A Hearty Minestrone

Soup is the epitome of comfort food and has, as some believe, the power to soothe one's soul. Whether it is the prelude to a meal or it is the meal itself, it never, ever fails to satisfy (unless of course the soup isn't to your liking). If the taste of the soup wasn't enough, there is the added benefit of the aroma created while it is simmering. This aroma can be simply intoxicating. A cold fall or winter day is great weather for making most soups and perfect weather for making this hearty minestrone. It can made early in the day and served for lunch or dinner. Or if you can or have to wait, it can be served the next day. Either way, this hearty minestrone is one of those soups that really does soothe one's soul.

Like a great bolognese, a great soup can also be a labor of love. And this hearty minestrone soup is just that, a labor love. Like all great loves, it is one well worth the effort and investment of time. It was not until I made this minestrone did I truly understand all that went into making it. So weeks after my childhood best friend had this minestrone made and ready for me when I returned from the two day drive back to the midwest from the east coast, I told her I should have 'kissed the ground she walked on' for making it. Not only because it was insanely delicious, but because I knew she had made it after a long day of work (which meant she was on her feet for another couple of hours). In retrospect my simple 'thank you' expressed on the day we all enjoyed the soup did not seem to be enough.

Sautéed pancetta and a rind of Parmigiano-Regianno cheese elevate this minestrone from ordinary to extraordinary as the depth of flavor is further enhanced by these two ingredients. Leaving them out of the soup would be akin to leaving out the pecans in a pecan pie, the cocoa in hot chocolate, mozzarella cheese on a margherita pizza. In other words, it is not a hearty minestrone or even a minestrone if you leave out the pancetta and Parmigiano-Regianno cheese. Pancetta has become so readily available that you can almost always find it in the deli section of the grocery store. For this recipe you want really thick slices of pancetta so it can be cut into a 1/2 inch dice. One cut pancetta is cooked over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes (stirred occasionally) in two tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil or until lightly browned.

In addition to the usual suspects of celery, garlic, onions, carrots and spinach, there is a vegetable you may not always associate with minestrone. That would be butternut squash. Like the pancetta and Parmigiano-Regianno cheese, the butternut squash sets this minestrone recipe apart from most others and adds to its' delicious hardiness (and heart healthiness).

So where does the labor of love come in? Well it comes first in the preparation stage and second in the cooking and simmering stages. So if (no when) you plan to make this soup, make sure you aren't making it at the end of a really long day (like I was) as it takes some time to cut up all of those vegetables into a half-inch dice. But don't let all of this cutting be a deterrent, think of it as an opportunity to work on your knife skills, or a time to let your mind just wander, or a time to let your mind race with all sorts of thoughts (just make sure to pay attention when you are cutting). The chopped vegetables along with the chopped thyme and garlic are added to the sautéed pancetta and cooked for 8 to 10 minutes or until they begin to soften (but still retain their shape).

Once the vegetables are sautéed, you add the can of diced tomatoes, 6 cups of chicken stock, 1 Tablespoon Kosher salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, a bay leaf or two and a 2 to 3 inch Parmigiano-Regianno rind (still having some cheese on it). The minestrone is brought to a boil and then the heat is reduced to a simmer. Continue cooking uncovered for at least 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

While the soup is simmering (about 30 minutes) you bring salted water to boil and add two cups of pasta. If you do not want your pasta to 'overtake' the minestrone, use the tubetti pasta (it is an even smaller version of the digitali pasta). The pasta is cooked al dente according to package directions and drained before adding to the minestrone.

In addition to the drained pasta, a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans and a half cup of a dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc works incredibly well) are added to the simmering vegetables (remove the bay leaves at this stage) and cooked for about 10 minutes. And if I have made you think the making of this soup is a little 'too much' for you (there are some of you thinking this), you can be enjoying a glass of white wine while you make this minestrone. No matter how much we may love to cook, we sometimes we need to reward ourselves with something tangible. And a glass of wine could not be a better example of something tangible!

