Spicy Cranberry Sauce

December 12, 2014 / ktbuchs87 / 1 Comment

I think cranberry sauce might be one of the most debated dishes at holiday meals. Do you make it from scratch or get in the can? Leave it tart or add copious amounts of sugar? Eat it on it’s own or use it as a turkey topping? Each family has their own preference and it’s usually steeped in tradition. We’ve always done it this way so we’re going to keep doing it this way.

Delicious canned cranberries. Look at those rings!

Well my cranberry palate has changed over the years. When I was younger, I was all about the canned cranberries. Nothing was better than opening the can and shaking it back and forth until the glob of cranberries, shaped exactly like the can rings and all, slid out onto the plate. I loved slicing rings off of that glob and gobbling them up. I’m sure the crazy amounts of high fructose syrup had nothing to do with that… Then as I got older I really started to like the cranberry relish that my mom made every year. It was a mix of cranberries, apples, oranges, and spices. I liked the tartness of the cranberries with the sweet of the apple and I liked the simplicity of the dish.

Then my mother in law brought a new cranberry sauce to Thanksgiving this year and it was amazing. It was a Guy Fieri recipe and it was a sweet and spicy sauce that was just awesome. I had to control myself so I didn’t eat the whole container! Luckily, I was able to snag some leftovers and got to enjoy the cranberries for a little longer. But once they were gone, I knew that I needed to make some more. So I looked up the recipe and realized that I had none of the ingredients other than the cranberries. Since I didn’t want to make a trip to the store just to get the ingredients for one dish, I decided to see if I could make my own version.

With a minimal amount of ingredients, I was able to recreate the sweet and spicy sauce that I had fallen in love with. This is a really easy dish to make and you can use this sauce for numerous other dishes. I’ve mixed it into oatmeal, used it as a topping for fish, tried it on some cookies, and even just eaten it with a spoon. It’s that versatile. Ok, enough talking about cranberry sauce time to go make some!

Spicy Cranberry Sauce

*adapted from Guy Fieri’s Red Devil Cranberries

1 cup whole cranberries
1 cup water
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (less if you don’t want it as spicy)
1/4 tsp salt

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup water and 2 tbsp honey to a boil and then immediately lower to a simmer. Add in the cranberries and stir occasionally. Keep stirring until the cranberries start to burst.

2. Add in all the seasonings and stir to combine. Keep the heat on low and cook until the sauce has reduced and started to thicken.

3. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your taste. Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool. As it cools it will thicken even more. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

That’s it! It’s a fairly simple process and the sauce keeps for awhile in the fridge. Because cranberries are so abundant and cheap right now, you can make big batches and then freeze so you can have a delicious sauce for weeks to come. I hope that you enjoy your weekend and I’ll see you on Monday!

How To Not Be Overwhelmed This Season

December 10, 2014 / ktbuchs87

There are a little over two weeks until Christmas arrives. Try not to start hyperventilating like I did yesterday when I realized how close it is. Every year I tell myself I am going to be super organized when it comes to buying presents, decorating, baking, and everything else that comes with this season. And every year right about this time I’m still trying to get my act together. If you’re like me you’re probably wondering how you can get everything done in these last few days, while still getting all of your normal tasks completed. Don’t worry, it is possible to get everything done, go about your daily life, as well as enjoy a little bit of the holiday season. Here are a few tips to help keep you holly and jolly this year.

Make Lists

And check them twice. Seriously though, make lists for everything. Presents you have to buy, parties you’re going to, cookies you have to bake, if it needs to get done before Christmas put it on a list. If you try to keep everything in a mental list, trust me you are going to forget something. I like having one master list of everything and then smaller lists of specific things like gifts/cookies/parties/etc. This is the age of the smartphone and tablets, so it is really easy to have your lists right at hand. Or maybe you’re like me and you like having a good old fashioned hand-written list. Either way having a visual representation of what you need to get done will help, plus it feels really satisfying to cross things off your list.

Set up a schedule

With about two weeks left you still have enough time to spread out all of your tasks. Go through your list and make a schedule of when you need to get things done. Maybe you can bake cookies a few days ahead of time and freeze them or you have a free Saturday that you can dedicate to wrapping all your gifts. Plan out the next few days and try to get a few things off your list done. Having a deadline that is well before Christmas will save you from running around like a crazy person On Christmas Eve. It doesn’t have to be a strict schedule that you have to stick to, just a general idea of when you want things done.

