This is Only About Cranberries

Punchy! Perfect! Cranberries!

Well, here we are: on the cusp of one of my favorite seasons of eating. Thanksgiving is a mere week away from today, meaning I only have seven days to wait until I am eating at least 3 different kinds of food items that contain cranberries. This is my Super Bowl!!!

As the subject of today’s Food & Stuff newsletter declares, this newsletter is mostly going to be about cranberries. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. Well actually, I do, because this is my newsletter so I am going to write about cranberries. That’s not entirely true; I’ll also share some other food thoughts, particularly about some cookies to put on your radar for Christmastime. Here we go!

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‘Tis the Season (For Cranberries)

Today I want to highlight SIX cranberry recipes, 3 of which are perfect for your Thanksgiving table and 3 that are great for the Christmas season.

Thanksgiving Cranberries

1. Spicy Cranberry Sauce: This recipe might strike you as a bit odd initially, but trust me when I say that this cranberry sauce is soooo good! The combination of savory ingredients (shallots & jalapeños) with the sweet-tart cranberries are a truly magnificent addition to your table. Try it out!

2. Cranberry Lime Pie: I’ve been making this pie for 5 years now, and it never, ever disappoints. It’s like a key lime pie but more festive and more delicious, given the addition of ~obviously~ cranberries and the gingersnap cookie crust. The I swap cream cheese in for butter, but otherwise, it’s great as is. It’s a bit time intensive but 100% worth it. I love the contrast zip of the flavors after the heaviness of the Thanksgiving meal. THIS PIE IS A MIRACLE!!

3. Classic Cranberry Bread: My mom has been making Ocean Spray’s cranberry bread for as long as I can remember, and it’s delicious! We omit the nuts, but the orange zest is truly a delightful addition to this bread. A Leuenberger family Thanksgiving favorite!

Christmas Cranbabies

1. Cranberry and Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake: I made this last year in my cast iron skillet and it felt so lovely and rustic and was incredibly yummy. Pretty easy recipe, too!

2. Cranberry Bundt Cake: I am a big fan of bundt cakes and I’ve made this one a couple of years in a row now. I actually omit the white chocolate buttercream icing on this because I feel like it’s good enough without it, but could totally be worth adding back on! The cake contains 3 sticks of butter and a block of cream cheese, so you know this is going to be good…

3. Cranberry-Glazed Chewy Almond Cookies: I made these cookies like four times last Christmas because they are easy, gluten-free, and bonkers-good. Below you’ll see a photo of them with the cranberry bundt cake from above! I LOVE CRANBERRIES!!!!!!!

Other Thanksgiving Recipes

• My favorite stuffing

• A really delicious sweet potato side (with pomegranates!)

• A risky but yummy brussels sprouts dish

• No-knead artisan-style bread

For Non-Holiday Eats

We all know I really just wanted to write a newsletter about cranberries, but I wanted leave you guys with an additional recipes that I’ve enjoyed the last few weeks.

Spiced Lentils and Rice with Garlicky Yogurt Sauce: This is a fantastic recipe. I made this when a vegetarian friend was over for dinner, and it did not disappoint. It’s an inexpensive dish to make. I like to serve mine with pickled red onions.

Spice Lentils and Rice with Garlicky Yogurt Sauce

Serves 6

Ingredients:
3 tbsp avocado or olive oil, divided
1 onion, sliced into half moons
1 ½ tsp salt, divided
2 tsp coriander
1 ½ tsp allspice
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp cumin
½ tsp turmeric
1 cup dried brown lentils
1 cup brown rice
4 cups water

Garlicky yogurt sauce:
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
2 tbsp water, or more to thin it out
1 tbsp lemon juice
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
¾ tsp salt
Black pepper

Garnish (optional): fresh cilantro, paprika, fried egg, pickled red onions

Instructions:
In a large pot, warm 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook over high heat for 4 minutes, or until they start to turn light golden brown (see picture above).

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and spices and stir constantly to toast them, about 15 seconds.

Add the brown rice and lentils and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and stir to coat them in all of the spices and oil.

Add the water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 40 minutes, stirring halfway. If there is still water left in the pot, remove the lid and turn to heat up to boil it off.

Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce by mixing together all ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and add more salt or lemon if needed. You may need to add more water to thin it out depending on the thickness of the yogurt you used.

Serve the lentils generously slathered in the yogurt sauce and topped with cilantro, paprika, and/or a fried egg, if desired.

& Stuff

If you’re looking to get in the holiday spirit soon, I implore you to check out the marvelous Christmas EP from The Oh Hellos. It is meant to be listened to in order, and is a marvelous movement of Christmas music that is enchanting every listen!

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And that’s all for today! If you make any of these recipes, please tell me! Last month, someone told me they made the chili recipe I included, and my heart lept for joy. I truly hope you find something to make that interests you or pass along to a friend who is as crazed about cranberries as me. Until next time, Happy Thanksgiving!