Maple Orange Cranberry Sauce with a Touch of Grand Marnier

Ahhh Cranberry Sauce!  The ultimate Thanksgiving condiment.  Lovely on your holiday table, but in my opinion, even better on a day after sandwich or spooned atop a dollop of goat cheese baked in puff pastry.  But however you enjoy it, homemade is ultimately better than the one from a can.  Though I do have friends who will oppose that statement...

Over the years my tastes have moved from super sweet mostly sugar sauces to versions boosting the cranberry flavors which bring with them loads of health benefits.  

Did you know the cranberry outranks nearly every fruit in disease-fighting antioxidants with only the blueberry ranking higher?  Filled with vitamin C and fiber, cranberries have been associated with lowered risk of urinary tract infections, prevention of certain types of cancers, improved immune functions and decreased blood pressure.

But how did Cranberry Sauce come to be a Thanksgiving tradition?  A native to northeastern North America, the pilgrims most likely had cranberries available to them, however sugar was much harder to come by.  As such, cranberry sauce probably did not accompany the first Thanksgiving.  But, the Native Americans mostly likely taught the new settlers how to use cranberries and their natural preservative power - cranberries were mixed into dried meat meals to extend its shelf life.  The beginning of cranberries at Thanksgiving??  Perhaps.

Whatever the origin, cranberry sauce is here to stay and making your own couldn't be simpler.  Making a no refined sugar version this year I think I've stumbled upon a new favorite with the addition of rich pure maple syrup and sweet, freshly squeezed orange juice.  The splah of Grand Marnier??  Just adding a dash of heaven to tie it all together.

Happy Thanksgiving my friends, may your holiday be filled with delight!

Roasted or Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Cilantro and Lime

Are you a Thanksgiving Sweet Potato fan??  I never was... until I grew up.  I don't remember my mom making them all that often, but when we went to other's houses I do remember those super sweet orange pureed "potatoes" from a can topped with browned ooey gooey marshmallows, and for me, that was a no-thanks.

It wasn't until I tried the ruby red tuber baked and with only a little salt, pepper and butter at a girlfriend's house some 15 years ago that my love began to soar.  Learning the health benefits of the vitamin-rich potato (anti-inflammatory properties along with antioxidants and high doses of vitamins A and C) inspired me to grow my recipe repertoire minus the marshmallows, and has made these beauties a family favorite.

And so it's fitting that today, as I introduce to you the new C.L.U.E (Cook, Learn, Undertake, Eat) Society, made up of some of my all time favorite food bloggers, we choose sweet potatoes for our post.

The C.L.U.E Society will be posting once per month with a themed assignment.  Each month we receive a fellow blogger and a theme - we don't tell the blogger we are perusing their posts - and then on the assigned posting day (2nd Wednesday of the month) we all reveal our assignments and the recipe we've chosen to recreate.

This month's assignment was to find "food you'd love to see on your Thanksgiving table" and my assigned blog is Lea Ann, from Cooking on the Ranch.

Based in Highland's Ranch, south of Denver, Colorado, Lea Ann brings recipes reflecting the west, but what inspired me the most is her love of the grill.

A grilling girl myself, my backyard San Diego grill fires up several times a week for everything from veggies and pizza to occasional chicken and kabobs.  I've even been known to bake a treat or two out there when my oven was on the fritz with a good amount of success.

Perusing Lea Ann's blog these sweet potatoes jumped out.  We've served Southwest Thanksgivings in the past, and these Southwest inspired potatoes include ingredients on my all time favorite list.  Lime, cilantro and sweet potatoes all in one place??  Yes please!

However, mentioning the post to another friend, her comment of "Oh, that sounds fabulous!  If only we had a grill... I wish I could do them in the oven.", motivated me to move these guys into the house, and with buckets of snow currently being dropped across the country (even though it's still 70º here...), the oven seemed a good choice for today.

Perfect as a Thanksgiving side dish or even as a plater on your appetizer table, Lea Ann has a hit here that you'll be loving all year round.  So happy to meet you Lea Ann, thanks for this keeper of a recipe!

