your turkey and other fixins. Enjoy!

Cookies and Cream Fudge

Cookies and Cream White Chocolate Fudge

Candy making is part of holiday baking too. Don't be afraid to try candy making. There are many recipes and ingredient combinations to explore. Oh sugar, honey honey...

1 7 Oz. Jar Marshmallow Creme
1 tsp Almond Extract
12 oz bag White Chocolate Chips

Put these ingrediants in a large mixing bowl.

One stick butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
5 Oz. Lowfat 2% Evaporated milk

Chopped Oreo Cookies

In a large saucepan, combine 1 tsp butter, sugar and E. milk. Set remaining butter aside. Bring to a boil on medium heat until candy thermometer reads 233 degrees F. Stir continuously. Once the thermometer reads 233 degrees F, add the remaining butter and stir. Bring the mixture back to a boil and stir continuously. Once bubbled up, take off heat and carefully pour mixture into your large bowl of marshmallow, chips and almond extract. Stir until all chips are melted and the mixture becomes a smooth and combined snowy white mixture.

Pour half of the white chocolate fudge mixture into a lightly greased 8 x 8 square pan. Level fudge out with a spoon and let sit for a minute or two. Sprinkle Oreo cookies pieces on top of fudge. Using the palm of your hand or finger tip lightly press the cookie pieces into the top surface of the fudge. Pour remaining mixture on the top of the cookie pieces. Level again to make sure cookies pieces are covered. So the cream filled middles of the cookies don't melt put fudge in the freezer for about ten minutes. Remove from freezer and set on counter and allow fudge to set. Once cooled, cut and put in bags for gifting.

Captain-Cranberry Pom-Mandarin Compote

Where do the days go. Could it possibly be holiday time? As a kid it seemed like an eternity until the holidays. As an adult one day it's May then you blink and it's November. I love the holiday time, I just wish I would take more time out to enjoy it. This time of year is always so crazy trying to figure out scheduling and balancing time between three families. Splitting the holidays makes you nuts!!! First holiday to tackle... THANKSGIVING! It's my first married Thanksgiving! I will be home cooking for a small group and he will be in the desert. I want to have a home cooked meal with the family, and he wants to be out in the desert making folks eat his dust! It works.

Captain-Cranberry Pom-Mandarin Compote

1 12 oz bag of Cranberries
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup POM pure pomegranate juice
a shake cinnamon
1/4 cup Captain Morgan Rum or Bacardi 'O' Orange rum
2 cans Mandarin oranges, with the juice drained

In a saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, pom juice and the Captain Morgan. On medium heat simmer the berries and liquids, until the cranberries burst and the sauce becomes a bit thick approximately 20-25 minutes. Add the mandarins the last 5-10 minutes. Let cool before serving. Best if made the day ahead so flavors can meld. Refrigerate and serve in a fancy compote dish on your holiday table.

Sloppy Joes

Sloppy Joes. Stirs up a few memories. My Mom would make them periodically. She'd use a little mustard, ketchup and if she felt fancy a little brown sugar. She'd even squirt the ketchup and mustard in a happy face. (:

Crockpot Sloppy Joes

1 1/2 pounds Lean Ground beef browned halfway seasoned with Lawrys Garlic Salt
1 can tomato paste
1 can Rotel Original
1 packet Onion Soup
1 can diced tomatos chili ready
Hamburger buns

Optional...
Cheddar, Monterey, Muenster, Pepper Jack Slices
Dill pickle slices

Combine above ingredients (minus buns, cheese and pickles) in your crockpot. Stir, set the time and do what ya need to do. Serve on hamburger buns with a slice of cheese and some sliced dill pickles. Enjoy!

A Couple Days Late Posted, But Worth The Wait

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads!!! I made this recipe for all the Dad's in the family on Sunday morning. Most of the Dad's I know LOVE peanut butter and chocolate. Below you will find a simple recipe to make something truly delectable!

#1 DAD Peanut Butter Balls

1 1/4 cup Skippy Natural Peanut Butter
1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups Rice Krispies
12 ounces Plymoth Pantry Chocolate Candy Coating

In a large bowl combine graham crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter. Stir. Add Rice Krispies by 1/2 cup increments and stir until all combined. Refrigerate for one full hour. Shape peanut butter mixture into balls using a level tablespoon. Melt Chocolate Candy Coating as directed on the package. Dip each ball in chocolate until covered. Rest on waxed paper or parchement for about 20 minutes or until chocolate is set. During the summer months I store the PBB's in the 'frige. Store in an airtight container. Gift and watch the smile on your Dad's face. (:

Quick and Cheap Faux Mochas

In a previous post I wrote about Faux Mochas for camping. I write today for the everyday. The affordable tasty Java fix. To be truly honest these Faux Mochas Quick and Cheap are delicious and making this at home saves me about 4 bucks. The ingredients are simple.

It's a beautiful thing, no line to wait in and money stays in your pocket.

Quick and Cheap Faux Mochas

Trader Joe's 100% Columbian Instant Coffee ($3 to $4 at your Local Trader Joe's)
Packets of Nestle or Swiss Miss or whichever brand you prefer of Hot Chocolate (The Manufacturers are getting fancy these days I picked up Caramel Mocha and Dark Chocolate)
Hot Water or Hot Low Fat Milk
Low Fat Whipped Cream

In your coffee cup heat approxiamately 8 ounces water or Milk. Add hot chocolate packet and stir. Then add one tablespoon TJ's Instant Columbian Coffee. Stir again. Top with a little Whip cream if you would like and wha-la Faux Mocha.

Corned Beef aka Mustard Meat 28413

Rob grew up with corned beef, I did not. Twelve years ago I was introduced to the ever so salty dark rosy pink meat. My first experience was pretty good. Each time I have had it since I have a greater appreciation for corned beef. With St. Patrick's Day in two days, I decided to post a recipe. My trusty crockpot will yet again supply sustenance for yet another meal.

Crockpot Mustard Meat 28413

One 1 1/2 to 2 pound corned beef
six-eight red potatoes cleaned
One onion sliced in six wedges
One twelve ounce Bud Light or beer of your choice
A few shakes Lawry's Garlic Salt
A few shakes dry ground mustard
One head of cabbage quartered

Sprinkle seasoning on the bottom of crock. Add meat, if the corned beef had a seasoning packet use it. Line the sides of meat with potatoes and onion wedges. Sprinkle a little more seasoning on that. Pour beer over and around the sides of the meat. Lay the quartered cabbage pieces on top of that and put the lid on the crock. Set the temperature to low and cook for six to eight hours. When ready to serve remove the meat from crock and allow it to cool on the cutting board for 10-15 minutes. Slice the meat and serve with a potato or two and some cabbage. Dip pieces of meat in mustard. Enjoy!

If there is leftover meat use it for sandwiches.