The spinach is added and cooked until the leaves have wilted. If the soup is too thick add one to two cups of additional chicken stock. The final ingredients added to the soup are a 1/2 cup of dry white wine and two tablespoons of pesto. These are stirred in and allowed to simmer in the minestrone for 5 to 10 minutes. The hearty minestrone can be served immediately or the next day. When serving, finish the bowls of the minestrone with a drizzle of olive oil and some shredded Parmigiano-Regianno cheese. Note: The flavors of this minestrone further develop overnight, so it easily lends itself to being reheated.

Recipe
A Hearty Minestrone (slight adaptation to Ina Garten's Winter Minestrone recipe)

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil, plus more when serving
4 - 5 ounces pancetta, 1/2 inch diced
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions 
2 cups diced carrots, about 3 to 4 large carrots or 4 to 6 smaller carrots (1/2 inch dice)
2 cups diced celery, about 3 large stalks or 4 to 6 smaller stalks (1/2 inch dice)
2 1/2 cups diced peeled butternut squash (1/2 inch dice)
4 to 5 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1 (2 to 3 inch) rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (rind should have some cheese remaining on it)
26 ounce can of diced tomatoes (recommend San Marzano)
6 to 8 cups chicken stock
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt 
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked small pasta (recommend tubetti) cooked al dente according to package directions
10-12 ounces baby spinach leaves or rough chopped standard sized spinach leaves
1/2 cup good dry white wine (recommend Sauvignon Blanc)
2 Tablespoons pesto (store-bought or homemade)
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (for serving)
Bread or Bruschetta for serving with soup

Directions
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin oil in a large, heavy pot (think wide). Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat until it is lightly browned (about 6 to 8 minutes).
2. Add the onions, celery, butternut squash, garlic and thyme and cook over medium heat until the vegetables begin to soften (about 8-10 minutes). The vegetables will soften but will retain their shape.
3. Add the can of tomatoes, 6 cups of chicken stock, one or two bay leaves, 1 Tablespoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper and a 2- 3 inch rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer and continue cooking (pot uncovered) for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
4. Discard the bay leaf.
5. Add the cannellini beans and cooked pasta. Cook on low heat until beans are heated through (about 5 to 10 minutes). If the soup is too thick at this point add up to 1 or 2 cups of the remaining chicken stock.
6. Add the chopped spinach, cooking until the spinach leaves are wilted.
7. Add the 1/2 cup of dry white wine and two tablespoons of pesto, simmering for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.
8. Check for saltiness, if needed add salt to taste.
9. The bowls of soup should be drizzled with some extra-virgin olive oil and some freshly shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Serve with either chunks of thickly cut bread or bruschetta.

With Thanksgiving now (unfortunately) over, I suppose it is time for me to begin thinking about the Christmas holidays. Only I don't want to just yet. I would rather just spend a few more days savoring this year's Thanksgiving experience before moving on to making lists, planning, baking, decorating, cooking, entertaining and wrapping (it is exhausting, in a sort of good way, to think about all of the energy that goes into (only one of the aspects of) Christmas).

We spent this Thanksgiving in the back country, the hinterlands of Kentucky with some very good friends. While we (literally) ate Thanksgiving dinner outside under the stars, we enjoyed the comforts of a heated wooden cabin complete with a fireplace, hot tub, and a spectacular view of the Red River Gorge. Getting to this beautiful, somewhat remote cabin meant having to walk down 80 stairs. But getting out meant walking up (ugh) 80 stairs. Yet, in addition to the climbs to and from the cabin (yes there were multiple ones in a day), we also went on some relatively short, steep, at times a little slippery (less than 2 mile round trip) hikes. My calves and quads have never had such a workout!

