My friend Joyce requested a few of the following recipes, so I'm posting for her and anyone else who is interested in trying them out. Enjoy!
Simple Cranberry Sauce from Cook’s Illustrated
(Can be made up to 7 days in advance)
3/4 c. water
1 c. sugar
1/4 t. salt
1 (12oz) bag cranberries, picked through
Bring water, sugar, and salt to boil in medium non-reactive saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Stir in cranberries; return to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until saucy, slightly thickened, and about two-thirds of berries have popped open, about 5 minutes. (Don’t overcook. If using frozen berries, do not defrost them before use; just pick through them and add about 2 minutes to the simmering time) Transfer to non-reactive bowl, cool to room temperature, and serve. (Can be covered and refrigerated up to 7 days; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
From: Cook’s Illustrated, Improving Cranberry Sauce. November 1, 1999 Yield: 2 1/4 cups - Served Thanksgiving 2003
NOTE from Cook's Illustrated: Cranberry-Orange Sauce: Orange juice adds little flavor, but we found the zest and liqueur pack the orange kick we were looking for in this sauce. Follow recipe for Simple Cranberry Sauce, heating 1 T. grated orange zest with sugar mixture. Off heat; stir in 2 T. orange liqueur (such as Triple Sec or Grand Marnier).
Thanksgiving Cranberry Salad
1 c. hot water
1 c. pineapple juice from canned pineapple
1 (3 oz) pkg lemon Jello
1 (16 oz) pkg cranberries, grind in food processor
1 c. sugar
1 c. crushed pineapple (in own juice-reserve juice)
1 c. celery, finely chopped
1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts
Combine hot water, pineapple juice and Jello. Let set while preparing the remaining ingredients. Mix all ingredients except Jello. Add gelatin and stir. Chill several hours or overnight in refrigerator.
Favorite Pumpkin – Cranberry Bread (FREEZES WELL!!!)
3 1/2 flour
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. ground cloves
3 eggs
1 (16oz) can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 (15oz) can pumpkin puree (a GREAT variation is to use 1/2 can pumpkin and 4 oz of Mott’s Healthy Harvest Granny Smith unsweetened applesauce)
1/3 c. canola oil
1 T. orange zest, finely grated
2 T. chopped nuts (pecans)
Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, combine dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine wet ingredients. Add egg mixture to flour mixture until just moistened. Top with nuts. Spray 2 loaf pans w/ oil spray. Pour 1/2 batter into each pan. Bake 45-50 min or until tester comes out clean. Or you can bake in greased muffin tins. Enjoy!! From: Houston Chronicle Freezes Well!!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
½ c. sliced unbalanced almonds – toasted
1 2/3 c. flour
1 c. sugar
1 T. pumpkin pie spice
1 t. baking soda
¼ t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
2 large eggs
1 c. canned pumpkin (half of a 1 lb can)
½ stick butter, melted
1 c. chocolate chips
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin-will make 12 regular or 24 mini muffins. Mix flour, sugar, pie spice, baking soda, Erin ~ October 1982 powder and salt. Break eggs into another bowl then add pumpkin and butter. Whisk until well blended. Stir in choc. Chips and nuts. Pour over the dry ingredients and fold in with a spatula until dry ingredients are moistened. Scoop batter evenly into muffin cups. Bake 20-25 minutes. Cool on rack and place in plastic bag-will keep 2 days. Reheat before serving.
Spice Cookies, Muffins or Cake (Weight Watchers Recipe)
1 box spice cake mix (or you can use brownie mix)
1 can pumpkin puree
Water: 2 T. for cookies, 1/2 c. for muffins, 1 c. for cake
Mix together and bake until done at 350 degrees.
5 cookies = 1 point, 1 muffin = 2 points
Pumpkin Biscuits (Can be made a day ahead)
2 ½ c. all-purpose flour
3 T. packed light brown sugar
1 T. baking powder
½ t. salt
¼ t. grated nutmeg
¼ t. cinnamon
¼ t. ground ginger
½ c. unsalted butter, chilled and cut into thin slices
1 (15oz) can unsweetened solid-packed pumpkin
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet or line it with a piece of parchment paper. In a large bowl, stir the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and spices. With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture looks like cornmeal. Stir in the pumpkin and mix until a soft dough forms. On a well-floured surface, with well-floured hands, pat out the dough to 1/2 “ thickness. Using a floured, sharp knife, cut out 2” square biscuits. Place them on the cookie sheet, and put it on the middle rack of your oven. Bake the biscuits for 15-20 minutes. Note: because they’re already brown, you may need to break one open to see if they’re done. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 16-18 biscuits. November 2004
Pumpkin Butterscotch Muffins (easy, sweet & spicy!)
2 ½ c. flour
1 T. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
½ t. salt
1 c. brown sugar (M.O.L.-original called for 1 ½ c.-too sweet for my taste)
2 t. cinnamon
¾ t. nutmeg
1 can (15oz) pumpkin
4 eggs
½ c. oil
2 c. nuts, optional 2 c. butterscotch chips/morsels Combine all dry ingredients. Add pumpkin, eggs, and oil. Mix until smooth. Add nuts if desired and the butterscotch chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until done. From: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/ Served Thanksgiving, Nov. 2006
Taffy Apple Dip (Keeps several days in frig)
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. brown sugar, packed
1 T. vanilla
1/2 c. peanuts, chopped
6 apples, cut in wedges (optional, try adding 1 (10oz) pkg English toffee bits)
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, brown sugar & vanilla until smooth. Spread mix in a small serving bowl. Top with chopped nuts. Serve with apple wedges.
Gingersnap Cookies (Make extra and freeze!! These freeze VERY WELL!)
2 c. sugar
1 1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
1/2 c. molasses
4 c. flour
4 t. baking soda
1 T. ground ginger
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. salt
Additional sugar Optional Dip:
2 pkg (12oz each) vanilla baking chips
1/4 c. Crisco
Combine sugar & oil, mix well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in molasses. Combine dry ingredients, gradually add to creamed mixture and blend well. Shape into 3/4” balls and roll in sugar. Place 2” apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake @ 350 for 10-12 minutes or until cookie springs back when touched lightly. Remove to wire racks to cool. Melt chips with Crisco in small pan over low heat. Dip cookies halfway; shake off excess. Place on waxed paper lined baking sheets to harden. Also, can use with “Sweet & Creamy Pumpkin Dip” below. From: Country Woman Magazine. Runner-Up Contestant for Best Cookies.
Sweet & Creamy Pumpkin Dip
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
2 c. confectioners sugar
1 can (15oz) pumpkin
1 T. Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 t. Orange Extract
1/2 t. Ground Ginger
In a food processor, blend cream cheese and confectioners sugar until smooth. Remove cover, add pumpkin and remaining ingredients. Blend thoroughly. Chill at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve. Serve with Gingersnap cookies, Red Delicious apples or pears, cored and cut into 1/2” slices, leaving skin on for color. Tip: Toss fruit with a little lemon juice mixed with water to prevent browning. This is adorable served in a small pumpkin shaped dish or clean out a real pumpkin (mini size) and use as serving bowl. Yield: 2 1/2 cups. From: McCormick Ad - Thanksgiving 2001
I know, I know, Ultrasound pictures always leave you feeling like "okay, what am I looking at here??" But, take our word on this one... Erin and Micah asure us that our grandson is quite active and doing well. We are so thankful for a good report!! And, you know me, I can't make this announcement without posting his FIRST offical picture! Just to let you know, I have dibs on taking his first 100 photos AFTER birth. 
