Cranberry Martini

Karen had these at Thanksgiving and I had two. Boy were they good. Later that week when I got the recipe from her she said she gave it to me last year after Thanksgiving too. Sure enough I had it, but this year I made them.

Ina Garten once filmed a Food Network special called Thanksgiving Live to answer viewers’ questions about cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Bobby Flay made a delicious cranberry martini to sip while they worked (what a good idea!). They look so festive and her guests loved them! Infuse the vodka with the orange zest and cranberries at least 2 days ahead.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (8 oz./250 g) sugar
• 1 cup (4 oz./125 g) fresh cranberries
• 6 (1 x 3-inch/2.5 x 7.5-cm) strips of orange zest, plus extra for serving (see note below)
• 1 (750 ml) bottle good vodka, such as Grey Goose
• 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) cranberry juice cocktail, preferably tart
• 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) Triple Sec
• Ice

Directions:

Several days ahead, place the sugar, cranberries, 6 strips of orange zest, and 1 cup (8 fl. oz./250 ml) of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, until the cranberries start to pop open. Pour the vodka into a large pitcher, add the cranberry mixture and store covered in the refrigerator for at least 2 days and up to 5 days.

When ready to serve, strain the vodka mixture, reserving the cranberries and discarding the orange zest. Stir in the cranberry juice cocktail and Triple Sec. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add the drink mixture, shake for a full 30 seconds (it’s longer than you think!) and strain into martini glasses. Rub the rim of each glass with fresh orange zest, spoon a few cranberries into each glass and serve ice cold. Serves 6.

Note: Ina Garten uses a vegetable peeler to make strips of orange zest.

Make It Ahead: Prepare the entire cocktail mixture and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Shake with ice before serving.

Recipe from Ina Garten, Make It Ahead (Clarkson Potter, 2014)
Can also find it  here on the Williams Sonoma site (http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/cranberry-martinis-14.html)

Karen's Cranberry Pie

I have bridge at my house today, in the afternoon for the first time ever in our 47 year history.  I was looking for something to make for dessert and was going to make a cranberry apple dessert and then I remembered Karen's Cranberry Pie and thought that I would make it so we could have it in her memory.  After I had it at her house at bridge I used to make it for Thanksgiving a lot but haven't made it in ages.

Karen we miss you!  Read about Karen here and here.

Cranberry Pie

2 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 c walnuts or pecans
1/2 cup sugar

Butter square pyrex pan or round layer cake pan and spread cranberries, nut and 1/2 cup sugar over the bottom.

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 c melted crisco (I use butter here too)
dash salt

Beat eggs well.  Add sugar gradually.  Add remaining ingredients and beat well.  Pour over cranberries and bake in 300℉ oven for 1 hour.  Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Note:  I made it again 10/07/2019 and it wasn't until I was looking for the recipe on 10/03 that I saw that it wasn't in my recipe index so added it then.

I have bridge here 10/24/2022 and will make it again.

Thanksgiving Recipes

I looked at a lot of recipes for a cranberry jello salad and this is what I came up with for my version.

Cranberry Jello Salad

1 large package Sugar Free red Jello
2 cups boiling water
2 cups cold water

Make Jello following directions on box.  Put in refrigerator until thickened, about 1 1/2 hours


1 12 oz bag cranberries
2 oranges peeled and segmented
2 apples chopped
1 cup seedless grapes cut in 1/4s
1 large can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 - 1 cup Splenda

In food processor add half cranberries and 1 orange and finely grind.
Put in bowl.  Do the same with the remainder of cranberries and orange.
Add the Splenda and mix well.
Add 2 apples diced or chopped in food processor.
Add the pineapple, grapes and walnuts and mix well.

Add to thickened jello and mix to blend.
Pour into a bowl and put in refrigerator overnight.


Since we were going to Aunt Harrie's for Thanksgiving, where we always went as kids, I decided to make chopped liver in memory of Aunt Mill.  I remember that as the dish she always brought.  Nadine remembers sweet and sour cabbage.

Chopped Liver
1 lb chicken livers
1 large onion
oil
1 hard boiled egg

Saute onion in oil.  Remove onion then cook the liver until no longer red in center.
Put liver, onion and egg in a food processor and combine to desired smoothness.