I can be a bit of a wimp when it comes to hiking on surfaces where there are more inclines than flat surfaces (meaning I whine through some of it as well as make the hikes a little longer for everyone while I catch my breath). But no matter how hard (I think) the hike is, the rewards are always well worth the effort (and overcoming of some irrational fear of falling). Hikes hard for some may be easy for others. The making of minestrone soup might fall into this category too (okay this could be a stretch, but not too far of stretch). The perception of easy and hard is all relative (something we all know, but at times can have difficulty acknowledging, particularly when we find something easy).

I sought to capture some of the views experienced during the hikes with my camera, but only looking at photos would have not been a replacement for having had the experience itself. So yes, for me, the breathlessness was worth taking in the breathtaking views. Needless to say I am thankful I didn't talk myself out of any of these hikes, but even more thankful to have spent this holiday so differently (meaning abandoning tradition and being open to possibility) as it just might be one of those experiences that forever changes how I look at my favorite holiday again.

Chocolate Covered Cashew Clusters

Almost anything dipped or covered in chocolate tastes better, right? High on the list of my favorite chocolate covered foods, other than Oreos, are cashews. As delicious as cashews are all on their own, when covered in chocolate they are transformed into a bite of pure decadence. Remember the somewhat memorable line from the Forrest Gump movie "Mama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get? ". Well a box of chocolate covered cashew clusters is the perfect gift for those in your life that like a little bit (or even alot) of predictability (aka for whom change doesn't come easy) as well as for those who are a little more adventurous (aka willing to take some risks). In other words, you can't go, you won't go wrong making these chocolate covered bites of wonderfulness.

Making chocolate covered cashew clusters could not be easier. During the hectic holidays or one's hectic life, having a chocolate confection that is simple, relatively quick to make, and doesn't require much planning ahead can be a lifesaver. If you believe in keeping things simple, chocolate covered cashews could become one of your favorite things to make and give to family and friends.

Like with most things, the quality of the ingredients can sometimes mean the difference between 'not so good' and 'really great'. Whatever you do, don't use the chocolate wafers that come in every color under the rainbow (you know the ones I am talking about, they are the ones often called 'candy melts' or 'almond bark' as these are generally made with vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter). One of my favorite chocolate shops in Illinois is Grahams. Their milk chocolate confectioner's discs are perfect for making cashew clusters (available online for those you not living in the western suburbs of Chicago). (The dark chocolate confectioner's discs from Grahams's are equally perfect.) However, the Ghiradelli melting chocolate discs work really well too. If you have a chocolatier near where you live and they sell confectioner's chocolate, you have yet another option. In other words, I am trying to eliminate all of the obstacles for you!

Melting good chocolate, mixing in roasted, salted whole cashews and dropping by the tablespoonful on parchment paper is the extent of this 'recipe'. The size of the cashew clusters is about the only decision you need to make. Once the chocolate cashew clusters have set simply place them in small candy papers. If you are not serving them on the day you make them, just store in a covered container. These are so addictively good that you may have to hide them from your family if you were planning on serving them at a gathering.

Recipe

Chocolate Covered Cashew Clusters

Ingredients
1 pound of milk chocolate confectioner's discs (recommend Grahams Chocolates or Ghiradelli Melting Chocolate) or for those of you like dark chocolate I recommend using a semi-sweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate (no more than 60% cocoa)
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds of roasted and salted whole cashews (a generous 3 cups)

Directions
1. Melt chocolate discs in a glass bowl set over a pan of hot, simmering water.
2. When chocolate has melted, remove bowl from pan. Stir in cashews.
3. Drop tablespoons of the cashew/chocolate mixture on parchment paper. Allow chocolate to set.
4. Place cashew clusters in small paper cups. 
5. Store cashews in a covered container.

Just like any act of service, there are always small ways to show others you care. For me, cooking and/or baking for others has been my way of sharing a small part of myself, of showing gratefulness. The holidays always provide me with the opportunity to thank people that extended a kindness to me over the year even if I had already shown my appreciation and thankfulness to them.

