Raw Cranberry and Apple Relish

One of the joys of living in Minnesota was going to the Farmers' Market in the dead of winter and finding fresh produce. I know that probably seems unbelievable, but it's true. Of course the produce was cabbage, and frozen greens (kale actually tastes sweeter after freezing in the ground!) But the really exciting item was fresh cranberries! I thought they were only farmed in the Northeast (Maine in particular) but apparently Minnesota and Wisconsin have their fair share of bogs as well.

It was at the co-op in Minnesota that I was first introduced to this relish - cranberries, apples, walnuts, and orange - an amazing combination and quite unique. We sampled it at the store and people just gobbled it up! Including the whole orange, rind and all, creates a very unique flavor that blends perfectly with the tart cranberries and apple (I used a granny smith).

Balsamic Green Beans with Almonds and Goat Cheese

My family has very few traditions, let alone traditional dishes for holidays, with one specific exception: this dish. When our far flung family happened to make it to the same table for Thanksgiving, we always had green beans with almonds, goat cheese and balsamic dressing. I find this dish to be the perfect balance of savory, sweet and crunchy.

My mom usually made a balsamic vinaigrette - oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper - but for this version I wanted to mix it up a bit. I'm still swooning over some aged balsamic vinegar I got this summer - the sweet version, aged 18 years - so I drizzled that instead. Of course a vinaigrette would be lovely as well, more acidic and less sweet.

Jumping for Joy - Vote for Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice

Jumping for joy! That's what I did after my latest visit to Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice, Reeni's Food Blog. Not only does she have an incredible blog (and I mean superlative) but she's one of the final 48 (out of more than an initial 1000) food bloggers who has made it to round 7 of Food Buzz's Next Food Blog Star contest.

Challenge #7 is to make a video and Reeni, as usual, was even more creative than anything I have ever seen. Her entry is How to Bake, Destroy and Salvage a Cake. It's brilliant, both the food and the video. Check it out and vote for her!

Hugs!

Classic Apple Pie with Homemade Whipped Cream

Have you ever had the experience of sauntering out your back door to pick apples for making a homemade apple pie? It is a divine, sublime, and most intoxicating experience.

The first time I was a party to that little miracle was at a friend's house when I was a graduate student at Virginia Tech. The apples were small, and not so pretty to look at, but tart and firm, perfect for a pie. Of course we had no idea what kind they were and when I asked my friend, she grinned and looked at me and said, "they're pie apples, because that's what we're going to make with them!"

Cornbread and Smoked Oyster Stuffing (Gluten Free)

When I first learned in depth about celiac's disease - the inability to digest gluten - I remember thanking the gods that I only had a slight wheat intolerance. I adore bread, of any shape, size, or function. Of course stuffing or dressing is useless without bread. Or is it?

Turns out cornbread stuffing is amazing! My eyes are opened! I have been wanting to try a cornbread and oyster stuffing for some time but was stymied by unadventurous eaters. When I mentioned that I would use smoked oysters in lieu of fresh, that caught their attention.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Pomegranate Molasses and Smoked Paprika

Next to acorn squash, butternut is my favorite hard squash; it's so versatile. Like so many hard squash, it soaks up flavors and is so hearty and filling.

I was going through a real block as a cook - I'm sure it happens to most cooks - and in looking for inspiration to get back my umpf, I spent several hours reading 64 sq ft kitchen's blog posts. I learned that The Maghreb - those countries in northern Africa that were colonized by the French, including Morocco, Algeria and Tunisa - while similar, have some differences. Pomegranates, dried fruits like dates, figs and apricots figure in their cuisine and I remembered that I had some pomegranate molasses and decided to try it out on this squash. Excellent inspiration!

If you don't have an ethnic grocer (Middle Eastern, Eastern European, or African) near by, you can make your own pomegranate molasses fairly easily. Simply combine 3 cups fresh pomegranate juice (the freshest you can find), add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and cook on high heat until reduced by half. Allow to cool, and voila, zee pomegranate molasses!