Maple Barbecue Beef Slow Cooker Recipe

The dirty little secret about cookbook writers is that when they (okay, me) are on a deadline to finish writing a project they (me again!) don't actually cook.

Oh sure, they eat really really really well during recipe-testing, but when they are in the midst of edits and the kitchen table has papers stacked where dinner dishes should be, they sometimes forget all about dinner.

In this case, it's a good thing, because I made up a pretty phenomenal beef dinner using only the odds and ends of stuff I had in the house because I may have (accidentally) forgotten to go grocery shopping.

The Ingredients
serves 4 

2 pounds frozen solid and maybe even frostbitten stew meat
1/3 cup soy sauce (LaChoy is gluten free)
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes (or 1 large onion, peeled and diced. We didn't have any.... gah.)
2/3 cup beef broth

The Directions

Use a 4 or 6-quart slow cooker. Your food will cook a bit faster in a 6-quart because it's not as filled -- that's okay, just check it after 7 hours.

Dump everything into the pot. Because my meat was frozen, I didn't have the opportunity to stir it. No worries.
Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for about 5 or 6 hours. If you are home during the day and can stir it once to disperse the ingredients, go ahead and do so after a few hours. If you are not home, don't worry about it. Just stir well before serving.

Your meat is finished when it can break apart with a spoon. Serve with mashed potatoes and/or roasted vegetables (pictured is roasted carrots from my mom's garden and sweet potatoes tossed with olive oil and sage).

The Verdict

Major winner. I was actually sweating bullets the day I put this into the pot because I couldn't take the time to leave to go get dinner-type-food and I had thrown away all the chicken in the house because of the recall. I needed to use the stew meat up, and I wanted to finish up the broth before it went bad. 