For me the best kindnesses are the ones unexpected, the ones genuine, and the ones coming from the heart. It is often hard to repay these kindnesses, because more often than not, they are given without the expectation of anything in return. And it is the simplest of kindnesses that are the most endearing. A bag of my favorite brought when working a really long day, a note left on a windshield, freshly picked flowers waiting for me, and the 'just thinking of you' phone call are just some of the kindnesses permanently etched in my memory, in my heart.

A Wicked Cranberry Margarita

One cannot thrive on food alone, especially during the Thanksgiving holidays. And cranberries were not just meant to be eaten. Whether we are rewarding ourselves for being on our feet for hours of cooking, bracing for the family dinner (even the best of families have their moments), spending it without loved ones or helping everyone relax just a bit, serving a beverage (one containing alcohol of course) is mandatory. And I am not talking about the wine served before or during dinner. No, this holiday calls for something a little more memorable and with a bit of a kick. And what better way to honor the holiday or add to the holiday cheer than to make Cranberry Margaritas. Okay for those scotch, bourbon or martini only lovers out there, you might think there is a better way to enjoy the holidays (really?), but for those of you who love a great margarita, this is a cocktail for you.

I have shared before that I hold one of my dearest friends responsible for my affection for both martinis and margaritas. And of the many things I am thankful for this holiday is my friend's influence on me, in more ways than just appreciating a great margarita (yes, it might be a little shallow to say I am thankful only for margaritas at the Thanksgiving table, but it wouldn't be the most shallow thought that has ever crossed my mind).

The only decisions you have to make when serving this margarita are deciding salt or no salt and ice or no ice. For me, salt is a necessity and with regard to ice, well let's just say I wouldn't send a margarita back if it had ice it. I am not that high maintenance (when it comes to margaritas that is).

The making of the Cranberry Margarita all begins with making a simple syrup. Cranberries, water and sugar are simmered until the cranberries burst. After the mixture is poured into a strainer, a wooden spoon is used to crush the cranberries to further release all of their incredible flavor. Three cups of cranberries, one half cup of water and one half cup of sugar yielded a little more than one half cup of a cranberry syrup (a rather thick syrup). The strained syrup is cooled and set aside.  Note: The recipe yields only 4 six ounce margaritas, so consider making more than one batch of the cranberry syrup if you are serving more than 4 people as I am certain at least one of them will ask for another.

Freshly squeezed lime juice are a must in a margarita. Two medium sized limes should yield about 1/3 cup of lime juice.

Cointreau and tequilla are the only other ingredients you need. Use your favorite tequila as this is a margarita that deserves nothing less.

The cranberry syrup, lime juice, Cointreau and tequilla are all mixed together in a pitcher. At this point you can either chill in the refrigerator or serve over ice. But you might not want to wait.

After one sip you will definitely want to be stocking up on cranberries as well as maintaining a supply of your favorite tequilla. This isn't just a margarita to be made during the holidays as a way of making them memorable (or forgettable), although it just might do that. No, this seriously wicked Cranberry Margarita should be made and served from the moment cranberries are first harvested until they are no longer available at the market. I am just glad I could share it with you while cranberries were still in season.

Recipe 
A Wicked Cranberry Margarita (inspired by a recipe shared by the Sweet Life)

Ingredients
3 cups of fresh cranberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 to 3 limes)
1/2 cup Cointreau
1 cup tequilla (recommend Avion Silver)
Ice
Margarita salt

Directions
1. Combine cranberries, water and sugar in a medium sized saucepan. Simmer until cranberries burst.
2. Pour mixture into a strainer set over a bowl. Mash cranberries with the back of a wooden spoon to further release their flavor. Allow cranberry syrup to cool. Yield should be at least one half cup.
3. Mix together freshly squeezed lime juice, Cointreau, tequilla and cranberry syrup in a pitcher. Either chill for at least an hour or serve over ice in glasses rimmed in salt.
Note: Makes four six ounce margaritas.

