Cold Weather Meal Plan for the Slow Cooker

I feel like a fraud pointing out that it's been cold lately because I am right outside of San Francisco and our cold is NOTHING compared to real cold.

I know. I stink. But I do have CNN and twitter so I am very very aware at how REALLY cold it can be. And I hate it if you are cold and I wish I could make global warming happen even quicker so you are no longer cold (KIDDING. that is a joke  .....  save your (frozen) tomatoes!!)

If I could send everybody heating blankets and fluffy slippers, I would. Most definitely.

Instead, I've got a cold-weather meal plan for you that is easy on the wallet (I'm in denial over my credit card bill from Christmas) and is filling without being heavy and bogged down with cheese and grease in case you (like me) are trying to figure out why the super cute corduroy pants that fit in October no longer fit.

ahem.

Monday: Sausage and Vegetable Medley
Tuesday: Clean out the Pantry Chili
Wednesday: Honey Garlic Chicken
Thursday: Parmesan Tilapia
Friday: Carnitas

Grocery List:
[to print out just the list, use the PRINT button below and make sure to delete all extraneous text and photos before clicking print.]

PRODUCE
- 1 package of fresh stir-fry vegetables -- you need 4 cups of fresh vegetables --(broccoli, cauliflower, bell pepper, mushrooms, carrots, etc.)
- potatoes (red or brown, will need 2 cups worth, cubed -- about 2 Russet or 5 baby red)
- 2 lemons
- 1 orange
- 1 lime
- 2 heads garlic
- 1 onion
- baby spinach (will need about 2 cups -- 1 large handful)
- avocado (sliced for carnitas)

DAIRY
- Parmesan cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
- shredded cheese for carnitas
- sour cream for carnitas

MEAT
- 2-3 pounds boneless chicken thighs
- 4 fillets of tilapia (or 1 per family member)
- 2 to 3 pounds pork shoulder roast
- smoked chicken sausage (Aidell's brand or similar)

CANNED GOODS
- 3 cans of your favorite beans
- 2 cans tomato paste (6-ounce cans)
- chicken broth (4 cups)
- beef broth (2 cups)

CONDIMENTS
- honey (1/3 cup)
- ketchup (1/2 cup)
- mayonnaise (1/4 cup)
- soy sauce (La Choy is gluten free) (1/2 cup)
- sliced jalapeño peppers (in jar)
- salsa (garnish for carnitas, optional)

OTHER
- corn tortillas
- aluminum foil

SPICES
- Italian seasoning ( 1 tablespoon)
- basil (1 teaspoon)
- cumin (1 tablespoon)


a few quick announcements:

*  from Totally Together Journal: How to Combine Gratitude with Goal Setting  and  30 Day Organized Life Challenge
*  I was on NPR and shared a Take Out-Fake Out KFC recipe
*  If you'd like to subscribe to the site(s) for updates via email, here are the different options.

I hope you have a wonderful week and stay warm and cozy! And wash your hands a lot; it's flu season.

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Christmas Ham in the Slow Cooker (Honey Citrus)

photo by Tara Donne

We've got 10 days until Christmas! It's time to start panicking!

I must be in complete denial because so far I've got this weird peaceful vibe going on. I sort of feel like things will just get done when they get done. Or they won't. But I'm oddly calm about the whole thing.

of course it might also be a side effect from all the spiked eggnog..........

Anyhow, if you are in charge of Christmas or Christmas Eve dinner and you're in the mood for ham, you should make this one. It's tasty and it involves citrus pulp, honey, cloves, and ginger ale. 

The Ingredients
serves 8

1 (6-to-7-pound bone-in spiral cut smoked ham
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 orange, juiced
1 lemon, juiced
1 lime, juiced
1 cup ginger ale

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Unwrap the ham, and discard the flavor packet. Place the ham into your insert (flat side down).
In a small mixing bowl, combine the honey, mustard, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. Smear this paste evenly all over the ham. You can even do this the day before, if you'd like, to let the flavors meld, although it isn't necessary.
Pour the juice and add the last little bit with the pulp into the sauce bowl and swirl it around to get all of the "good stuff" out of the bowl. Pour ginger ale evenly over the top. Cover, and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for about 3 hours.

Your ham can sit in the slow cooker for quite a while on the warm setting before carving, or you can take it out, carve it into pieces, then return it to the pot to stay warm in the yummy sauce until you and your guests are ready to eat.

