Wassail for the Crockpot

Here's another great warm drink to help celebrate the holidays. Here we come a wassailing.....

Ingredients:

2 qts. apple cider
1 pint cranberry juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp aromatic bitters
2 sticks cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 small orange, studded with cloves
1 cup rum

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a crocpot. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour, then on low for 4 to 8 hours.

***makes 12 cups

Cranberry Onion Pork Roast

I can't remember where I found this recipe, but it is so delicious; I have to pass it on. It is a great diversion from typical holiday fare.

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless pork loin roast
salt and pepper to taste
1 (16 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce
1 package (1 ounce) dried onion soup mix

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Season roast with salt and pepper, place in a shallow roasting pan.
3. Stir together cranberry sauce and onion soup mix, heat, covered, in microwave until hot for about 1 minute.
4. Baste roast with cranberry mixture and place in oven, basting every 10 minutes for 60 to 90 minutes until roast is done (internal temperature should be 155-160 degrees)
5. Let roast rest 5-8 minutes before slicing.
6. Heat any leftover basting mixture to a boil, stirring for 5 minutes...serve along side roast.

**6 servings

Warm Holiday Wassail (Punch)

This is a really nice drink for holiday parties and looks beautiful in a punch bowl. You can turn this into a tasty adults only punch by adding your favorite vodka to taste.


Ingredients:

1 (64 ounce) botle of cranberry juice cocktail
2 & 1/2 cups apple juice
1/4 cup sugar (optional)
3 (3" each) cinnamon sticks
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
orange slices
cloves for garnish

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients, except orange slices and cloves, in a large saucepan.
2. Heat to boiling and reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
3. Strain punch to remove spices.
4. Place in heat proof punch bowl.
5. Place cloves in rinds of orange slices and to punch.

***If adding vodka, add to punch bowl separately...DO NOT boil.
***Makes approx. 14 (6 ounce) servings

Cranberry Sangria

A very nice twist on sangria...very light, refreshing.

Ingredients:

1 quart (4 cups) cranberry juice
3 cups dry, white wine
2 tbl plus 2 tsp orange flavored liquer
1 orange sliced
1 lemon sliced
1 lime sliced
1 cup club soda

Directions:

1. In large pitcher, mix cranberry juice, wine, liquer, and fruit.
2. Add club soda and stir once to mix.

**makes 2 quarts

Cranberry Pie

This is good anytime of the year, because not only does it taste great, but it's very pleasing to the eye.

Ingredients:

1 (6 ounce) shortbread pie crust
1 (8 ounce) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup (1/2 pint) whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

Directions:

1. In a large mixer bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffly.
2. In small mixer bowl, beat whipping cream, sugar, andvanilla until soft peaks form.
3. Gradually add the whipping cream mixture to the cream cheese, beating until smooth and creamy.
4. Set aside a few if the cranberries from the sauce for garnish.
5. Fold remaining cranberry sauce into the whipped cream mixture.
6. Spoon into pie crust and freeze 4 hours or unitl firm. Garnish with reserved berries.
7. Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving.

*8 servings

Harvest Cookies

This is a great cookie for the Halloween/Thanksgiving get togethers. Sweet and tart...very good.

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Beat shortening, sugar and pumpkin together on medium speed until creamy.
3. Add egg, beating well.
4. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl, and add to pumpkin mixture.
5. Stir in nuts and cranberries.
6. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Cool slightly on sheets, then remove to wire rack to finish cooling.

Chicken in Cranberry Sauce

The first time my Mother made this and told be how it was made....it sounded kind of 'funky'. But as soon as I tasted it, I thought it was fabulous.

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) whole cranberry sauce
1 (8 ounce) bottle Russian salad dressing
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1/4 tsp each salt & pepper
4 whole chicken breasts-skinless and boneless

Directions:

1. Combine cranberry sauce, salad dressing, and soup mix, salt and pepper.
2. Preheat oven 325 degrees, lightly spray 9 x 12 baking dish with non stick spray.
3. Arrange chicken in baking dish, pour sauce over top...cover & bake for 1 hour.
4. Remove foil and cook for another 15 minutes more until lightly browned.

Cranberry Nut Cookies

These cookies are a nice change from chocolate or peanut butter, in that they have more of a citrus taste, combined with the pecans. Very tasty.

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup orange juice
1 egg
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pecans
1 & 1/2 grated orange peel

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees...spray baking sheets with non stick spray.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in small bowl...set aside.
3. In a large bowl, on medium speed, beat olive oil, butter, and orange juice.
4. Beat in egg, then at lowest speed, beat in flour mixture, then pecans and orange peel.
5. for 1 minute.
6.Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls on baking sheets...about 2" apart.
7.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes...cookies will be golden around edges.
8.Cool on racks.

Holiday Punch

This punch is so pretty and tastes great too. I like it because I like vodka...especially in punches...it keeps the taste light. Makes about 10 to 12 servings.

Ingredients:
1 (48 ounce bottle cranberry juice cocktail
1 & 1/2 cups vodka
1/3 cup sweetened lime juice (eg. Rose's West India Sweetened Lime Juice)
1 (1 liter) bottle of ginger ale, chilled
ice cubes
lime slices, whole cranberries

Directions:
1. Stir together the cranberry juice cocktail, vodka, & lime juice.
2. Stir in ginger ale just before serving.
3. Serve over ice and garnish with a line slice and couple cranberries

Holiday Cranberry Salad

While I origianlly got this recipe from my Grandmother, I have since tweaked it a bit to make it my own. It's in big demand on both Thanksgiving and Christmas. If it were up to my 16 year old daughter, I would be making it every week. I already know this will be one of the recipes she will be keeping for her file. It's very simple and can be made a couple days ahead of time. So enjoy:

Ingredients:
1 package of raspberry flavored gelatin
1 cup hot water
1 small can of mandarin oranges-drained
1/2 cup canned crushed pineapple-drained
1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 Granny Smith apple-peeled & chopped
1/4 chopped nuts (I prefer walnuts, but can use pecans)

1. Dissolve the raspberry gelatin in the hot water in large bowl. Stir in the cold water. Chill in the refrigerator until partially set (about 45 minutes)
2. Fold in mandarin oranges, pineapple, cranberry sauce, apple, & nuts.
3. Pour into serving dish or mold and chill until firm.

Suggestions for presentation:
On salad plate, make a bed of lettuce, cut a square of the cranberry salad. Make a mixture of mayonaise sweetened with sugar and place a teaspoon on the lettuce next to the salad.