Pumpkin Pie

This Thanksgiving I decided it was finally time to make the pumpkin pie with a crust from scratch. My pie making cheating days needed to come to an end along time ago (cheating in my world would be using a store-bought refrigerated pie crust). Convenience and pie dough making trepidation has been standing in the way of me getting the satisfaction out of making my own crust. If the refrigerated pie crust dough I have been using all of these years has been good, I started to think 'wouldn't a homemade dough be even better, maybe even great?' Probably, right? So what's the worst thing that could happen if I couldn't first develop a knack for making a great tasting pie crust? The simple answer is a slightly deflated culinary ego and a not so great tasting pie. My ego has been bruised before and I have made my share of recipes I would rate as a one star. So the bar I have set for myself may not be as high as I think it is.

For years I have made only pumpkin pie recipe, Grandma Cottington's (a recipe published in Bon Appetit years back and remaining available on Epicurious) with a store-bought refrigerated pie crust. Since I was going out on a limb making a crust, I thought I would climb out a little further and try another pie filling recipe. This pumpkin pie was either going to be half good or all bad.

I couldn't have been happier with how the dough rolled out and I was beyond ecstatic at the color of the finished pie. Admittedly I am a little dough crimping challenged, however, I sort of liked the rustic look of my finished crust. It was after all 'just' a pumpkin pie, the pie we would like to believe was served in 1621 at the multi-day dinner between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag to celebrate the colony's first successful harvest. (Historical records actually show that pumpkin was served but not pumpkin pie. Such myths we learn in grammar school.)

Yet no matter how happy I was with the dough and look of the pumpkin pie, it would all come down to taste. The pie already had a leg up on its' looks, it just needed to pass the taste test. If you are not a big fan of pumpkin pie, this one could change all of that. This pumpkin pie is scream worthy good (as in When Harry Met Sally scream worthy). In just one bite I knew I had found a pumpkin pie recipe to rival the one I had been making all these years. And hey, even the ding to my culinary ego was averted, at least for the moment.

Traditional pie dough ingredients always call for some sort of fat (butter, lard or a combination of both), flour, salt, and a liquid. The liquid is generally water. In this dough recipe there are two liquids, water and apple cider vinegar. The apple cider vinegar helps to prevent the formation of gluten, which can make for a tough crust. And who wants a tough pie crust?

Rather than use a fork or pastry cutter to make the dough, I used a food processor but was careful to not over mix the dough. I learned while making this pie dough that I did not need to use all of the liquid the recipe called for. I attributed this to the fact that it was a cool, low humid day. Most likely when the weather is warm, the amount of liquid actually used will increase.

The dough came together beautifully. I quickly formed it into a flat disc, wrapped it in plastic wrap and placed it in the refrigerator to rest and chill. The dough needs to rest in the refrigerator for only an hour, but can be kept chilled overnight to allow the flavors to better develop. Because I was making this dough for the first time, I went with overnight chilling period.

This dough has a pliability to it that other doughs I have made in the past didn't (maybe that was one of the reasons for my dough making trepidation). I believe the easy of rolling out the dough had everything to do with the addition of the apple cider vinegar. I waited less than 10 minutes before rolling out the dough on a floured surface. I was amazed at how easy it was to roll out this dough. After wrapping the rolled dough around the rolling pin, I placed it in a ceramic pie plate. Once the dough was fitted into the pie plate, a fork was used to prick holes in the bottom. The rolled out dough was returned to the refrigerator to chill for (at least) 15 minutes. The oven is preheated to 375 degrees. Before the pie shell is put into the oven, it is covered with aluminum foil and filled with dried beans or pie weights. The shell is baked for 15 minutes or until the sides set up. Note: I removed the aluminum foil and weights from the pie shell after 15 minutes and returned the pie shell to the oven for an additional three minutes. While the shell is cooling, the filling is assembled.