Ham pairs well with Brussels Sprouts!
The Verdict

I made this ham for Thanksgiving, and Adam's grandpa said it was the best ham he ever ate (he put cranberry sauce on it, too), and when I recipe-tested this for the new book, I served it to seven children, and they all ate it!


Have a wonderful and joyful Holiday season. If you're not in the mood for ham, here are all of the Holiday-approved slow cooker recipes you might enjoy.

2014 is just around the corner. Let's make it a good one!!

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Monday thru Friday Slow Cooker Meal Plan for the Fall

HAPPY CROCKTOBER!!

In honor of the first Friday in Crocktober, I have put together another meal plan for you. I love the fall, and I of course LOVE Crocktober, but I am beyond relieved that this week is over.

It was a doozy.

next week will be better, though, because I'm going to stick to a game meal plan!

(meatless) Monday: End of Summer Harvest Soup
Tuesday: 20-40 Clove Garlic Chicken
Wednesday: Autumn Sausage Casserole
Thursday: Orange-Apricot Pork Chops
Friday: Chicken Enchilada Chili

Shopping List:
(to print out just the list, use the PRINT button at the bottom of the post and delete any photos and extraneous text)

PRODUCE:

Apples (2 green or yellow)
Carrots (1/2 cup chopped)
Celery (2 stalks)
Garlic (2-4 heads, up to 40 cloves)
Onions (4 yellow)
Tomatoes, baby (2 cups)
Zuchinni (4 med)
Yellow Crooked Neck Summer Squash (2 med)

DAIRY:

Parmesan Cheese (not a lot, for garnishing)
Mozzarella or Cheddar Cheese (shredded, to add to Harvest Soup and Enchilada Chili)
Sour Cream (1/2 cup or so for Chili)

MEAT:

4 pounds chicken parts, or 1 roaster chicken
1 1/2 pounds additional chicken for Chili
6 pork chops
1 pound smoked chicken sausage (artichoke garlic or similar, I like Aidells brand)

DRY GOODS:

Pasta (1/2 cup, we use gluten free)
Rice (3 cups already-cooked white or brown rice)
Beans (dry white, 1/3 cup)

CANNED:

2 (15-ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (11-ounce) can mandarin oranges
Pasta sauce (1 jar; will need 1 cup)
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with garlic
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth (for soup and for autumn casserole)
1 can enchilada sauce (will need 1 cup; read labels carefully for gluten)

BAKING NEEDS:

Brown Sugar (1/4 cup)
Raisins (1/2 cup)
1 cup Apricot Jam

SPICES:

Paprika (2 tsp)
Italian Seasoning (1 tablespoon)
Chili Powder (2 tsp)
Cumin (1 tsp)
Parsley flakes (1 tablespoon)
All Spice (1/2 tsp)
Cinnamon (1 tsp)
Ginger (1/4 tsp)
Cloves (1/4 tsp)

Pantry Staples:

Olive Oil (1 tablespoon)
Kosher Salt (2 tsp)
Black Pepper (2 tsp)


The Verdict:

I know that this grocery list is a bit longer than the previous meal plan's -- but everything should be very easy to find in your regular grocery store and hopefully you already own a bunch of the spices!

My eldest daughter turned 12 today. Which really can't be correct, because I am nowhere near old enough to have a 12-year-old. Five years ago I surprised her on her birthday with caramel apples. This year she has braces and can't have them, and has requested sushi for dinner. I'm pretty sure I can't find a way to make sushi in the crockpot...

have a wonderful weekend! Happy Slow Cooking this Crocktober!

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Monday thru Friday Slow Cooker Meal Plan

Happy Friday!

I've got something  a bit different for you today. I've been trying to figure out how to best share how I meal plan with the slow cooker, and figured it'd be the easiest to just share my grocery list with you! I am a ZipList participant, so if this particular meal plan isn't your favorite, you can easily make your own by clicking on the "save recipe" button under each selection and ZipList will automatically make a customized grocery list for you.

I also have a printable grocery list template on my downloads page that might be useful.

In the mean time, this is what we're having next week in our house. I hope it's helpful!

(meatless) Monday: Pesto Lasagna
Tuesday: Super Simple Cranberry Roast
Wednesday: Traditional Minestrone Soup
Thursday: General Tso's Chicken
Friday: Puffy Pizza Casserole


Grocery List:
(to print just this list, use the PRINT button below, and select just the list to print!)

