For a great wintertime salad, toss spinach or mixed baby greens with some blue cheese (or feta or goat cheese) and candied pecans, and drizzle with the cranberry vinaigrette. Delicious, festive and resourceful! Enjoy!

Leftover Cranberry Sauce Vinaigrette
-recipe adapted from Cook’s Country Magazine (October/November 2009) 

Makes about 1 cup

1 tablespoon finely minced shallot
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup leftover cranberry sauce  
 
Whisk shallot, mustard, red wine vinegar, and olive oil into leftover cranberry sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Next time you need cranberry sauce, I urge you to make your own. Not only is it incredibly easy to make, but you can jazz it up and make it more exciting than the humdrum store-bought variety. In this recipe, I love the addition of fragrant orange zest and orange liqueur…very tasty! 

Cranberry-Orange Sauce   
-recipe from Cook’s Illustrated (November 1999)  

What combination of basic ingredients—cranberries, sweetener, and liquid—would give us a cranberry sauce recipe with a clean, pure cranberry flavor and with enough sweetness to temper the assertively tart fruit but not so much that the sauce would be cloying or candylike? It turned out that simpler was better. White table sugar balanced the tartness of the cranberries without adding a flavor profile of its own. As for liquid, water—not cider, orange juice, or cranberry juice—won out in our cranberry sauce recipe. We also discovered that adding just a pinch of salt brought out an unexpected sweetness in the berries, heightening the flavor of the sauce overall.

The cooking time in this recipe is intended for fresh berries. If you’ve got frozen cranberries, do not defrost them before use; just pick through them and add about 2 minutes to the simmering time. Orange juice adds little flavor, but we found that zest and liqueur pack the orange kick we were looking for in this sauce. Makes about 2 1/4 cups. 

3/4 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 (12-ounce) bag cranberries, picked through
2 tablespoons orange liqueur (such as Triple Sec or Grand Marnier)

Bring water, sugar, orange zest, and salt to boil in medium nonreactive 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. Off heat; stir in orange liqueur. Transfer to nonreactive 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.)

Homemade salsa is super easy to make and waaaaay better than most you’ll buy at the grocery store. Plus, you can make it exactly how you like it (spicier, milder, more lime, etc.). Whip up a batch of this salsa, buy the best tortilla chips you can find and invite some friend over! Homemade salsa is definitely a party pleaser!!!

If you can’t find serrano chiles, jalepenos will do just fine. Enjoy!

Note: I like Juanita’s Tortilla Chips…available in the Portland area

Pico de Gallo
-recipe courtesy Marcela Valladolid, Food Network

In Mexico, pico de gallo is used to describe a wide variety of regional salsas, which are always made with fresh cubed fruit and/or vegetables. The most common version is made with any red tomato, onion and green chiles and is sometimes called “salsa mexicana” or “salsa bandera,” because the colors in the salsa represent the Mexican flag. Makes 3 cups

1 1/2 pounds yellow or red tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 serrano chiles*, seeded and minced
Pinch kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl, and toss to combine. Cover and chill until ready to serve. This salsa can be made 4 hours ahead.

*The serrano chile is a fresh, small, green chile. Traditionally used in salsas it is slightly hotter than a jalapeno chile and can be found at most supermarkets, Latin specialty markets or online.

Roasted Garlic
-recipe from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

Roasted garlic is an easy and affordable way to add a savory boost to almost any meal. The long, slow cooking mellows the garlic’s bite and leaves rich, deep flavor and silky texture in its place. This recipe keeps for two weeks — double it and bring a jar to a friend or neighbor. It will be much appreciated.

Makes 2 cups.

1 pound garlic (6 to 8 heads, depending upon size)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a serrated knife, slice off top quarter of garlic heads, exposing as many cloves as possible. Arrange garlic heads, cut side up, in an 8- or 9-inch square baking dish (make sure garlic heads sit flat).

Season garlic with salt and pepper and sprinkle with thyme. Slowly pour oil over each head, letting it soak into and around cloves. Cover dish tightly with foil and roast until cloves are golden, completely soft, and begin to protrude slightly from skins, about 1 hour. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

From the bottom up, squeeze each head to push out cloves (peel skins from any completely enclosed cloves). Transfer garlic and cooking oil to an airtight container.

Uses for roasted garlic:
- Mix into mashed potatoes
- Use in place of mayonnaise on your favorite sandwich
- Toss into steamed vegetables like broccoli
- Add to creamy dressings, vinaigrettes, or dips

Guacamole…so simple yet so incredibly delicious. The first time I had really great guacamole was at a resort in Tuscon, Arizona. The waiter made it at our table so, of course, we were impressed with the presentation: mashing the perfect avocado right before our very eyes in a molcajete, the traditional Mexican version of a mortar and pestle, then adding fresh tomato, chopped onion, a little garlic, cilantro, fresh lime and salt. It was amazing! 

