Last-minute Thanksgiving Dishes!

 

Cranberry Chutney getting ready to simmer!

Chances are you have your Thanksgiving menu all planned and shopped, but in case you’re still casting about looking for a terrific side dish, I highly recommend David Lebovitz’s cranberry chutney. It is, hands down, the best cranberry side dish I’ve ever had. I’ve made it several times now and it never disappoints. The combination of the tart cranberries with some sweet dried fruit (raisins, cherries, cranberries, candied ginger), crisp apple, and fall spices, is a definite winner. And just wait until you add it to a turkey sandwich the next day!

Chutney ready to plate

And to add to your dessert table ('cause, you know my motto: you can never have too many desserts!), you may want to think about these little babies. No baking involved; just toss the ingredients into a food processor, then roll the 1” balls in a graham cracker crumb-shredded coconut mixture and set in the fridge for an hour. Yes, it is officially the holiday season where we throw caution to the wind when it comes to eating and drinking (at least I do), but for any friends or family trying to watch their calorie intake, these Cranberry Crumble Bites (from SkinnyMs) clock in at only 162 calories. Also, there’s no white sugar in here - maple syrup and orange juice sweeten the base. 

Cranberry Crumble Bites

Later today I’ll also be making this Maple-Vanilla Pumpkin Loaf from Bake From Scratch so I’ll post about it later this week. It sounds like the perfect Thanksgiving/fall/holiday cake! It can be served with just a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar, or gussied up with some fresh whipped cream and a drizzle of maple syrup. 

Wishing you and yours a safe, happy, and healthy Thanksgiving!

Eat well, stay warm, be happy.

Pumpkin Spice Cake

Greetings, Dear Readers.

For most, this holiday was not like any other. Many of us celebrated with a smaller circle of family or friends; some celebrated alone. However your holiday looked, I hope it was peaceful.

Here at my home, we made a much smaller feast - a turkey breast roast instead of a whole turkey. As we are not fans of white meat, we were quite surprised that it was very moist and flavorful. Of course, I'm sure that was mostly due to the butter/garlic mixture Mr B slathered all over it! I made a cranberry chutney from David Lebovitz's recent column that was probably the best cranberry side dish I've ever had. As David mentions, this chutney would be great alongside pork, roasted veggies, or even cheese. Also on the menu, a terrific sautéed greens with smoked paprika from The NY Times. And, because in my mind no meal is complete without bread, homemade dinner rolls from The Spruce Eats.

Cranberry Chutney with next-day turkey sammy

At the last minute I decided to make a dessert, but I really didn't feel like going through the whole pie routine. However I still wanted something pumpkin-y and Thanksgiving-ish. King Arthur Flour to the rescue. Their Pumpkin Spice Cake hit all my wants and desires: pumpkin ('natch), the essential fall spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger; some dried fruit (raisins), and walnuts. No eggs, no sour cream, no yogurt - so chances are you've got everything you need in your cupboard right now (you probably even have a cup of pumpkin in your fridge that you didn't use in your T-Day desserts and were wondering what to do with it). Make. This. Cake. It is tender, SO moist, easy (doesn't require a mixer), quick, and absolutely delicious! All it needs is a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar and you're ready to enjoy. A dollop of whipped cream wouldn't hurt either, would it? 

It's snowing confectioners' sugar!