PRODUCE
carrots (1 cup chopped)
celery (1 cup sliced)
garlic (5 cloves)
onions (2 yellow)
spinach (12-ounces baby leaves)
potatoes (optional; to go with Tuesday's cranberry roast)

DAIRY
eggs (2)
milk (1 cup; any variety)
mozzarella cheese (24 ounces needed for week)
parmesan cheese (1 1/2 cups)
pesto (11 ounces)
ricotta cheese (15-ounces)

MEAT
chicken (boneless, skinless, 1 to 2 pounds)
lean ground beef or turkey (1 pound)
beef or pork roast (3 pounds)
sliced pepperoni (20 pieces)

DRY GOODS
1.5-ounce envelope of Spaghetti Sauce mix (McCormick is GF)
fusilli pasta
lasagna noodles
dried beans (1 cup, black beans or pinto)
flour or gluten free baking mix (1 cup)
rice (optional, to serve with General Tso's Chicken)
soy sauce (1/4 cup, we use gluten free)

CANNED
cranberry sauce (16-ounce, whole berry)
olives, sliced (4 ounces)
pasta sauce (26 ounces)
tomato, diced (14.5-ounces)
tomato sauce (15-ounces)

FROZEN
spinach, chopped (10-ounces)
stir fried veggies (16-ounces, Asian blend)

PANTRY STAPLES
beef bouillon or broth (8 cups)
brown sugar (3 tablespoons)
dried ginger (1 teaspoon)
dried onion flakes (1-2 tablespoons)
Italian Seasoning (1 tablespoon)
red pepper flakes (1 teaspoon)


The Verdict:

Our week runs SO MUCH MORE SMOOTHLY when I take the time to write out a menu and grocery shop for all of the food either on the weekend or the week before. It does take a bit of planning, I know, but I do think you'll find that the hectic meal-making hours will be easier if the groceries are already in the house. 

The slow cooker already forces you to meal plan, so just by using it (somewhat) regularly you're already way ahead!!

have a great week!

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Easter Recipes for the Slow Cooker

 

Happy almost-Easter! 

We host Easter each year (except for when I'm pregnant or have a newborn, which means we haven't done it for the past two years. But that's not my fault because other people have offered, and I'd just be an idiot to not accept the offers. So, I still stand by my declaration that we host Easter every year...) and I love it.

Adam usually puts something on the barbecue, our family helps out by bringing side dishes or beverages, and I line up a bunch of crockpots on the countertop. 

There are too many of us to all sit around the table, so we kind of eat in shifts. The kids run around in circles because it's fun for the uncles to "chocolate them up" and the Easter egg hunt out back results in squished flowers, mud tracked indoors, and eventually tears when the egg-grabbing turns a bit too competitive. 

It's certainly not a scene Norman Rockwell would have chosen to paint--- but he should have.

Because honestly? The day couldn't possibly be any better.

and I can't wait.

If you're hosting, or bringing along something to share this year, I've got you covered. The slow cooker is your friend. Use it! And enjoy your family. 

Main Courses:

Honey Glazed Ham  (this is what we're having!)

Maple Ham

Mint Glazed Lamb (this is what we're having!)

Lemon and Rosemary Lamb

Traditional Leg of Lamb 

Leg of Lamb with Prunes

Side Dishes:

Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Cream Cheese

Company's Coming Potatoes AuGratin

Roasted Vegetables

Best Brussels Sprouts, ever!

Cinnamon Glazed Carrots

Pecan-Topped Baked Sweet Potatoes

Honey Lentils

want more? here you go!

Appetizers:

Apricot-Balsamic Brie

Cranberries and Candied Pecans Brie

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Crab Dip

Roasted Garlic

Taco Dip

Tomatoes with Goat Cheese

want more? here you go! and dips, too!

We have dessert covered thanks to Zest Bakery, but if you don't:

 cheesecake

oreo cheesecake

creme brulee

peanut clusters

rocky road

rice krispies treats (hey, the REAL rice krispies are going gluten free in about a month. score!)

holiday pears (not for kids)

want more? here you go!

but whatever you do: DO NOT HARDBOIL YOUR EGGS IN THE CROCKPOT.

you're welcome!

:-)

If you're entertaining, and need a bit of help getting the house in order, no worries. I've got you covered with that, too!

Adam doesn't like pictures of the kids on the Internet, so this is the best you'll get!