Delegate

If you’re like me, you’re a little bit of a control freak. You like things done a specific way and at a specific time. The only way to get something done right and right away is to do it yourself. Believe me that attitude will not make your holiday season any easier. Learn to let a few things go and delegate jobs to others. You can’t possibly do every single thing on your list without going bonkers. Let friends and family help you and give some of your tasks to them. It will help ease your burden and it will let you enjoy Christmas. Plus it can be fun to have others help you and start new Christmas traditions.

Plan some fun

Yes your calendar is probably jam packed at this point, but try to make sure that not everything you have scheduled is work. It is easy to get wrapped up in all of the buying/gift-wrapping/baking/food-prepping that goes into this season and totally miss out on all of the fun things. Take a break from all of your work and go see a Christmas concert or movie, look at Christmas lights, go caroling, or build a fire, make some hot chocolate, and listen to a Christmas CD. Whatever is your favorite holiday activity, make sure you take some time to enjoy it. It helps to refocus your attention on all the fun and good of this holiday instead of becoming Scrooge who resents all the work.

I think the most important thing to remember is why we really celebrate this time of year. It isn’t all about the presents, the food, the shows, the concert, or the rush. It’s about our families and friends coming together to celebrate the gift that we were given all those years ago. It’s about spreading the cheer of this time of year to those who might not feel the Christmas spirit. It’s about being grateful for the immense amount of blessings that you have received this year and trying to pay it forward as best we can. Sure, parties and presents are fun and a part of the holiday, but they aren’t everything. Take a deep breath, turn on some Christmas music, and enjoy the most wonderful time of the year!

Monday Musings: Cookie Cutter Bodies

December 8, 2014 / ktbuchs87

I haven’t done a Monday Musing in awhile, so I thought I would bring that back. Sadly while the title of this post has the word cookie in it, there are no cookies. I’m sorry, I’ll make it up to you soon I promise. On with my musing.

Most of us want to be thought of as unique. We want to be seen as individuals and to have no one else like us. In general, I would say that these feelings are fostered in schools, at work, and in our daily lives. We are praised for being us and told that there is not another out there just like us. You think to yourself, “I am me and no one can be me like I can.” That all stops though when it comes to our bodies. Suddenly we want to have that person’s abs, that one’s buns of steel, and those eyes and hair.

You have probably thought of your dream body a lot. I know I have. I used to pour over magazines and watch movies and yearn for the perfect bodies that those people all seemingly had. Why couldn’t my body look just like theirs? I wasn’t happy having my own body looking the way I do because it seemed like everyone else looked a different way. How many of you have done that?

I know that there are so many of us who constantly pick apart our bodies and wish to wake up with the body of a goddess. I know that many of us work tirelessly to make that dream body come true, hoping if that we finally look like everyone else we will finally be happy. I know many of us just want our bodies to blend in with the general population instead of sticking out like a sore thumb. I have been there and I have felt those emotions time and time again. It took me a long time to be able to start to accept my body for what it was instead of what it wasn’t.

I think that it’s time that we start valuing our bodies like we value our individuality. We don’t NEED to look like everyone else, in fact unless you are an identical twin it is impossible to look like someone else. That is ok. No, that is great. Just like you want your thoughts, ideas, personality, and talents to be special, you should want your body to be special. It isn’t perfect, but guess what? No one has the perfect body and that is a beautiful thing.

For those of you caught in the dark thoughts of poor body image, I know that you have heard these words before. Love yourself, you’re special, no one can be like you. Those phrases bounce off you and make no impact. They all sound like ways to say you’re not beautiful but there are other things about you that you should be happy about. You might not have the legs of a model, but you’re hilarious. You don’t have long flowing hair, but you can sing like an angel. Don’t focus on your lack of a six-pack, you’re the next Mozart on the piano. Those are all good things to be, but when you look in the mirror and aren’t happy with what you see, those things don’t really matter.

Here’s the thing: you don’t have to look like anyone else! All you have to do is look like you. Stop trying to come up with a way to look like the girl next to you at the gym. Instead come up with ways to be proud of the body you possess. It can do so much and it deserves a little TLC. I know from experience that when you start to love what you have, your outlook becomes more positive. You may never have rippling arms, but you have arms and they are pretty great.

