Classic Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Whether you serve them with your stuffing, dessert, or it has its own special place on your table, cranberries add a classic touch to your holiday spread. Make your own homemade cranberry sauce this year for Thanksgiving using fresh cranberries! This easy recipe is so simple yet yields amazing results. I am a bit of a purist when it comes to "the sauce", I don't care for extras like nuts or orange zest. A lot of the people sharing the table with me won't even touch a cranberry, but they certainly won't eat one that tastes like oranges! So I am sharing with you my simple standby, a 4 ingredient classic cranberry sauce recipe.




If you LOVE the smooth jellied version, you can check out my tutorial to make your own! Can ridges optional! I like to let mine set in a well-washed can, to add those little ridges. It's a fun way to give everyone the cranberry sauce they expect, with great homemade taste.


 

Homemade jellied cranberry sauce, complete with can ridges! 

You will need:

1 (12 oz.) pkg. whole cranberries

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup apple juice, unsweetened if possible

1 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Combine water, apple juice and sugar in a medium sized sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add your rinsed cranberries and bring it back up to a boil (the cranberries will initially bring down your overall temperature, requiring that we bring it back to a boil). 

 
Medium-low flame 

2. Reduce heat to med-low (as shown) and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 


 
Berries cooking, none have burst yet 

3. Remove from heat. 

The next part is optional: 

I like to mush up some of the berries with a potato masher at this point, or you can remove half the cranberry mixture and blend it until the consistency you desire. Many of the berries burst during the simmering process, but I like to have a nice mix of berry bits and smooth, silky sauce. 

4. Cover and refrigerate until serving. I think it gels better if you make it the day before, but you should at least wait a few hours with it in the fridge before serving. 

This tastes great with real vanilla bean ice cream! 

Also is great used on leftover turkey sandwiches! 

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

15 Handmade Gifts They Won't Hate Receiving

Whenever most people think of handmade gifts, they think of ill-fitting knit hats or hideous reindeer sweaters, or inedible jams. I,however,have to admire people who make bunches of their own holiday gifts. If you do it right, it can save you money, and there’s also just something about homemade presents that says you really care...as long as you get it right! At any rate, it is more thoughtful than a gift card in most cases. 

These artsy-craftsy folk got it right, in my opinion! Here are 15 awesome handmade gift ideas that are sure to please every man, woman or child on your list! There are even gift ideas for cats and dogs!

1. Leather iPod Touch Case by gmjhowe graphic design

2. Wooden Necktie (and Bowtie) by laxap

3. Office Foot Stool from an old Tray Table by Alan Casey

4. TREAD BELT by opendesignclub

5. Homemade Earring Organizer by eolough

6. Cargo Scarf by lovefromvirgil

7. sew an adjustable chef's apron  by compwalla

8. Recycled Teacup Soy candle by cheekysttich

9. Finger puppets for all reasons! by stinkymum

10. Kids Snuggie by scoochmaroo

11. Fridge Magnets by hethlee 

(I think of Alphabet magnets for kids)

12. MINI-MUFFIN CRAYONS by AlwaysAllTheTimeCrafting

13. Kid Crane Riding Toy by stevemoseley

14. Rope Dog Toy by mattrush

15. Knotty Mouse for Good Cats by J3443RY

coupons  

Make Your Own (DIY) Jellied Cranberry Sauce in a Can!

I spent the first half of my formative years (until the age of 12) in a home where everything was made from scratch. My stepmother, a woman with family ties to the Amish community, was the original "Domestic Goddess". Every day she showed me how to do things around the house with supreme efficiency and frugality. But as important as saving my Dad's hard earned money was, she was also a stickler for quality and taste, as well as health. 

When I was a teen, I lived with my Mom, a fly-by-night kind of woman who moved us around constantly and can only really cook a few things well. Everything else was take-out or from a box, and while I don't think there is necessarily anything wrong with that, it was a huge change for me. Sometimes I absolutely HAVE to have something homemade, because its the only way it tastes right to me. I guess I was spoiled, culinarily speaking, when I was little. 