Happy Easter!

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Slow Cooker Dry Rub Pork Roast

I hope you're having a wonderful Valentine's Day! My kids are off school today, and are in the other room in a chocolate coma, giving me a few minutes to type.

You'll love this pork. Unless you don't like pork. Then you should use a beef chuck roast or something similar.

I had a frozen pork butt/shoulder in the freezer and wanted to make a pulled pork of some sort but wasn't feeling in the mood for barbecue sauce. I threw together this dry rub in a few seconds using pantry staples, and was really happy with the end result. The meat is perfect--- not gloppy wet, not dried out ---- just perfectly seasoned with a very pleasant flavor.

The secret is the anise. Don't be scared that your meat will taste like black licorice --- I'm a red vine kind of girl (THEY ARE NOT GLUTEN FREE!) -- and always steered clear of anything black licorice, and I promise you that the anise just gives a lovely flavor you're not going to be able to recreate without it. A bottle will last you for quite a while, and if you have extra, my friend Jenny made some awesome cookies using anise.

The Ingredients.
serves 6 - 8


1 onion, peeled and sliced into rings
3 to 4 pounds pork roast (butt/shoulder)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground corriander
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon anise seeds
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 to 2 limes, for serving (optional)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the onion rings into the bottom of your cooker, and spread them apart a bit with your fingers. Place the pork directly on top --- my meat was still frozen. If there is netting on your meat, cut it away. 
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and all dry spices to create a rub. Using your fingers, rub this all over the meat, flipping a few times to ensure good coverage.
Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or until meat has lost shape and pulls apart easily with a large fork.
Serve over a bed of rice or quinoa, or stuff into pita pockets, lettuce leaves, etc.
I squeezed a bit of lime onto our servings, and enjoyed the contrast in flavors, but it's certainly not necessary.

We had enough leftover for me to reheat on the stovetop (or in the Ninja!) with a 1/2 bottle of barbecue sauce the next day for sandwiches.

The Verdict.

I used to be allergic to pork; this last pregnancy re-programed my body, and I'm so happy that I can now add this meat into our meal rotation.  I like how this seasoning blend doesn't create an overly sweet or sticky or gloppy meat --- not that those features are bad --- I just wasn't particularly in the mood for that, and this fit the bill!

in other news:
I made a DIY standing desk for myself out of an ironing board!

I'm going to be on the Rachael Ray show again next Friday, the 22nd   UPDATED: it's NOW TUESDAY, the 19th!! for a few minutes. It's a 5-year follow-up to the first time I appeared. The premise of the clip is how "Rachael Ray changed my life" and I pretty much cried through the whole thing.... I promise to be more composed next time. :-)

have a wonderful day!!

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Slow Cooker Bourbon Baked Beans

 
I bought bourbon for the first time. I wasn't sure what kind to buy, but chose the Jim Beam because I recognized the name and it was on sale.

and then I made the most awesome baked beans known to man.

I checked with Shirley--- distilled alcohol is gluten free, yet some people react to anything made with grains. If you know you react, this might not be a good recipe for you. Here's a bit more on that from Shirley, at Gluten Free Easily.

The Ingredients.
serves 8-10 as a side dish, 4-6 as main course


1 pound pinto beans, soaked overnight and then drained and rinsed
* SEE NOTE BELOW
      (if you don't have time to soak overnight, no problem. Put them in a large pot, and cover completely  
       with water. Bring to a rapid boil for 10 minutes, then turn off stove and cover pot. Let your beans sit 
        for 1 hour, then drain water and put beans into crockpot)
8 ounces bacon, cooked, crumbled, and drained
1 onion, diced and browned
4-6 cloves garlic, diced and browned
1 cup prepared barbecue sauce (read labels carefully if avoiding gluten)
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon ground mustard
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup bourbon

* NOTE: pinto beans sometimes seem to take a super long time to soften. If cooking on low for up to 14 hours is too long for you (or 8-10 on high) then try using small white Northern beans instead; they soften faster!)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. In a large skillet on the stovetop (or use your Ninja!) brown the bacon, onion, and garlic until the bacon is crisp and the fat has been rendered. Discard the fat, and pour the bacon mixture into an empty slow cooker.
Add the soaked and drained pinto beans. Now add the brown sugar, molasses, barbecue sauce, and dried ground mustard. Stir in chicken broth and bourbon.

