Thanksgiving: These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

As I think about and start cooking for Thanksgiving, I can't help but break into song, "these are a few of my favorite things . . ."  But in place of "blue satin sashes" and "snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes," I'd have to substitute cranberry sauce and cherry pie.  Yes I love the turkey (especially a brined turkey, see Wolfgang Puck's recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/brined-roast-turkey-with-pan-gravy-recipe.html - slight disclaimer, this is a labor and time intensive recipe, but oh-so-worth-it!), but I also love the sides.  I'm a big fan of the cranberry relish - you know the one with the cranberries and whole oranges all ground up with a little sugar.  However, I like other types of cranberry sauces.  One recipe that I've adapted from the Barefoot Contessa's Cranberry Fruit Conserve recipe is my

Cranberry Compote:

In a medium saucepan combine:

1 bag (12 oz) fresh cranberries, rinsed*

1 cup water

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 granny smith apple peeled and diced

1 orange - zest and juice

1 lemon - zest and juice

Bring all these ingredients to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Let cool and chill.  

*Fresh cranberries freezer very well.  When cranberries are in the grocery stores, I always toss a few bags in the freezer to use throughout the year.  

This recipe makes a great sauce for a leftover turkey sandwich, as well as enjoyed alone in a bowl with a spoon!

Another of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is of course the pie.  Call me a heretic, but pumpkin pie doesn't do it for me.  Not a fan.  So while my husband bakes and enjoys his pumpkin pies (If I don't eat it, I shouldn't bake it . . . right?), I bake and enjoy lattice-topped tart cherry pie.  Ever since I can remember, this is always what I chose as dessert for my birthday dinner growing up. Lots of candles in cherry pie come July.  Anyway, I've put the recipe for this cherry pie and the fantastically flaky pie crust on my other blog.  Click on the cherry pie link below for the full recipe.

cherry pie

Well, all this talk about Thanksgiving won't get dinner prepped and on the table, so I'd better start cooking.  Whatever Thanksgiving food favorites and traditions you have, be sure to savor and enjoy the entire process from preparation to digestion.