Now won't you join me as we travel around the country with the rest Inaugural Members of the 

C.L.U.E Society!

• Arugula Salad With Baked Goat Cheese And Rosemary Honey by Aly from Cooking in Stilettos 
• Black Walnut Cake by Christy from Culinary Diva 
• Cauliflower with Garlic and Sage by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch 
• Chicken Curry by Christiane from Taking On Magazines
• Crispy Tandoori Smashed Potatoes by Janet from From Cupcakes to Caviar 
• Honey Glazed Carrots with Cherries by Kelli from Kelli’s Kitchen 
• Lemony Cheese Risotto by Debra from Eliots Eats 
• Lisa’s Brussels Sprouts by Kate from Kate’s Kitchen
• Onion Biscuits by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet 
• Orange Fluff Jello Salad by Ramona from Curry and Comfort 
• Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Glaze by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Pumpkin Spice Cake by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Pumpkin Spice Spiked Latte by Kathy from Bakeaway With Me 
• Roasted or Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Cilantro and Lime by Kim from Liv Life 
• Spicy Cheesy Bacon Ranch Muffins by Anna from Anna Dishes 
• Spinach Soufflé by Susan from Create Amazing Meals
• Susu’s Grand Marnier Orange Cranberry Sauce by Alice from A Mama Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen 
• Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Many thanks to Liz, Kate and Christiane for the time you've put into this event to make it run so smoothly for the rest of us!


 

Butternut Squash and Beet Quinoa Salad

Some 20 years ago I cooked my very first Thanksgiving, and from that day forward my collection of family favorites evolved into a menu that has remained almost constant for the last few years.  This year however, I daringly changed things up and thankfully was met with resounding success. 

With our schedules somewhat of an issue, Liv Life celebrated our 2012 Thanksgiving last Friday with a simple family affair featuring most of my traditional dishes plus a little something new.  Bringing in my latest obsession, quinoa, was a bit risky.  The kids have not been as receptive to quinoa as I would have hoped, and as their vegetable eating habits (like my husband's...) are also a touch, shall we say, lacking, adding two of my other favorites, butternut squash and beets, to the quinoa added even more risk.

Roasting the vegetables with drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of oregano, the house took on the aroma off autumn in no time.  The beets turned a beautiful crimson red as they roasted, while the butternut took on hues of brilliant pumpkin.  Enhanced with chunks of onion, the veggies were tempting enough to eat on their own, however tossing them with quinoa and arugula added the protein/flavor punch I was looking for.

Dressing the concoction with a simple oil and white balsamic vinegar combo brought a delightful tang, and the sprinkle of pomegranate contrasted beautifully with the savory flavors.  Feta and walnuts added additional texture, and the only other thing needed was a fork.

Beautifully jeweled hues had the salad looking the epitome of autumn, but it was the mixture of flavors and textures that had me weak at the knees.

My Dad's eyes lit up at the list of ingredients, however the rest of the family hesitantly scooped small servings next to their traditional mashed potatoes and turekey.  Dad and I gushed about the dish, and keeping my eye on everyone else, I was thrilled to see nearly everyone reach for the new dish for a larger helping after their initial tastes.

A perfect Thanksgiving dish that can be made ahead of time, this healthy addition is one you can feel good about serving whether your meal is simple or formal.  Flavorful and filled with textures, my only advice is to make extra... it also makes a fabulous day after Thanksgiving breakfast.

Holiday Bread Braid

Every once in a while I sit back and revel at how lucky in life I am.  Thanksgiving often gives me inspiration to reflect back on my year to indeed, give thanks, and this year I once again have so much to be thankful for.

I'm extraordinarily thankful for the family who surrounds me with love, for Liv's smiling face each morning the moment she wakes, for my son who is getting old enough to take care of me on occasion, for my husband who works hard to keep us happy, for my parents who are always so supportive, for my Father in Law whom I've grown to know so much better this past year, and for all of our continued health.

In addition, I'm so thankful for my Food Blogging community where I've come to know a talented group of people who continually brighten my day, for the ultra supportive ladies in my Inspired Plate Photography Group, and or my fellow crazy Dance Moms.