Cover, and cook on low for 10-14 hours, or until beans are soft. If you live in a high-altitude, your beans may take longer to cook. If you prefer to cook on high, check after 6 hours or so.


I served our beans with homemade corn bread made from masa.



This is the recipe I used:

Preheat oven to 425° and lightly butter a cake pan. In a mixing bowl, combine:
1 1/2 cups masa
1/2 cup all purpose flour (I use Pamela's Baking Mix as my gluten free all purpose flour)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon white sugar

wet ingredients:
1 1/3 cups milk
1/2 stick melted butter (1/4 cup)
2 eggs

Mix the dry ingredients together until well-incorporated and the baking powder isn't clumpy. You can sift, if you'd like, but that's kind of a lot of work for a quick cornbread. I end up using my fingers sometimes to break up clumps.
Then mix in the wet ingredients --- use a fork or a whisk, no need to use a machine. Pour batter into pan -- it'll be quite thick, and you may need to shove it around to get it in place.
Bake at 425° for about 20 minutes.

The Verdict.

These beans are perfect. I am SO looking forward to the next potluck --- they had tons of flavor and smelled absolutely amazing. All 5 of us licked our bowls clean. I'm really very pleased with this recipe, and I think you will be, too. If you don't want to use bacon, I bet a saved ham-bone/hock would be *perfect*.
The masa cornbread was an experiment. I didn't have cornmeal in the house and really wanted cornbread. This is quite tasty-- it's nowhere near as sweet as traditional cornbread and tastes "cornier" if that makes sense. This would be a more traditional flavor that the pioneers or Native Americans would have had. 

at least that's what I told the kids.


a few announcements:

~ Ninja has *very generously* increased my cooking system package to now include the roasting kit, the baking kit, the mini warmer, the travel tote, free shipping, and a 5-year warranty for the Holiday season. This is the absolute best package deal available for the Ninja Cooking System and is better than the infomercial offering. 

~ we are still hosting giveaways daily on the giveaway page! Click on over and enter to win!

~ Amazon has my Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life book on sale. Make 2013 the best year yet by getting completely (and totally!) organized. 

~ I'm going to be speaking next month at BlogHer PRO on pricing and proposals. I can not believe how much my life has changed ever since I made that silly resolution in 2008, and I am so very (very) thankful. I am always happy to share blogging info and what has/hasn't worked for me, and think this will be an extraordinary conference. 

Have a wonderful day!!

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Meat Lover's (No Bean) Chili Recipe

I was challenged to see if I could make a low-carb, no bean chili. I know there are lots of people who don't need beans in their chili. 

I am not one of them.

or at least I THOUGHT I wasn't one of them. I stand corrected. Very very very corrected.

This is a great chili --- it has all the spice, kick, texture, and heartiness of chili but doesn't have a single bean.  I hate it when I'm wrong.

The Ingredients.
serves 8


2 pounds beef stew meat (frozen is fine)
10 ounces smoked andouille sausages, sliced
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes (whole can)
1 onion, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced (or about 2 teaspoons garlic powder)
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups beef broth

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. I didn't brown anything for this recipe, but merely plopped it all in and turned the slow cooker on. Load everything into your cooker --- meat, sausages, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and all the seasonings. Stir in the broth. Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. For chili, the longer the better, in my opinion -- get the flavors to really meld together and provide the meat an opportunity to fall apart.

If you'd like, you can help the meat out by shredding it completely with two large forks, or you can even pulse a few times with a handheld stick blender to naturally thicken the gravy/sauce (what do you call the juice in chili?). 

Serve with your favorite toppings. My kids really like the Scoops chips that Tostitos puts out -- they ate their bowls that way.

The Verdict.
I served this on a chili night to three other families, because I was eager to test out a no-bean version. The crock was scraped clean! I've made quite a few chilis the past few years, and love having a new one to share. I think you'll really enjoy it.

Have a great day! Here are a few other chili recipes you might enjoy, and feel free to share your favorites --- you can never have too many chili options!

pizza chili
enchilada chicken chili
white bean chili
poor man's chili
sweet potato chili (vegan!)
traditional chili
21-Ingredient chili




We're still hosting daily giveaways! Click on over to join in the fun, and start compiling great ideas for the upcoming Holidays.

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8 Perfect Rib Recipes for the Slow Cooker

Happy almost Memorial Day!

Happy almost The Last Day of School!

