Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Hi all. How was your Thanksgiving weekend? The weather was beautiful in CT. While it was just the four of us we went all out on the food. Mr. SB ended up roasting the turkey in our rotisserie oven. It was delicious. I think I also perfected my home made stuffing. The girls and Mr. SB commented on the crisp aspect. While I love Thanksgiving dinner, there is often a lack of diversity in texture so a bit of crunch is unexpected and welcome. I feel the same way about fresh cranberry sauce.

Homemade cranberry sauce balances the meal

With so many rich sauces and flavors, the acidity in the cranberries really balances the rest of the meal. Fresh holiday cranberry sauce is also perfect for Christmas. The deep red of the cranberries complements any festive meal.

Are cranberries good for you?

I adore cranberries so I was thrilled to learn that they are full of antioxidants. In fact, they are one of the top ten antioxidant foods! Interesting fact too – cranberries have been harvested in North America for over 500 years.

Good for you and delicious? All the more reason to make fresh homemade holiday cranberry sauce. Here is my very quick and delicious recipe.

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

Fresh Homemade Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Homemade cranberry sauce is so easy to make that you will never even think of buying a can of cranberry again! Cranberry sauce adds a delicious tartness to any meal and the crimson color is perfect for holiday entertaining. Orange juice adds some zest and depth of flavor.
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Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Christmas, Cranberry, Holiday, Thanksgiving
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 1/2 cup servings
Calories: 51kcal
Cost: $3

Equipment

  • Heavy bottom sauce pan

Ingredients

  • 1 12 oz Fresh cranberries Rinsed. Remove any damaged berries.
  • 1/2 cup sugar I use organic cane sugar
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions

  • Combine sugar, orange juice and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil; add cranberries, return to boil. Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring every once in awhile. Cool at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 51kcal

Potato Salad Recipe (No Mayo)

I prepared this super flavorful, easy potato salad recipe (No Mayo) this morning.  It is delicious, full of flavor, and I promise it comes out perfect every time!  No mushy, watery potatoes here.  The tangy vinaigrette is French inspired with a hint of Dijon mustard and plenty of herbs.  This is the sort of potato salad I grew to adore on my many trips to France.  I also like mayo sometimes but not on my potato salad.

I serve this potato salad warm, at room temperature or chilled.  Furthermore, it will last in the fridge for up to five days (if you do not eat it all at once…it is that good!).  And, it is vegan, vegetarian and gluten free so it will please many eaters.

Creamy new (or thin skinned) potatoes are paired with an herby vinaigrette dressing which combines virgin olive oil, wine vinegar and Dijon mustard.  Add a crunch of red onion, a bit of chives and a generous dose of herbs and you have a perfect potato salad recipe.  And bonus – if you can find a mix of potatoes as I did, the purple variety is particularly healthy!

Where does potato salad originate?

Potato salad is German but varieties also come from France.  Americans have embraced potato salad, and there are many varieties both with mayo and no mayo.  Historians believe that potatoes originated in South America.  Peru is well known for having many varieties of potatoes – up to 400!

Are potatoes healthy for me?

Potatoes have a bad rap as adding to weight gain and being full of carbs.   However, the way you prepare them makes a huge difference.  Deep fried potatoes for chips and fries are high in carbs, fats and calories, and the deep-frying removes much of the nutrition.  Simply boiled or baked potatoes are full of fiber and contain plenty of vitamin C.  I used a mix of heirloom fingerling potatoes today, and was happy to find out on Dr. Axe that they are very high in vitamins and antioxidants.

Can I substitute some of these ingredients?

Yes.  This potato salad recipe is very versatile.  You can add in chopped celery, hard cooked eggs, other fresh herbs such as basil and cilantro.  Experiment with what you like best!

Potato Salad Recipe (No Mayo)

Potato Salad Recipe (No Mayo)

Tender, creamy new potatoes are combined with a tangy, French inspired dressing. Finely chopped red onions add crunch and fresh and dried herbs add bold bursts of flavor.
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Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, French, German
Keyword: Potato, Salad, Sides
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes
Servings: 6
Cost: $5

Equipment

  • Equipment
  • Large Saucepan
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Whisk

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds heirloom potatoes or thin skinned red potatoes
  • 2 TBS granulated sugar plus a ½ teaspoon for vinaigrette
  • 4 TBS white wine or red wine vinegar – divided in half
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Garlic salt to taste
  • 1 TBS of Herbes de Provence
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil I like Kirkland
  • 3-4 cloves garlic – minced
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard Grey Poupon works well
  • ¼ – ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ cup fresh parsley – gently packed & chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh dill – gently packed & chopped
  • 2 TBS of fresh chives chopped
  • 1 small red onion – finely diced about ¾ cup

Instructions

Instructions

  • Wash and quarter potatoes: It is important that you half or quarter the potatoes (depending on their size) so that all of the pieces are close to the same size. If the sizes vary, then some of the potatoes will become over cooked (this is where mushy potatoes happen!). You will also want to wash and chop your herbs, onion, garlic at this point too so that making the dressing moves quickly.
  • Cook the potatoes: Cover potatoes with cold water in a large sauce pan. Add potatoes and bring the water to a gentle boil over high heat. Once boiling add in 2 tablespoons of salt, 2 tablespoons of the sugar and 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork tender, about 9-11 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  • While the potatoes are cooking, make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together oil, garlic, remaining 2 tablespoons of vinegar, Dijon, crushed red pepper flakes, Herbes de Provence and a ½ teaspoon of sugar. Season with 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper. Whisk until fully combined. Add in the parsley, chives and dill. Stir until combined. Set aside.
  • Finish the potato salad: Drizzle half of the dressing over the warm potatoes and gently toss to combine. Add in the red onion. Combine gently again. Drizzle in the remaining dressing to taste. Gently combine until everything is coated. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
  • Serve the salad: Serve warm, at room temperature or chilled. If serving warm and right away, let it sit out on the counter for at least 10 minutes for the flavors to come together.

Notes

Do NOT continuously boil the potatoes at a high heat or you run the risk of the potatoes falling apart, and becoming mushy/watery.
As soon as you drain the potatoes toss in the dressing. Warm potatoes soak up the dressing. Cold potatoes will not (and the dressing could become congealed when it hits the cold potatoes).