THIS tutorial is a mash up between the two worlds! While I am one of the only people in my house that will eat cranberry sauce, I am now sharing traditions with my own child. This has become one of our favorites, Homemade Cranberry Sauce in a Can! Complete with can ridges (though that part is optional) and a smooth blended, silky texture, minus the high fructose corn syrup and dyes. This is perfect for anyone who is finicky (picky), has food allergies or is trying to eat less processed foods. I used BPA free cans, too! 

Ingredients:

1 (12 oz.) pkg. whole cranberries

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup apple juice, unsweetened if possible

1 1/2 cup sugar

Tools:

Medium Saucepan

2 clean cans (BPA free if possible)

strainer, mesh sieve or food mill (whatever you have on hand)

wide mouth funnel

Directions:

Picture by J.Rae

1. Combine water, apple juice and sugar in a medium sized sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add your rinsed cranberries and bring it back up to a boil (the cranberries will initially bring down your overall temperature, requiring that we bring it back to a boil). 

2. Simmer on med-high until all the cranberries have burst, stirring regularly. If it starts to thicken too quickly, add a little more water as needed.

3. Remove from heat. When cranberries are finished cooking, pour them into the bowl of the food mill, mesh sieve/strainer and use a rubber scraper to work it through, until all that remains in the bowl of the food mill/strainer is seeds and skins.

I used a mesh strainer and a spoon

4. Set a wide mouth funnel into your well-cleaned cans and scrape the warm cranberry sauce into the can, leaving a bit of space at the top.

Leave little space at the top!

5. Cover the filled cans with foil or plastic wrap and place them the fridge to set. If you can, give them at least 12 hours of chilling for molding.

To Serve:
1. Carefully slide the butter knife down along the side of the cranberry jelly and run it in a complete circle to loosen. Take care when you to this so you don’t end up slicing all the can ridges off the jelly. 

Sliding right out!

2. Once the sauce has been loosened, turn the can over onto your dish and give it a little wiggle and a tap. The jellied sauce should shimmy and shake its way out onto the dish!

Picture by J.Rae

3. If it remains stuck in the can, use the can opener to break the vacuum, by beginning to take the bottom off the can. I've found that you don’t have to remove it all the way,  just a little bit of air in there helps move things along. 

If you like this recipe, you can check it out with more step by step pictures over at Instructables!

You can also use this recipe for funneling into glass jars and processing in a boiling water bath  for canning. 

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Italian Flat Bread (From a Baking Mix)

I love making food ‘from scratch’, but we run a busy household: school, work, track practice twice a week, and so much more going on at all times! I've found a few acceptable shortcuts in the kitchen, such as using Bisquick baking mix to make fast and easy flat bread for dinner. 

Ingredients:
2 Cups Baking Mix
1 Cup Water 
2 Tablespoons Butter or margarine; melted
1/2 Cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese 
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
 1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Parsley (optional)
2 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 450.

2. Mix baking mix and water until stiff dough forms.

3. Place the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes, to stiffen the dough. Turn dough onto surface well dusted with baking mix; gently roll in baking mix to coat.

4. Shape into ball; knead 60 times. Pat dough into an 11-inch square on ungreased cookie sheet.

5. Spread butter or margarine over dough. Mix remaining ingredients; sprinkle over dough.

6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.


Notes: I would use olive oil next time, instead of butter. This went great with my super easy Minestrone soup!

Happy Baking!

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Spiced Pumpkin Pillow Cookies (With Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting)

Fall brings to mind chilly evenings, warm knits and delicious baking smells! My most favorite fall cookie is the spiced pumpkin pillows! They are delicious, fluffy cake-like cookies and the drizzle adds just a hint of spiced creamy sweetness. 

Ingredients:

* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
* 1/2 tsp salt (if using salted butter,leave this out)
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
* 1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin, canned or fresh
* 1 large egg
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting

Directions:

1. PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease your baking sheets, unless you are using an air-bake sheet.

2. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt (unless using salted butter) into a bowl (not your mixing bowl).

3. Cream sugar and butter (in your mixer bowl) until blended.

4. Add the pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Gradually beat in flour mixture, beat until blended.

5. Drop Tablespoonfuls onto your baking sheets, approximately 1 inch apart. Doesn't have to be perfectly spaced but the cookies do spread a little.

6. BAKE for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are firming up and the center is no longer jiggly. Cool the cookies on your baking sheet for a minute or two; then place onto to wire cooling racks.

7. Pipe 'drizzles' of frosting over the cookies.
TIP - You can use a piping bag and tip, or just put your frosting in a plastic sandwich baggie and snip off one little corner, for a fast (and disposable) version of a piping bag!

Makes approx. 30 good sized cookies.

I eat these for breakfast with coffee, after lunch for a treat or as a midnight snack, with tea!

Happy Baking!

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Grilled Cheese 'Witch Fingers'

This is a fun way to present an old standby, grilled cheese sandwiches! They are incredibly easy to make, and will 'bewitch' your little ghouls and boils (er, girls and boys).  ;)

Ingredients:
Bread
Cheese (we used colby, but the type doesn't really matter as long as it has some fat in it. Low fat cheeses have a hard time melting!)
butter
small leftover piece of ham (for fingernails)
Paring Knife(optional)

1. Make your grilled cheese sandwiches. If you have never made that before (though I am sure most of you have) spread a thin layer of butter over two pieces of bread, and (buttered sides OUT) make your sandwich in the pan.  The pan should be on medium heat, and after a minute or so (when the first side is nicely browned) flip your sandwich to brown the other buttery side.
VOILÀ ! Grilled Cheeses.
2. Cut your sandwiches into thin 'fingers', with one end coming to a finger-like point. Add a small triangle of ham, or other lunch meat, as the fingernail. You can add 'finger knuckle wrinkles' (is that what they are called? lol) with a paring knife if desired.
3. Serve with Tomato rice soup - we use Campbell's, which is nice and thick and creamy (especially if you use a can of milk instead of water when preparing).
4. Try dipping your 'fingerlings' into the blood-thick soup. It is delicious! In a pinch, we will just dip in ketchup (well, my husband and offspring will, I won't!)


This is a fun way to get some food into your little monsters before sending them out to trick-or-treat the neighborhood! (Full bellies=less candy consumed before you can check it over!)

I apologize for the horrible picture quality - my camera is claiming to be dead. I am convinced I can revive it, pull a Frankenstein or something, but until then...web-cam pictures. Bleh! :D


This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Pancakes From a Mix

I love homemade pancakes, the kind where you start with flour and go from there...they always taste wonderful! But to be honest, I don't always have the time to measure out a bunch of ingredients - I want to toss something together and feed my hungry boils and ghouls (er, boys and girls). So I came up with the lazy way!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups pancake mix
1 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
1 large egg
1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp Vanilla
3/4 cup canned or pureed pumpkin (or fresh cooked)
1/2 cup water

Step 1 - Prep your Griddle
If using an electric griddle, heat to 375 Degrees F. If using a pan, heat until drops of water dance and evaporate immediately (med. heat). When the griddle/pan is ready, lightly grease the griddle with butter. You don't need a lot!

Step 2 - Measure & Mix
In a medium bowl, mix the pancake mix and spices together. Measure flour by lightly spooning it into the measuring cup, then leveling off with the back of a knife. In another bowl, whisk the egg and the brown sugar together. Stir in the oil, the pumpkin, and most of the water. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula until just combined adding more water to obtain the right consistency.

If you have time, refrigerate the batter for 30 minutes before you start cooking the pancakes.