Happy almost "It's the Beginning of Summer"

Happy "I'm So Glad I Didn't Burn My Retinas Out Staring At The Eclipse!

let's celebrate with some ribs --- slow cooked to perfection in the very best appliance known to man. (and three side dishes, just in case!)

 

 Smoky Home-Style Ribs

Hawaiian Ribs

 

Orange Chipotle Ribs

 Greek-Spiced Ribs

 

Original Barbecue Beef Ribs

Red Ribs

 

Lemon Pepper Ribs

  

Korean Ribs

 

Garlic Baked Potatoes

 

Corn on the Cob

 

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chili, Cumin, and Lime

ENJOY!

P.S: there is still time to enter the $100 Visa gift card giveaway from Simply Cranberry!

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I Had A Cranberry Party

plateful of cranberry goodness

A few weeks ago I had a cranberry party. And I only had to make one thing with cranberry juice, but I'm a total over-achiever and made FIVE things. BOO-YAH!
(recipes below!)

The Back Story:

The Simply Cranberry Cocktail people (through BlogHer) contacted me and asked if I'd like to throw a dinner party and use their new Simply Cranberry Cocktail as a springboard for the menu-planning.

I was already familiar with the Simply Orange Juice Company--we like their orange and apple juice an awful lot, and I'm a complete and total sucker for a challenge.

Before I responded, I texted Adam:

"Hey, we need to have a cranberry juice party, sort of an Iron Chef thing. You cool with that?"

He wrote back: "a la cuisine!"

I love that man.

I was given coupons for Simply Cranberry Cocktail by the Simply Orange Juice Company, and BlogHer paid me for my time and to purchase supplies for our cranberry party.


I then set to work planning the menu: baked brie with cranberries, cranberry martinis, cranberry chicken, triple-threat cranberry brisket, and cranberry fluff for dessert (scroll down for all the recipes).

To round out the meal I also roasted asparagus and made mashed potatoes (out of a box! Capital K classy, I tell you...).

Just so you know: Simply Cranberry Cocktail can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store; it is kept chilled from the time it is blended with not-from-concentrate cranberry juice and gently pasteurized with no added preservatives. It's sweet and tart and unlike other cranberry juice cocktails in that you don't shudder after drinking it.

I decided this was a really good excuse to buy cranberry red tablecloths and retire the ecru tablecloths I usually dig out of the china cabinet. (I'm pretty sure stained and bleached and then stained and bleached tablecloths are ecru. Right?)

Since we were having our party on April Fool's Day, I also bought silly straws and nose glasses for everyone out of the dollar bins at Target.

I invited my two best friends (guess what their names are? did you guess? wait for it... wait for it...

JENNIFER and JENNIFER) and their families. This meant we had 6 adults and 9 children for our dinner party. I set up two tables, with the idea that the kids would be at one and the grownups could sit at the other, and we'd all sit down and have sparkling dinner conversation and lovely table manners.

Bree Van de Kamp Hodge would be so proud.
(of course she's on trial for murder right now, but I think Gaby is about to confess.)

It was wonderful.


I need to have dinner parties more often. I think sometimes in the name of saving money I forget it's the little things in life that matter--good friends, good food, and good fun.

Someone else picking up the bill is awfully nice, too.

Thank you Simply Cranberry Cocktail !!

Recipes:

I don't have any photos of the brie because I may have already had a cranberry martini (or 2? not sure) before I thought to take pictures, and by then we pretty much killed the whole thing.

I used the candied pecan and cranberry brie recipe I made back in 2008 but didn't use the pecans because one of our little friends has a nut allergy. I did, though, add a drop of balsamic vinegar to the brown sugar and a bit of rosemary they way I did with the balsamic apricot brie.

8 ounce-brie round

1 cup dried cranberries

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary

Stir topping together and place on top of the brie. Place the brie into an oven-safe bowl or dish and plop it into a slow cooker for about 2 hours, or until melty and gooey and delicious. Serve with apple slices and your favorite crackers. I'm not supposed to name brand names in this post, but we used the popular round gluten free crackers that come in the white box. Email me if you don't know what I'm talking about!

Cranberry Martinis

Since The Cocktail Lady was at our house I figured I'd use her expertise, and we came up with the most awesomest cranberry martini recipe ever. She also lent me her drink shaker because I accidentally gave away the one we got as a wedding present in one of our many moves.

Thanks, Jen! xoxo

Fill the drink shaker half-full or so with ice.