I'm thankful to the vet who saved our pups life when he ate dark chocolate.  I'm thankful to the server in Rome who brought the most wonderful pasta and wine.  And last but not least, I'm thankful to Roxana, of Roxana's Home Baking, for picking us as one of her winners in her Red Star Platinum Yeast Giveaway.

I don't win things very often, and when Roxana's email notifying us that we had won her giveaway arrived, Liv and I set right to work deciding what we would bake.

A long time bread baker, I understand the frustrations of working with yeast.  While I usually have success, on occasion I have been known to produce loaves akin to hockey pucks, loaves that make wonderful door stops, and loaves that would most likely sink like rocks if dropped into water.

Years of practice has thankfully made these occasions few and far between, but every once in a while a little extra lift is appreciated (in more places than one... but we'll keep this post on the topic of bread...).

Receiving a beautiful bow tied gift box with the Platinum label prominently affixed to the outside, our first use fell to one of our favorite holiday breads.  A traditional Bread Braid, the bread tends to be a bit fussy since we have altered the ingredients to make it dairy free.  Occasionally becoming a bit heavy, the beautiful loaf has failed me a time or two (or perhaps my kneading technique failed it...), but being that it is my son's all time favorite holiday food, the loaf graces every holiday table we host.

After Roxana's high praises of the yeast along with a comment of, "Kim, you are going to love it!"  I couldn't wait to get kneading, and everything she said in her posts was right.  According to Red Star the yeast contains dough enhancers, "This simple-to-use yeast strengthens and improves your dough, increasing oven spring and finished volume of any recipe."  While I've only tried the yeast with this one loaf, Roxana spent days trying bread recipe after recipe and her results had me excited.

Citing slightly quicker rise times along with greater loaf volume, I maintained high hopes as our day proved chilly, and with no heat on in the house I worried that the bread would not rise well, but it did.  Once in the oven, the words "oven spring" gave full meaning as I peeked in after 10 minutes to behold a beautifully shaped loaf puffing over the confines of its braid.

Some 10 minutes later, pulling two perfectly golden loaves from the oven I reined in every bit of strength in me to resist ripping a crusty end piece off one end, purely for tasting purposes, of course.  Snapping a pic instead, I immediately sent it off to my son who quickly responded from class, "Don't eat all the bread before I get home!", and I set out for my rounds of school pick up.

With a soft texture and plenty of flavor, I think I need to add that I'm also thankful for irresistible holiday bread.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving snuck up on me this year... somehow the warm days of summer slipped quietly into November and without the sun setting so early in the evening I don't think I would have known the holidays are here.  Our lives have been blessedly wonderful here at Liv Life and we have much to be thankful for.

First off I'm thankful for the good health that has blessed our family this year and the safe travels of my loved ones.

I'm thankful for Liv who shows me what it's like to truly Liv Life to the fullest each and every day.

I'm thankful for my son who makes me smile with his wit and views on life.

I'm thankful for my husband who takes such good care of me.

I'm thankful for my parents who are always just a phone call away.

I'm thankful for my girlfriends who support me when times are low and who celebrate with me when times are good.

I'm thankful for the chemo that is helping more friends than I had ever imagined would need it.

I'm thankful for the Dance Mom's of Liv's competition team who are nothing like the dance moms on tv.  (and that Twitch took a moment to pose with us!)

I'm thankful it doesn't snow in San Diego.

I'm thankful for Italian Pasta and wine with lunch.

And I'm thankful for this wonderful food community that I have become a part of through this blog.  Thank you for the support, the wonderful comments you all leave and the extraordinary recipes you share.  Thank you for checking in on me when I've been absent for a while, thank you for the spontaneous emails and facebook posts just to say hi, and thank you for the friendship.

Liv and I want to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving filled with wonderful food, family and friends.  I'm sending virtual hugs to my husband who is spending the holiday on the road in a hotel.  Our real celebration will be when you return home!

