Friday, November 21, 2008

Cranberry Raspberry Sauce

I have never been a big fan of Cranberries. Maybe I'm getting older and my tastes have changed or I actually found a cranberry recipe that is absolutely heavenly. This recipe came from a Best of Betty Crocker Cookbook from years ago. I found it while looking for an alternative to the regular cranberry sauce on Thanksgiving at my in-laws house a few years ago. Now it is a staple for Turkey and pork dinners. The sweet taste of Raspberries and the tart cranberry mix is fantastic.


Cranberry Raspberry Sauce

10 oz pkg frozen raspberries
(thaw, drain & keep liquid)

set aside

In sauce pan mix together

1/3 cup brown sugar
1TBS corn starch
1/4 tsp ground allspice

add

raspberry liquid
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cups fresh cranberries

cook on medium at low boil for 2 minutes.

Take off heat and mash lightly with potato masher to break up cranberries.

add

raspberries
1/2 cup crushed pecans

cool 5 minutes and serve

Can be made ahead of time and stored up to a week in refrigerator in airtight container.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Tater Tot Casserole

You know how you have those dishes that you make all the time and you don't even think about the recipe because there really isn't one. Tater tot casserole is one of those. I have been making this dish about as long as I remember. Recently I had a neighbor ask, "Can I get your recipe for that tater tot thing? My daughter Loves it!" (Of course. It has tater tots, what kid wouldn't?) I had to think a minute and then wrote down the 5 ingredients. So, for an easy dish that requires mostly no memory, has very few ingredients and is a snap to make, This is the dish for you.. and your tater tot loving children.


Tater Tot Casserole

Brown 1 lb hamburger. Add 2 cans cream of mushroom soup. Fill soup can halfway with milk and add to mixture. Stir until mixed through. Open 2 cans cut green beans. drain. Pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with hamburger mixture. Top this with 1 bag tater tots. (16 oz). Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes or until tater tots are brown and cooked through.

* Just a note: You can easily cut this recipe in half or better yet, make the entire thing and freeze half. Also, some people add onions to the hamburger or cheese to the top before baking.