I like a pumpkin pie that is highly spiced. The combination of cinnamon, ginger and allspice gives me the taste I am looking for in a pie. While cinnamon is the more dominant spice, the taste of ginger and allspice comes through. What attracted me to this recipe was the use of sweetened condensed milk in addition to the use of whipping cream. So what's a few more calories, if the outcome is a richer, creamier pie?

All of the pie ingredients are combined in a large bowl and whisked together. Instead of using freshly cooked pumpkin as the new recipe I found called for, I used the already prepared pumpkin puree (a 15 ounce can). If it means using canned pumpkin puree makes me a pumpkin pie filling 'cheater', I will live with that status.

The pie filling is poured into the pre-baked shell. In a pre-heated 350 degree oven it is baked for about 1 hour (or until center is set). There was a very slight jiggle left in the center of the pie after 60 minutes, however, when it cooled, it had the perfect texture. The pie is cooled on a rack for at least 30 minutes. Served at room temperature or chilled and with or without freshly whipped cream, it is a rich, creamy delicious pie. It took only one bite of this pie for me to know that this recipe was a keeper, but of course, I needed a few more bites for me to be certain.

Recipe
Pumpkin Pie (crust from Four and Twenty Blackbirds and pie is an adaptation of a recipe shared by Nancy Fuller)

Ingredients
Crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 pound cold unsalted butter cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup cold water
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup ice

Pie
A 15 ounce can of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup whipping cream (plus whipping cream for serving)
A 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons molasses
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 Tablespoon Saigon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
3 large eggs, room temperature

Directions
For Crust:
1. Combine water, cider vinegar and ice in a large measuring cup and set aside.
2. Stir together flour, salt and sugar in medium-large bowl and pour into food processor.
3. Add butter and process until pea sized pieces of butter remain.
4. Add 2 Tablespoons of ice water mixture and pulse slightly. Continue to add more of the ice water mixture 1 to 2 Tablespoons at a tie until dough begins to come together in a ball (there may be a few straggling pieces, that is okay it will all come together.)
5. Remove dough from food processor, shape into a flat disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour or overnight to allow flavors to develop.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
7. When chilled, remove dough and roll out on a floured surface. Transfer to a 9 inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Pierce the dough all over with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
8. Line the crust with foil, fill with dried beans or pie weights and bake until the sides are set, about 15 minutes.
9. Remove foil and beans. 
10. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees.

For Pie:
1. Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until well blended.
2. Pour filling into pre-baked shell.
3. Bake at 350 degrees in the center of the oven for 1 hour or until filling is set in the center.
4. Place pie on rack and cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. 
5. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Note: Serve with whipped cream.

I can sometimes be a creature of habit which is not necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes it can be a good thing, with sometimes being the operative word here. There are some habits I wish would return to more of a daily occurring habit (like running) and there are other habits I wish I could completely rid myself of (like drinking diet soda). But I am, as they say, still a work in progress, so shifts are still possible. Some of my habits fall into what I call the perception category. I can have a blind eye to some things and some people, meaning, no matter what (good or bad), my opinions get 'stuck' instead of remain 'fluid'. Rather than look for or even see changes, I look for the things that validate my own perceptions. Because for various reasons I don't want my perceptions to change (self-preservation, fear, and forgetting are amongst some of the reasons explaining my unwillingness to change these perceptions), with 'don't' being the operative word here.

Admittedly staying in the 'stuck' place is not fair, to anyone or anything, including me. More importantly, this inflexibility in my own thinking has, at times, meant that my expectations of others don't match the expectations I have for myself. Yet, every now and then something happens that causes a seismic shift in my thinking, in my perceptions. It can be as simple as having a conversation with someone or reading a book or as difficult as doing some soul searching. The concept of 'we see what we want to' is not a new one, but it is one that can have a significant impact on our personal happiness. Whether it is by divine intervention or an internal or external push, when one of these seismic shifts happens I feel fortunate. Fortunate not only that it happened, but even more fortunate that I didn't let the opportunity slip by (again). No one ever said change was easy, because sometimes the best things that happen to us aren't easy.