A good batch of guacamole is hard to stop eating, especially when you serve it with fresh, locally-made tortilla chips. If you live in the Portland area, try Juanita’s brand tortilla chips. They’re made in Hood River and are the best grocery store tortilla chips I’ve ever had (available at many local markets). Some Mexican restaurants even sell freshly-made tortilla chips.

This recipe for guacamole is from Rick Bayless, the king of authentic Mexican cuisine. I prefer the luxurious version of this guac…it rocks!  As long as you start with good avocados, you pretty much can’t go wrong. For more on avocados, click here.

Guacamole Three Ways: Simple, Herby or Luxurious
Guacamole Tres Estilos
-recipe from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

“I gave up looking for “the one best guacamole” years ago. Because “the best” is only the best for a particular moment, a particular set of ingredients, a particular group of people and the role it plays in their eating or snacking. Which is why I’ve written this recipe in stages. I want you to have an easy-to-follow guide for making the perfect guacamole for a multitude of uses, a variety of occasions. So it starts with the simplest perfect mash of avocado, garlic and salt (I know many cooks in Mexico who think that adding anything to avocados but those two ingredients is a start on the road to ruin). This simple guacamole is a delicious condiment to spread on sandwiches or grilled meat tacos that are served with salsa. Adding cilantro and lime to the basic, garlicky guacamole gives it the pizzazz to stand alone—as a topping for crispy tacos or tostadas, even as a dip. Green chile, white onion and red tomato—do I need to point out that those are the colors of Mexico’s flag?—create a chest-thumping, look-at-me guacamole that’s perfect with a bowl of chips at a party where the music’s turned up and there are lots of laughs.” -Rick Bayless

Makes 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups

2 medium ripe avocados
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped or crushed through a garlic press
Salt
To make it herby, add:
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
About 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
To make it luxurious, also add:
Fresh hot green chile to taste (I like 1 serrano or ½ to 1 jalapeño), finely chopped
¼ small white onion, finely chopped
½ medium tomato, chopped into ¼-inch dice

Cut the avocados in half, running your knife around the pit from stem to blossom end and back up again. Twist the halves in opposite directions to free the pits and pull the halves apart. Dislodge the pits, then scoop out the avocado flesh into a medium bowl.

Mash the avocado with a large fork or potato masher. Stir in the garlic and about ½ teaspoon salt, plus any other sets of ingredients you’ve chosen. If your list includes the white onion, rinse it first under cold water, then shake well to rid it of excess moisture, before adding to the avocado. (This reduces the risk of having onion flavor overwhelm the guacamole.) Taste and season with additional salt if appropriate. If not using immediately, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface of the guacamole and refrigerate—preferably not more than a few hours.

A Riff on “Stage Two” Guacamole: Replace the lime juice with (or, for extra-tangy guacamole, add along with the lime juice) about ½ cup homemade or bottled tomatillo salsa—perfect as a topping or a dip, especially when you need to make the guacamole ahead (the additional acid in the tomatillos helps keep the guacamole greener for longer).

Avocado Sauce: For a tangy sauce to drizzle over raw (or blanched) vegetables or on tacos, tostadas and the like, follow the above variation, increasing the tomatillo salsa to 1 cup; puree everything in a blender. If the sauce is too thick to drizzle, thin with additional tomatillo salsa. A little heavy cream, sour cream or crème fraiche can be added for wonderful richness.

If you’re feeling adventurous, try this flavorful, jewel-like cranberry sauce. It’s delicious, smoky, not-too-spicy, and not-too-sweet.  I love it with roast turkey and chicken! I’ll be serving this Cranberry-Chipotle Fruit Conserve on Thanksgiving, as well as a more traditional cranberry sauce , too. It’s so good I can eat it with a spoon!

I couldn’t find dried peaches so I doubled the dried apricots. The recipe calls for real maple syrup…not the imitation pancake syrup. Use more or less chipotle depending on the level of spice you want. You can start with a little and add more if needed. Enjoy!

Cranberry-Chipotle Fruit Conserve
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine, October 2003

Serve with: Roast turkey, ham, or chicken. Combine with: Crackers that have been spread with cream cheese or goat cheese. Use as: A sandwich spread. Makes about 3 cups.