Everything about this worked -- the maple played nicely with the salty soy sauce to create a beautiful barbecue-teriyaki sauce. Now that I know this works so well, I'm going to be using it more often instead of leaning towards honey or brown sugar. What a nice surprise!!


~~~
I have good news! Ninja has extended my package offer for readers of the site for another Holiday Shopping Season. I heard word that they aren't going to run the infomercial this Fall/Winter, so this is the only place to get a complete package.

ALSO: The GiveAway Page is STOCKED with *FREE* giveaways for this Holiday shopping season. You can subscribe via email (click here for subscription options) to be alerted to each new giveaway. 

Happy Slow Cooking!!

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Brown Sugar and Bourbon Glazed Corned Beef

Yesterday was Adam's birthday, and he requested corned beef. I've only cooked corned beef in the slow cooker since we've been married, but each time it's slightly different. Last night's dinner was better than perfect. 

The salty brine from the corned beef married beautifully with the glaze I made out of brown sugar, dijon mustard, molasses, and bourbon.

Super way yum.

The Ingredients.
serves 6 to 8

3 to 4 pounds corned beef (rinsed very very well)
and the enclosed seasoning packet
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons dijon mustard (prepared; not powdered)
1/4 cup bourbon (if you'd prefer, you can use apple juice)

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. I used my Ninja. Rinse your meat under running cold water to wash away as much of the salty brine as you can -- don't worry, the salt is infused in the meat and it will still taste salty to your tongue.

Place the roast into an empty slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, and pour the glaze over the top of your meat. Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, flipping the meat over after about 5 hours.
Serve with mashed potatoes and a nice green salad. 

The Verdict.

I can't wait for tonight's leftovers. You're really going to like this corned beef -- even my kid who isn't "really a fan" ate two helpings. If you've got a frozen package left over from the spring, thaw it out at least half-way before slow-cooking. The meat fibers are pretty tough, and it'll take 14 to 15 hours to cook on low if your meat is frozen.

It was a great birthday dinner, and I made a pretty-awesome-if-I-do-say-so-myself-and-I-do gluten free lemon cake for dessert. I'll write up the recipe; I promise. 

In the mean time:
here we are 20 years ago, on Adam's 17th birthday. This is the very first photo taken of us as a couple, and I love it to bits. We haven't aged much, right?! ;-)

 

I hope you're enjoying your summer!! Don't forget to check out the giveaway page for this week's great offers, and to order a new Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life planner. It begins again in September.

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"Eyes Closed" Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

We are enjoying the second week of summer vacation in our house. I love having the kids home with me. I sometimes feel like I "lose" them during the school year --- their teachers' somehow seem more "in charge" than I do, and while I'm head-over-heels in love with our school district, I just really like having my kids home with me.

I'm on a Little House on the Prairie kick again. I've written about my Little House love here and here and here -- there's just something about summer that makes me itchy to re-read the series (not a fan of the tv show so much) and spend more time outside instead of in. Melissa, a friend on twitter, also shares my love for all things Little House and at her suggestion I have been enjoying Into The West on dvd, Beyond the Prairie, and The Wilder Life.

All my reading has meant that I've decided (yet again) that my kids really need to step it up and help more around the house. So they made dinner.

I've called this Pot Roast "Eyes Closed" because it's so simple a grownup could throw it together while still half-asleep, or a child could easily load the crockpot with minimal instruction. If you're not comfortable with sharp knifes, onion flakes could be used instead, or you could pre-slice the onion yourself.

The Ingredients.
serves 4-6

1 large onion, peeled and sliced into rings
2 to 3 pounds beef chuck or pot roast
1/4 cup prepared ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared A-1 steak sauce

The Directions.

Use a 4 or 6 quart slow cooker. Place the onion rings into the bottom of your cooker and separate the rings with your fingers. Place the meat on top of the rings. In a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup and A-1 sauce. Pour this mixture over the top.

If desired, you can rub this mixture into the meat with your fingers, or you can simply use kitchen tongs to flip the meat over a few times to get the meat nice and saucy (that's my choice, although my 11-year-old really enjoyed rubbing the sauce around and ended up with sauce up to her elbows....)

Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for about 6 hours. The meat should cut easily with a fork when it's time to serve. The longer you cook it, the more relaxed it will become. Serve with roasted sweet or brown potatoes and something green.

The Verdict.

I like sauces like this that are flavorful enough on their own that no extra seasoning is required. A-1 is pretty magical stuff--- it's got garlic and onion powder in it and is pretty salty -- you certainly don't need any added salt. Ketchup balances the A-1 with a sweetness that doesn't require any extra sugar. Definitely use the organic stuff if you're staying away from fructose sugars.
All 5 happily ate our dinner, and then the kids cleaned the kitchen. I'm pretty sure they grumbled much more than Laura and Mary ever would have, though...

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Slow Cooker Super Bowl Food

The Super Bowl lends itself to slow cooker food.  No matter if you're cooking at home, or bringing a potluck item to share to a party --- this list has got you covered.

Sandwiches. They make everyone happy, can be eaten easily on your lap, and these recipes can feed a good 12 people or so. I use gluten free hoagie rolls (Udi's makes some, as does Against The Grain).

Italian Beef Sandwiches
Peperoncini Beef Sandwiches
Barbecued Pulled Pork
French Dip
Philly Cheesesteak
Loose Meat
Beef and Bean
Portobello Mushroom (for the veggies!)





Dips. No, not your cousin Howard.  I'm talking cheesey, gooey, hot, drip-down-your-face dips. The more, the better!

Taco Dip
Not-too-spicy Bean Dip
Sausage, Cream Cheese, and Rotel (mommy crack)
Super Duper Garlic Dip
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Crab Dip
Buffalo Chicken Dip


 
Meatballs and Little Smokies Hotdogs. These are party staples!
 
Meatballs in Peanut Curry Sauce
Apple, Cheddar, and Turkey Meatballs
Turkey Meatballs in Cranberry BBQ Sauce
Not Your Mother's Meatballs
2 Little Smokies Recipes (grape jelly & chili sauce and big barbecue)
Barbecue Beans and Weenies






and then there is CHILI.
we've made a lot of chili these past 5 years!

21 Ingredient Chili
Pizza Chili
Enchilada Chili
Meat Lover's (low carb) Chili
Traditional Chili
White Chili
 Sweet Potato Chili
Clean Out the Pantry Chili
Black Eyed Pea Chili

and just in case this isn't enough ---- here are the absolute favorite potluck recipes. 

Have a wonderful Super Bowl Sunday!

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Beef Curry Slow Cooker Recipe

I love curry. I didn't always --- growing up, I thought curry was spicy and I never ordered it in a restaurant, and always shied away when it was offered, assuming it would be too spicy and just not my thing. 

Boy, was I wrong. Curry isn't spicy, it's just pure and totally awesome flavor.
I now can't seem to get enough. 