Spiced Cranberry and Dried Fruit Chutney

My first exposure to the taste of cranberries came at Thanksgiving while growing up in the midwest. To be more specific, it came in the form of a canned cranberry sauce (the jellied versus the whole berry version of course). As a kid, the overly sweet and tart cranberry sauce which slid out of the can and retained its' barrel like shape for hours was like having dessert with dinner. It made being forced to eat mashed potatoes tolerable. I don't think I ever saw a real cranberry until sometime well into adulthood. No, I am not going into a childhood food deprivation whine here (even though I would like to) as I would rather share how I came to find a cranberry alternative to the canned jellied sauce of my youth.

I don't have an exact count but I believe I have made more than a dozen versions of cranberry sauce and cranberry chutney over the years. Possibly more versions than any other food (including chocolate chip cookies). Whether it was using raw or cooked cranberries with varying amounts of sugar, spices, fruits, nuts or alcohol or whether it was a recipe labeled as a sauce or chutney, I just couldn't seem to find one having the perfect combination of taste and texture. Many of the recipes made I liked well enough, but I was committed to keep trying until I found 'the one' (I think I heard John Wayne's voice saying 'You are a persistent cuss, Pilgrim' several times over the past few years during this cranberry sauce/chutney making journey). For awhile I was beginning to think my search for this elusive perfect cranberry concoction would go on endlessly or I would just end up settling for one of them. One thing was certain, there would not be a return to the canned jellied cranberry sauce. So I was as beside myself as one can be when I finally discovered 'the one'. 'The one' turned out to be a spiced cranberry and dried fruit chutney. And it couldn't have been more different in taste and texture than what I had eaten growing up.

Of course, this would be one of those recipes I wouldn't share what the ingredients were until everyone had tasted it. Not because there was anything unusual in it, but because the combination of ingredients might give some pause before they even tried it (you know who these people are in your life). If you haven't guessed by now, I enjoy maintaining my 'taste first, tell later' philosophy when something new is being served. Particularly when this something new means a change is being made at the Thanksgiving table. Thankfully, this change was so well received I am convinced there would be a few unhappy campers if something other than spiced cranberry and dried fruit chutney was placed on the holiday dinner table.

Fresh cranberries, I have learned, come in various sizes. Some of the cranberries coming out of the bogs on the Cape are the size of large grapes and gorgeous, however, most cranberries are the size of marbles. Regardless of their size or shape, cranberries are not only one of the most beautiful fruits, they are considered by some to be a 'superfruit' due to their nutrient content and antioxidant qualities. Finally, I like a food that is actually good for you!

In addition to fresh cranberries, this chutney is made with two dried fruits: blueberries and apricots. The smaller wild dried blueberries are my personal favorites, but any dried blueberry will work in this chutney. The apricots are sliced thinly but not too thinly as you want them to remain intact in the chutney during the cooking process. Depending on the size of the dried apricots, they can yield three to four slices. I have found using scissors is easier than using a knife when slicing the apricots.

Okay so you are thinking, why all of the initial secrecy around the ingredients? Nothing different or unusual yet. Brown sugar and thawed frozen canned cranberry juice wouldn't qualify as different. However, maybe the combination of cinnamon, crystallized ginger, and crushed Aleppo pepper would. Alone the crystallized ginger and Aleppo pepper are not that unusual, except for me, they are not ingredients generally thought of as being used when making either cranberry sauce or chutney.

On the easy to hard scale, the making of this chutney falls to the easy end of the continuum. All of the ingredients except two are placed in a medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat. When the sugar has dissolved, the heat is increased to high. Stirring often, the mixture is boiled until thickened. This could take up to 4 minutes.