For each drink, add:

1 shot Simply Cranberry Cocktail

1 shot citrus flavored vodka

1/2 shot Triple Sec

1/2 shot Sweet and Sour Mix

Shake well and serve in chilled martini glasses with sugared rims. (Adam did the glasses by rubbing a cut lime on the edge then dipping the glasses in Baker's Sugar. He froze them for 2 hours or so before the party).

We were able to double this recipe and get two drinks in each shaker.

And they rocked.

Srsly.

Cranberry Glazed Chicken:

4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 large onion, peeled and diced

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce

1 (16-ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

1/2 cup Simply Cranberry Cocktail

1 lime, juiced

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons cold water

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the chicken into the bottom of your cooker (frozen is fine). Add diced onion and garlic. In a mixing bowl whisk together the soy sauce, cranberry sauce, and juices. Pour this mixture evenly over the top of your chicken. Cover, and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, or until chicken is fully cooked (if you cook it longer, it’ll shred—it’s up to you!)

With tongs, carefully remove the chicken and place on a serving platter. Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Stir this into your slow cooker to thicken, then serve over mashed potatoes or polenta.

Triple Threat Cranberry Brisket:

5 pound beef brisket

1 onion, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (16-ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce

1/2 cup Simply Cranberry Cocktail

1/4 cup dried cranberries

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the meat into the bottom of your slow cooker insert. Add onion and garlic. In a mixing bowl, mix together the can of cranberry sauce, soy sauce, juice, and dried cranberries. Pour this combination evenly over the top of the meat. Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for about 6 hours. Your meat is finished when it has begun to lose it’s shape and can pull apart easily with a fork. Serve over mashed potatoes with a spoonful of sauce.

Cranberry Fluff Dessert

I was channeling TW from Retro-Food.com when I decided to serve this dessert. I knew I wanted something we could all eat together and didn't want a big production (think ice-cream bar) or a huge mess to deal with later (again, think ice-cream bar). But I wanted the kids to like it and the adults to at least give it a half-hearted thumbs up.

I was WAY SURPRISED. We licked the pyrex clean. All 6 adults and 9 children couldn't get enough.

2 cups boiling water

2 (4-ounce) packages cherry gelatin dessert

1 cup Simply Cranberry Cocktail

1 (8-ounce) container whipped dessert topping, room temperature, divided

1 (15-ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

1 package shortbread cookies (or something similar. Ours were gluten free, of course!)

Whisk the dried gelatin powder with the boiling water until it's completely dissolved. Whisk in the juice, and then refrigerate the mixing bowl for 90 minutes. You want the gelatin slightly set, but not really. 

Now stir in 2 cups of the dessert topping and the entire can of cranberry sauce. Pour this mixture into a 9 x 9 glass baking pan. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or until completely set. Spread on the additional whipped topping and dot with shortbread cookies.

Cranberry retro yumminess. It's tart, but not too tart, and sweet, but not too sweet.

It was the perfect end to a perfect night. And you know it was good when you wake up to this in the morning:

I had so much fun and feel so lucky to have the best friends ever. Thank you to Simply Cranberry Cocktail for giving me an excuse to have a party. And for the realization that I shouldn't have to have an excuse to have friends over--I should just do it!

 I'm pretty sure we're not going to have a UTI anytime soon...

Guess what? 

Simply Cranberry Cocktail understands that sometimes it's just not possible to have a spur-of-the moment party when you're busy living your life and all "extra" (HA on the extra!) income goes towards retirement, or college, or braces, or new tires. So they are offering to help out by giving one lucky winner a $100 Visa gift card to spend however you'd like.

Maybe you'd like to have a cranberry party of your very own?

What is your favorite way to make a party or get together at your home more festive? Tell me about it in the comments for a chance to win a $100 gift card.

Rules:
P.S: I didn't make these up. 



No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:


a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.


This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.


I'll randomly select a winner from the responses (leave an email address or sign in so I can find you!) and will make sure the gift card gets sent out promptly.


The Official Rules are available here.
This sweepstakes runs from 5/7/2012 - 6/1/2012

updated 6/2/12: This CONTEST IS NOW OVER. A representative from BlogHer will contact the randomly selected winner. THANK YOU to all who entered!


Be sure to visit the Promotions & Prizes page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!


"Simply Cranberry_™" is a trademark of Simply Orange Juice Company.



BOO-YAH!

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