By Julie Halpern
Step away from the canned foods aisle! There is no need for you to buy canned cranberry sauce when fresh cranberries are readily available this time of year. Just follow this simple recipe and you’ll have the freshest, most delicious cranberry sauce ever. Enjoy.
Cranberry Sauce
2 cups fresh cranberries
¾ cup orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
Dash of vanilla extract
4 tablespoons of sugar
- Rinse cranberries and place them in a small pot over medium hit and cover.
- Add orange juice, cinnamon stick and vanilla extract.
- Cranberries will begin to burst, stir every couple minutes.
- Once it is a thick sauce consistency, add sugar.
- Incorporate all ingredients together and lower heat to a simmer until ready to serve.*
*Remember to stir every couple of minutes.
Brussels sprouts…ewww! You’ll never hear those words again if you serve your kids/guests this recipe. The secret? One word…bacon. Bacon makes everything better, doesn’t it? This recipe turns those little, bitter mini-cabbages into savory, yet sweet delectable bites.
Brussels Sprouts
2 lbs. Brussels sprouts
4 strips smoked bacon
1 large shallot, minced
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Breadcrumbs (if desired)
- Wash sprouts and cut in half.
- Boil in water for about 6 minutes, until nearly tender and drain.
- In separate pan, crisp up the 4 strips of bacon.
- Remove bacon and crumble.
- In bacon drippings, brown minced shallot.
- Once shallots are brown, add bacon, sprouts, salt and pepper to pan and toss.
- Transfer Brussels mixture to a glass or ceramic rectangular roasting dish.
- Drizzle melted butter over top.
- Sprinkle sugar evenly on top of sprouts.
- If you would like to use breadcrumbs, this is when you would sprinkle some on top.
- Place roasting dish under broiler for about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on it, you don’t want it to burn. Remove from broiler when golden brown and serve.