To gauge its' thickness readiness, I like to scrape a wooden spoon on the bottom of the pan. If I can see the bottom of the pan, I know I am at the right level of thickness. The chutney further thickens as it sets so if you slightly err the level of thickness, not to worry. Just make sure most of the cranberries have burst during the cooking process. When the chutney reaches the desired state of thickness you remove from heat and add a pinch of salt and two teaspoons of balsamic vinegar. While I think everyone likes balsamic vinegar, it might be another one of those ingredients not expected in a recipe with cranberries.

The oh so pretty cranberries are transformed into a really beautiful chutney. Beyond how it looks, I absolutely love the texture and layers of flavor in this chutney. And its' versatility makes it preferable over a traditional cranberry sauce. In addition to being a great side with either chicken or turkey, it can be served as an appetizer with softened cream or goat cheese and crackers. If that wasn't enough versatility for you, it also makes for a terrific condiment on turkey sandwiches.

Recipe (updated November 2019)
Spiced Cranberry and Dried-Fruit Chutney (ever so slight adaptation to recipe created by Jan Schroeder of Corvallis, Oregon)

Ingredients
2 cups (8 ounces/228 g) fresh cranberries
16 dried apricots, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces/100g) dried blueberries
1/3 cup (67g) light brown sugar
1/4 cup (1 3/8 ounces/40g) crystallized ginger, chopped
1/4 cup frozen cranberry juice, thawed (frozen cranberry juice is more concentrated than cranberry juice in the bottle and makes for a more flavorful chutney)
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon crushed Aleppo pepper (or cayenne pepper)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

Directions
1. Place all ingredients (except balsamic vinegar and salt) in a medium saucepan.
2. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
3. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until mixture has thickened, stirring frequently. (approximately 8-12 minutes).
4. Remove from heat and add balsamic vinegar and season with Kosher salt.
5. Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate.

Note: (1) The Spiced Cranberry and Dried Fruit Chutney can be made at least one day or up to a week before serving. Personally I like to make this chutney either on the morning of or the day before serving. (2) If serving more than 4 would highly recommend doubling the recipe. (3) The chutney pairs well with soft, creamy cheeses and crackers. It is a great addition to a charcuterie board.

A few weeks back I created a game of sorts with the only players being my niece and nephew. Once a week I text them a photo from an experience occurring during their childhood. The game part comes in when they have to identify its' location. The sibling who gets the location correct first receives a financial reward (we aren't talking alot of money here, just the kind of money that comes in handy for a college kid and just enough to peak their interest while indulging their aunt in this endeavor). With one of them in the eastern time zone and the other on mountain time, the timing of sending these texts has been the most challenging aspect of the game (because they are all about having it be fair, competitiveness is in their DNA).

Early on in their lives, they spent an incredible amount of time with us and almost every experience was photographed with a camera (cell phones with cameras weren't around back then, which really wasn't that long ago). I had wanted to capture these experiences in film, so that someday they could look back at the photos and remember their time spent at zoos, museums, county fairs, and on trips with an aunt and uncle who loved them very much. For me and hopefully for them, each of these experiences are (or will someday be) seen as the things that created the (indestructible) foundation of the relationship we have with one another today.

Now that they are in college and the amount of time spent with them is considerably less than it was when they were younger, I have sought to find (and not leave to chance) creative ways to continue to keep our connections with one another strong. So the game for me is just another way for me to remind them how much they have always been loved as well as a way of creating another memory between us as well as them. While it thrills me when they remember the events or places we went to, it thrills me even more to know that the quality of relationship we have with one another today came as a result of the time spent together. Finding ways to spend time and engage with these busy college kids on top of my busy life over the years hasn't always been easy. But every now and then, I need to make sure there are no cracks in the proverbial (relationship) foundation by creating new memories, even ones as seemingly silly as the game they are now playing.