1 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped dried peaches
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
16 ounces fresh cranberries (about 4 cups)
2 1/4 teaspoons chopped canned chipotle chiles*

Combine maple syrup, 1/2 cup water, and vinegar in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add all dried fruit, garlic, and salt; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add fresh cranberries and chipotle chiles; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until cranberries pop and mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

*Chipotle chiles canned in a spicy tomato sauce that is sometimes called adobo are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

I always buy King Kelly Orange Marmalade because it’s not as bitter as other marmalades I’ve tried, and I use freshly grated orange zest instead of minced orange peel (zesting is much easier than mincing the peel). I’ve even used regular cranberry juice cocktail (1 cup) when I couldn’t find the frozen concentrate. Either way, taste the cranberry mixture while it’s simmering and add more sugar, orange zest or allspice to your liking.

If you have leftover cranberry sauce, use it in this recipe for Cranberry-Almond Coffee Cake.

Triple-Cranberry Sauce
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine, November 1993

“The Indians and English use them much,” wrote one visitor to New England in 1663, “boyling them with Sugar for Sauce to eat with their Meat, and it is a delicate Sauce.” Although there is little evidence that cranberry sauce was served at the first Thanksgiving, it is assumed that Indians brought it to the feast. This tangy version gets its intense flavor and color from a mixture of fresh and dried cranberries, along with frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate.

Yield: Makes about 2 1/2 cups

1 cup frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed
1/3 cup sugar
1 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed, drained
1/2 cup dried cranberries (about 2 ounces)
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons minced orange peel (I use orange zest)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Combine cranberry juice concentrate and sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add fresh and dried cranberries and cook until dried berries begin to soften and fresh berries begin to pop, stirring often, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange marmalade, orange juice, orange peel and allspice. Cool completely. Cover; chill until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

If you’re looking for a way to use up some of that summer zucchini, try this recipe for Zucchini Caponata. The combo of zucchini, tomatoes and olives makes a great topping for grilled bread or a quick, fresh sauce for cooked pasta. I bet it would also be really good as a topping for grilled chicken or pork.

The recipe calls for adding 2 teaspoons of sugar to the cooked zucchini mixture but next time I’d only use one teaspoon. For a little oomph, I added a few dashes of crushed red pepper and a splash of red wine vinegar. A garnish of freshly grated Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta or goat cheese would also be a great addition to the caponata. Enjoy!

Zucchini Caponata
-recipe from kingarthurflour.com

You can also add diced grilled slices of eggplant for an extra-smoky twist. Makes about 3 cups.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped onion
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped or minced
1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
2 to 3 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1 to 2 tablespoons drained capers
1/4 cup pitted halved black olives, preferably oil-cured
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, parsley, or oregano (optional)

Heat the oil, and fry the zucchini, onion, garlic, and tomatoes for 30 minutes, covered.

Remove the cover, and cook an additional 10 to 15 minutes to evaporate any extra liquid.

Add the sugar, salt, and pepper; stir and remove from heat. When lukewarm, stir in the cherry tomatoes, capers, and olives. Store covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

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Years ago, I had a great salad at a friend’s house. What made the salad great wasn’t the salad ingredients but the unusual dressing. I say unusual not meaning weird but more like unexpected because I’d never tasted a dressing like it before. Basically, it’s a Mexi-inspired vinaigrette. The dressing gets bold flavor from the chili powder, a bit of heat from the cayenne, a slight sweetness from the honey, and a tang from the red wine vinegar. Yumm! It makes a great salad for a Mexican, Tex-Mex, or Southwestern-themed meals.

I believe the dressing recipe came from an older Mexican Williams-Sonoma cookbook but I’m not sure which one. When I make this vinaigrette, the salad I serve it with includes: mixed greens, tangerines, avocado, jicama, red or green onions, tomatoes, red bell pepper, olives. Other additions could be corn, black beans and cilantro. Toss the salad with the dressing just before serving so you don’t get wilted greens. Enjoy!

Southwestern Vinaigrette
-recipe from a Williams-Sonoma cookbook (I think)

Makes about 3/4 cup.

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste

Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and toss with salad just before serving. Refrigerate leftover dressing.

I didn’t have peanut oil so I substituted 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup canola oil. The dressing also makes a great marinade for chicken or pork. This recipe really is a no-brainer…you need to try it!

Top Secret Version of Benihana Ginger Salad Dressing
-recipe from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur

Before your meal at the Benihana chain of hibachi grill restaurants you are served a side salad doused in this tangy, slightly sweet, fresh ginger dressing. When spooned over a simple iceberg lettuce salad this easy clone transforms your bowl of greens into a great start for any meal. Making the dressing is as simple as dumping the ingredients into a blender, whizzing it up, and popping it into the cooler to chill. Ive seen many attempts to duplicate this coveted formula, but I think the original clone recipe presented here comes closer to the real thing than any other recipe floating around cyberspace.

1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons minced celery
2 tablespoons ketchup
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on high speed for about 30 seconds or until all of the ginger is pureed. Chill. Makes 1 3/4 cups.

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