Step 3 - Cook the Cakes
Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour your batter. Pour fast, leaving a 2" space between each pancake. Let them cook until the edges start to look firm/crispy, and bubbles form in the middle.
Using a flat spatula,carefully slide it under each pancake. Using your wrist, quickly flip the pancakes.
Let the pancakes cook for another minute or two. the second side may be a little lighter in color than the first, this is okay!

Don't worry if your first attempts aren't perfect, you will get better with practice!

Step 4 - Eat!

They can be kept warm in a 200 degrees F oven, but they're best eaten right out of the pan. Serve with your favorite toppings, like syrup...or smear with honey butter!

These are a great Sunday morning breakfast, but we like to make them on Halloween for dinner, so we have full bellies before trick or treating (less candy eaten on the sly that way).

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Super Easy (and FAST) Semi Homemade Minestrone Soup

When we want something hot, filling and (semi) homemade, I whip up a pot of my Super Easy Minestrone Soup!

2 cans, 6 spices, noodles and frozen veggies...you can't mess this up. 

Ingredients:

3 Cups Water

3 Vegetable (or Chicken) Bullion Cubes

1 Can Red Kidney Beans (undrained)

1 Can Diced Tomatoes (undrained)

2 Cups Uncooked Pasta

2 Teaspoons Italian Seasoning

1 Teaspoon Celery Salt

1 Teaspoon Parsley (optional)

1 1/2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Frozen Italian Vegetables (our mix included carrots, yellow zucchini and broccoli)

Directions:

1. Bring 3 cups water to boil and add bullion cubes.

2. Add beans (liquid and all), tomatoes(liquid and all) and herbs. Cook for around 10 minutes, stirring once. 

3. Add the pasta and vegetables, cook until tender. 

4.  Salt & pepper to taste. 

I sprinkled Parmesan cheese on the top of each bowl before serving. 

Makes: (4) 1 1/2 cup servings 

(enough for my family of 4, when served with warm crusty Italian Flat Bread!)

Happy Cooking!

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Taffy (Caramel) Apple Salad Recipe

Taffy (Caramel) apples are the quintessential flavor of Autumn. My family is CRAZY about them. We whip up this easy,delicious dessert salad for potlucks, late season cook outs, and as a special dish for the Teacher's Appreciation lunch every October. This is great in the summer, too - any time apples are abundant!   I admit to having a small bowl with coffee in the morning! :)

Instructables.com

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. flour
1/2 c. sugar
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 c. chopped, salted peanuts
4 Red Delicious apples (or other semi-tart apple)
8 oz. can crushed pineapple
1 egg
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1. Mix flour, sugar, beaten egg, vinegar and juice from pineapple together.
2. Cook until thick.It should only be 2-4 minutes. Cool.
3.  Peel and cut up apples. Pour cooked mixture over apples and mix well. Add the pineapple,and  fold in Cool Whip and peanuts.
4. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. Keep this bad boy chilled!

I love that there is no actual caramel in this recipe! The apple cider vinegar reacts with the other ingredients and gives you the flavor. Science+food=AWESOME.  :D

Happy Eating!

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Acorn Cookies

  I LOVE FALL. I love everything about it… the colorful leaves, to the acorns on the ground and the squirrels that collect them. When I found this easy Acorn Cookie How-To, I almost flipped! They are adorable!

And so easy to make, too! Fill a cool fall cookie jar, like this squirrel, with some delicious peanut butter chocolate acorns!

You only need a handful of ingredients:

Nutter Butter mini sandwich cookies

Hershey Kisses

semi-sweet chocolate chips

Follow these easy directions: 

Place a microwave safe plate in the microwave for about 15 seconds, or until it’s slightly heated. Remove plate and place a few Hershey Kisses unwrapped on the plate (tip side up), just until the bottom of the Kisses becomes a little melted.

Next place a Kiss in the center of one side of a Nutter Butter cookie. Let them rest.

Then repeat the process, only do so with the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Place one chip on the side opposite to the Kiss in the center of the cookie. Let them rest. You're done! Let your family and friends marvel at your cleverness.

Happy Munching!

This work by Little Mom on the Prairie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.