Adam and I had a date night a few weeks ago and we went to an Afghan-cuisine restaurant that came highly recommended by some friends. It was amazingly fantastic, and I've been craving curried anything ever since.

I threw this in the crockpot yesterday, and it satisfied my craving -- and the best part was that I had absolutely EVERYTHING in the house already. You might, too!

The Ingredients.
serves 4-6

3 pounds meat (I used beef. You can use turkey, pork, lamb, goat, poodle (kidding, just kidding...) or a tofu/meat substitute).

1 tablespoon curry (* see below note)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 head garlic, peeled and smashed (approx 10 cloves)
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk (full fat is best)
(optional, add 1 teaspoon of cornstarch to prevent curdling that sometimes can occur if your pot gets up to a boil. See here, for more information.)
salt to taste at the table

The Directions.

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. My meat was frozen solid and I did not do anything to it at all. If you have thawed meat, you might want to cut it into bite-sized chunks. If you don't do this, prepare yourself to cut the meat or shred it later.

Put the meat into your slow cooker and add the curry and garam masala. Flip the meat over a few times to get the spices evenly distributed, or if you're feeling brave, rub the spices directly onto the meat. Add in the smashed garlic cloves and onion slices. Pour the entire can of coconut milk (include the paste!) on top.

Cover, and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours. Tofu and poultry won't take as long to cook -- check after 6 hours on low, 3 to 4 on high.

I served our beef curry with brown basmati rice and a baked sweet potato. I did add salt to my own dish and Adam salted his, but the kids didn't ask so I didn't offer.

* note: Adam and the kids liked this a lot, but I, personally,  would have liked a more pronounced curry flavor. If you are a big fan of curried food, I'd suggest upping the curry to 1 1/2 tablespoons, or maybe even a whole 2 tablespoons.

The Verdict.


The coconut milk mixed with the curry and garam masala creates a velvety sauce that I could suck up with a straw. As noted above, I would have liked an even more pronounced curry flavor but my family disagreed and thought it was fine as-is. I do believe in this case the better your spices, the better the results. If your curry powder doesn't have a beautiful, enveloping aroma because it's been in the back of the cabinet for a few years, you might really want to invest in a new bottle.


I hope your November is going well so far! If you're gearing up for Thanksgiving and are looking for some tried-and-true Thanksgiving dishes to make in your slow cooker, here are the reader favorites.

don't forget to visit the giveaway page, we've got some cool stuff!

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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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Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Tacos

We finished up the first week of Crocktober by celebrating my oldest's birthday --- she turned eleven, and while I type, there are seven 11-year-old girls giggling over a rather rowdy game of Clue. We hosted a sleepover last night, and it went really well. She has chosen some pretty fantastic friends, and I am so proud of her.


I was searching through the archives, and found this post I wrote during my 2008 Challenge about her birthday (there's also a caramel apple recipe). It made me cry this morning; I'm turning sappy in my old age!

anyhow.

I've got a great easy recipe for this week's meal plan. Depending on the size of your hunk of meat (I used beef, you can certainly use lean pork, or a bunch of turkey or chicken thighs) this meal can easily be stretched into a next-day soup or casserole.

The Ingredients
serves 6


3 pound hunk of beef (pot roast, tri-tip, rump roast; frozen is just fine!)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained (or 1 cup frozen)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (whole can)
1 (4-ounce) can fire roasted diced chiles (whole can, I used mild)
1 (1.25-ounce) packet taco seasoning (check for hidden gluten, or make your own)

Homemade Taco Seasoning:
2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

The Directions

Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the meat into the bottom of your pot, and add the black beans, corn, tomatoes, and chiles. Sprinkle in the taco seasoning, and stir carefully with a large spoon to distribute spices. Cover, and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Using two large forks, shred meat completely and stir well. Serve in taco shells with your favorite toppings.

The Verdict

This is a big hit in my house. Adam and the girls (and me too!) really love Mexican food and could easily eat this once a week. I like that the beans and the corn help stretch the meat and I can fill us up rather inexpensively.

Have a great week! I'm headed to Philadelphia (I've never been before, and am excited!) to appear on Good Day Philadelphia on Tuesday morning to help publicize the Ninja Cooking System. If you live in the area, wave at the TV! :-)

other taco-type recipes you might like:
Shredded Beef Korean Tacos
Easy Taco Night
Creamy Tacos
Taco Dip
Carnitas

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Slow Cooker Cranbery Dijon Roast

Happy Monday!

Last week was a crazy for me, and while I'm (very) thankful for the busy-ness, I'm looking forward to being back to normal. A winner has been chosen in the Ninja Cooking System giveaway. A big congratulations to Barbara S!

As promised, today marks the beginning of our daily (Monday-Friday) giveaways over on the review page. I am so happy to have the help of Lisa Irvine. If you have a small business or etsy shop or book that you'd like to promote, please email Lisa for more details! Click on over to see today's offering!

Who's ready for a quick and easy hunk-of-meat recipe? This is a 6-ingredient meal, that will leave you with scraped-clean plates.

The Ingredients.

serves 4 to 6

3 - 4 pounds meat (pot roast, pork roast, tri-tip, shortribs, chicken thighs)

1 (14-ounce) can cranberry sauce (I used jellied; your choice)

1 small onion, finely diced, or 1 heaping tablespoon dried onion flakes

8 cloves garlic, smashed (peeled first!)

2 tablespoons soy sauce (La Choy and Tamari wheat free are gluten free)

2 tablespoons prepared dijon mustard

The Directions.

I used a 6-quart slow cooker. If you aren't using a large piece of meat, a 4-quart will do just fine. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients and whisk together so the cranberry sauce is broken up and the dijon is evenly distributed. Pour over the top of the meat.

Cover, and cook on low for 7 hours, or on high for 4 hours. 

I cooked 3 pounds of frozen oxtails on high for 4 hours in a 6-quart, and then they stayed on warm for another 2 hours before serving.

Serve with rice or quinoa and something green (we did asparagus; just rinsed and microwaved on high for 3 minutes, then topped with salt and pepper).

The Verdict.

I was certain I made this before for the site, but maybe it was in a book or for another site. Anyhow, if this looks familiar, I apologize! It's a spoof on the sweet mustard roast and the super easy cranberry roast. I love how the dijon plays off the cranberry sauce -- the mustard flavor is definitely there and cuts down on the sometimes-too-sweet cranberry.

I bought a bunch of cranberry sauce on sale when I was planning my cranberry party, but if you'd prefer to use a homemade version, go for it!

Have a wonderful week, and happy slow cooking (and yay Niners)!

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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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