XO

Goat Cheese Cranberry Kisses

Ahhh... Thanksgiving!  A day to give thanks for the bounty we have received and a day of abundance.  Occasionally, and hopefully said abundance will lead to a day of leftovers, which in my opinion is actually one of the best part of the Thanksgiving meal.  Who doesn't love rummaging through the fridge finding turkey, cranberries, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and slices of assorted pies all at your fingertips?

Occasionally, however, the plethora of leftovers might become a bit daunting and we're here to recommend a wonderful use for some of that extra Cranberry Sauce (we highly recommend our Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce if you are looking for a recipe).  If you don't need all of your sauce to slather onto that Day After Thanksgiving Turkey Sandwich, you can look like a gourmet chef with these cute little Cranberry Kisses.

Three ingredients and about 25 minutes once your puff pastry is thawed is all you need .  (Note to self... take frozen puff pastry from the freezer and place it in the fridge as soon as the Thanksgiving dishes are done so it will good to go by the next afternoon).  Puff pastry is rolled and then cut into squares and fitted into the cups of mini muffin tins.  Filled with cheese and a dollop of cranberry sauce the treats head to the oven.  About 18 minutes later cheesy cranberry puffs are ready for your house guests and you're looking better than Martha Stewart.

Our favorite version uses goat cheese, or chévre, but a luscious brie is a fine substitute.  Served warm, these little kisses are just one more thing to be thankful for.

Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce

Humans many times become creatures of habit, and I for one find my life extraordinarily habitual.  Perhaps it is my "mom world", but most mornings I pass the exact same moms at the exact same minute in the exact same spot.  Meal at our house are often at about the same time of day and the ingredients are ones I turn to again and again.  Mostly because they are popular, but also out of habit.

Thanksgiving is very traditional (or is it habitual?) for me and our menu doesn't really vary much over the years.  I even have a Thanksgiving folder with recipes that are only made only during this season creating similar menus that we look forward to the rest of the year.

On occasion a new dish will find its way to our table, the most recent being the White Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Cups which did indeed make the tradition cut and have been lovingly added to our Traditional Menu Folder.

Tradition for more than 15 years, these cranberries are flavored with orange peel and fresh orange juice making them a wonderful sweet complement to your traditional turkey (or a turkey sandwich the next day).  Sprinkled with a touch of Grand Marnier while still hot, these simple berries have been elevated to a near heavenly experience in my book.  While we did post them last year, I think they are important enough to bring to the blog table once again to share.

Easy to make, fine to make ahead (actually better), homemade cranberry sauce is a lovely and simple way to dress up your holiday table, and the smiles and "Oh, these are sooo good!" comments always make my evening just that much better.

White Chocolate Pumpkin Pie Cups

Re-entering life after 12 days in Italy has been a bit difficult.  Ok... it's been a lot difficult.  Having been ultimately spoiled in Rome and then on our cruise I'm having great difficulty finding motivation to get back into the kitchen let alone gear up for the holidays that are racing towards us.

With the realization that Thanksgiving is indeed next week, not next month, a bag of white chocolate chips was just the encouragement I needed to get back into the kitchen.  Definitely Thanksgiving themed, the warm flavors of fall are all wrapped up in the hard white chocolate shell, making stopping at just two (or three...) not an easy feat.

Discovering these little gems last year at Healthy Food for Living, I have now proclaimed then Thanksgiving Tradition.  Filled with pumpkin, pumpkin pie spices, crushed graham crackers (you can make your own here) and a dose of cream cheese for good measure, the cups are sweet yet ever so slightly spicy and with a touch of creaminess from the cream cheese and white chocolate.

A bit of a project to create, but totally worth the time, the cups are decorated simply with a sprinkle of jimmies.  Since I've discovered the art of chocolate cup making I am now the proud owner of several silicone molds, square and round.  I've found the white chocolate preferable to work with when painting the molds with the melted chocolates where a quick stint in the freezer has them set in about 15 minutes and then carefully popped out of the mold.

Once the molds are completed the filling is spooned inside, smoothed, then topped with more white chocolate and then the jimmies for decoration.

I'm not sure if it is the combination of the pumpkin and spices with the white chocolate that makes these cups so good, but whatever it is, they are positively irresistible.