I know this has been a long musing, but I can’t stress enough how important it is that we start loving our special bodies and stop trying to become clones of each other. Start today by being thankful for the body you have and tell yourself that you are special and unique and there is NO ONE out there who has what you have. Be proud of that. Own it. You are you and that is awesome.

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Dip

December 5, 2014 / ktbuchs87

Necessity is the mother of invention right? Well that’s how this simple recipe came to be. I decided that I wanted a snack of celery and hummus and I was absolutely positive that I had some homemade hummus sitting in my fridge. Sadly, I was mistaken and there was no delicious hummus for me to eat my celery. So was left with two choices. I could eat my celery plain, but what kind of crazy person eats plain celery? Or I could find some substitute for my non-existent hummus. I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand to make a new batch of hummus but I did have a few things that I was able to throw together in less than 5 minutes and make a tasty dip. I bet that you probably have most of these things on hand now, so if you have some plain celery you have a hankering for go make this super easy dip!

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Dip

1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 tbsp tahini
1-2 tsp mustard (I used hot mustard, but you can use whatever you have on hand)

1. Ready? Mix this all together in a bowl and eat. That’s it!

You can adjust the amounts to your taste and the amount of dip that you need to make. This was a single snack size serving for me. This would be a really great dip for a crudite plate for a holiday gathering. I also used it as a topping for my lentil loaf last night and it added a really great flavor. So whip this up and enjoy!

How To Use Up Your Leftovers

December 3, 2014 / ktbuchs87

It’s almost a week after Thanksgiving and I’m sure some of you still have mounds of leftovers that you’re trying to get through. Thanksgiving leftovers are one of the best parts of the holiday but there are only so many turkey sandwiches you can eat before you never want to see a slice of turkey again. I thought that I would share some different ways that you can use up the various leftovers that you might have lurking around your kitchen.

Turkey/Ham/Whatever other meat you may have made

Obviously you can make a plain old sandwich, but why not jazz it up my making a turkey salad sandwich? Shred up the turkey and mix together with some mashed up avocado, a little lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Or use hummus or spicy mustard instead of avocado, whatever you have a hankering for.
Add shredded meat to any variety of dishes like soup, tacos, frittatas, quesadillas, or casseroles.
Make chili with leftover meat and any other vegetables you may have lying around.

Potatoes

Use leftover mashed potatoes as a topping for shepherds pie or meatloaf. You can even try it as a topping for my lentil loaf
Sweet potatoes can be used in many baked goods from bread to muffins. Just mash them up into a smooth puree and add into the batter.
Roasted potatoes (regular or sweet) make a great breakfast hash or can be added to scrambled eggs, stews, and casseroles.
Scalloped potatoes can be used as a crust for frittatas or quiche.

Stuffing/Dressing

Let some of your stuffing sit out on the counter overnight to dry out a little and you can use it as bread crumbs
Make stuffing dumplings by mixing stuffing together with 2 eggs, turkey, and some shredded cheese if desired. Form into balls and add into soup and cook covered for 15 to 20 minutes. You can also bake them in the oven at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes
You can also make a breakfast casserole with stuffing. In a casserole dish, place a layer of stuffing along the bottom. Add in green or red peppers, cooked sausage, or sauteed onions and garlic. In a separate bowl whisk 6 to 8 eggs and a little almond milk and then pour over the stuffing. Top with shredded cheese if you would like and bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes. Let sit on the counter for 5 minutes before you cut into pieces and eat.

Cranberry Sauce/Relish

Stir cranberry sauce into oatmeal and top with nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans for a seasonal breakfast
Use relish or sauce as a sandwich topping for a nice tart flavor
Make a winter salad by combining cooked quinoa/millet/farro/brown rice, diced sweet potatoes or butternut squash, cranberry relish or sauce, and seasonings like parsley or cilantro. Drizzle a little of olive oil and stir the salad all together.

Vegetables

Leftover vegetables often get put in the fridge and then forgotten. Add them into any dish like stir fry’s, soups, stews, or add into salads.
They are also good on sandwiches or if you’re having a taco night use as fillers for burritos.

These are just a few things that you can do with that pile of food you still have to get through. Get creative and see where you can add in leftovers to all of your meals. You can also freeze some of your leftovers to be used at a later time. This works well with meat and bread like dishes. As for all those desserts that are staring you down? I’m sure your neighbor or the office would enjoy having a treat!