Cranberry Praline Pecan Spinach Salad

Cranberry Praline Pecan Spinach Salad
inspired by friend, Megan

baby spinach
grape tomatoes
dried cranberries
praline pecans
log of goat cheese

In a salad bowl, place spinach.
Top with grape tomatoes, dried cranberries and pecans
Run a fork over the log of goat cheese to crumbe the cheese & top the salad.
Serve with your choice of dressing. (I recommend lemon poppyseed & raspberry pomegranate vinaigrette!)

Turkey Cranberry Appetizer Wreath

Turkey Cranberry Appetizer Wreath

recipe courtesy of Pampered Chef

2 pkg. refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 C. mayonnaise
2 T. honey Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper
2 C. cooked turkey, chopped
1/2 C. celery, sliced
3 T. fresh parsley, snipped
1/2 C. dried cranberries
4 oz. Swiss cheese, shredded (1cup)
1/4 C. walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 egg, separatedPreheat oven to 375°F.

Unroll crescent dough; separate into 16 triangles. With wide ends of triangles toward the center. arrange 8 triangles in a circle on Large Round Stone. Corners of wide ends will touch and points will extend 1 inch beyond of baking stone. Arrange remaining 8 triangles in center. matching ends. Seal seams using pizza roller. (Points will overlap in center; do not seal.)

Measure mayonnaise, mustard and black pepper into a bowl. Grate cheese into a bowl. Mix filling. Scoop filling over seams of dough, forming a circle.

Coarsely chop walnuts; sprinkle over filling. Beginning in center, lift one dough triangle across mixture. Continue alternating with outer triangle, slightly overlapping to form wreath. Tuck last end under first.

Separate egg over bowl. Beat egg white lightly; brush over dough. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Yields 10 servings.

Holiday Cranberry Apple Citrus Punch

Holiday Cranberry Apple Citrus Punch

original Joelen recipe

1 2-liter bottle ginger ale or lemon lime soda

1 64-oz bottle of cranberry juice
1 frozen tube of apple juice concentrate
apple slices for garnish
ice

Combine all ingredients in a large punch bowl and stir.

Cranberry Cardamom Muffins

The following recipe was featured in my Muffin Swap event. You can read about it and view other muffin recipes HERE.

Frances’s Cranberry Cardamom Muffins

Recipe adapted from HERE

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cardamom. Add cranberries; stir to coat. In a small bowl, combine eggs, sour cream, butter and vanilla; mix well. Add to cranberry mixture; stir just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-10 minutes or until muffins test done. Remove from pans; serve warm.

Cranberry Pumpkin Praline Muffins

The following recipe was featured in my Muffin Swap event. You can read about it and view other muffin recipes HERE.

Joelen’s Cranberry Pumpkin Praline Muffins

Recipe adapted from HERE

3 T. brown sugar
1 T. sour cream
1/3 cup broken pecans
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground clove
1 beaten egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 canned pumpkin
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup margarine, melted
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Grease twelve 2 ½ inch muffin cups or line them with paper bake cups. Set muffin cups aside. In a small bowl stir together 3 tablespoons brown sugar and sour cream. Stir in pecans. Set aside. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and cloves.

Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. In another medium mixing bowl, stir together egg, buttermilk, pumpkin, 2/3 cup brown sugar and melted margarine. Add the pumpkin mixture and dried cranberries all at once to the dry mixture. Stir just until moistened. Spoon batter into the muffin cups, filling each ¾ cup full. Drop 1 tsp. of pecan mixture on top of each muffin. Bake in a 400 degree oven about 20 minutes or until done. Cool slightly, and serve warm.

Chicken Salad… eh.

With the roasted chicken I made yesterday, I made a chicken salad. I usually do the usual salad with chopped apples, grapes, walnuts, etc… but wanted to try something different. I found this recipe at Allrecipes.com. It was okay – nothing that wowed me. It did make for a nice light meal though… Here’s the recipe for Holiday Chicken Salad from Allrecipes.com:

4 cups cubed, cooked chicken meat
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 cup chopped celery
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup minced green bell pepper
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
ground black pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise with paprika and seasoned salt. Blend in dried cranberries, celery, bell pepper, onion, and nuts. Add chopped chicken, and mix well. Season with black pepper to taste. Chill 1 hour.

*Update: Thanks everyone for your comments and suggestions to use curry in the recipe for a bit more flavor. I reached for it and second guessed using it because I didn’t think it would work with cranberries. I should have used it!! Oh well… we live and learn. 🙂 *

Harvest Salad & Raspberry Vinaigrette

Tonight is focused on my Traditional fare menu and some desserts. Everything is set for the most part… and I approached it as if it were just one of my cooking class events where everything is prepped and ready to assemble. Here are recipes of the traditional Thanksgiving dishes on my menu.

Harvest Salad & Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing:

½ cup oil
½ cup raspberry puree
½ cup white wine vinegar
½ cup sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon italian seasoning salt & pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients well.
This dressing will accompany my harvest salad that includes baby spinach, mache, Danish blue cheese, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts and chopped apples.

Ginger Ale Cranberry Punch

Here are the recipes for the desserts on my Thanksgiving buffet dinner menu. I figured I’d post the recipes now before the kitchen chaos begins (and I’ll post pics of the final products by Thursday)…

Ginger Ale Cranberry Punch

2 cups water
1 ½ cups sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3 cups cranberry juice
2 ½ cups orange juice
1 cup lemon juice
lemon, lime, orange slices mandarin oranges, drained
2 ltr bottle ginger ale

Chill fruit juices and ginger ale.
To make a cinnamon syrup, simmer water, sugar and cinnamon for 10 minutes. Cool.
Before serving, combine cinnamon syrup, juices and ginger ale.
Add lime slices, orange slices, lemon slices and mandarin oranges w/ice.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

Here are the recipes for the desserts on my Thanksgiving buffet dinner menu. I figured I’d post the recipes now before the kitchen chaos begins (and I’ll post pics of the final products by Thursday)…

Cranberry Apple Crisp:

4 cups chopped unpeeled apples
12 oz fresh cranberries
1 ¼ cup sugar
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oatmeal
1 ½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350.
Prep casserole dish and spray with cooking spray.
Combine apples & cranberries and place in dish.
Combine pecans and white sugar and sprinkle on top of apple/cranberry mixture. Give the dish a little shake to have the sugar fall through the bottom of the dish.
Combine butter, brown sugar, oats and salt.
Pat oatmeal mixture over top of fruit. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.
** Since I’m baking this tomorrow, I’m waiting to put the oatmeal topping just before I bake it.

Fruity Spinach Salad

Fruity Spinach Salad

2 cups fresh spinach leaves

1 cup shredded chicken (I used leftover port glazed chicken)
1/8 cup cranberries
1/8 cup chopped walnuts

1/8 cup crumbled blue cheese

1/4 cup chopped apple
1/4 cup chopped pears

Combine above ingredients.
Toss with following dressing:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon italian seasoning