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Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays from me, Joe, and the boys! I hope yall have a very Merry Christmas amd very Happy New Year!

Yesterday was spent with Joe and I going to see a movie, then coming home to open presents and do absolutely nothing else.  We spent the previous weekend with my parents and my brother and his super sweet family. Today was spent doing a ton of housework and cooking a delicious ham. Sounds fun, right? 

I love spending time with family, I really do. But it's nice to have some alone time in the rush of the holiday season. I'm thankful for everything I have with Joe and our boys and quiet holidays like this give me time to realize how much I really do have.

Have a good holiday y'all!  I'll include my super yummy ham recipe in a few days.

Monday, December 16, 2013

Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce

Joe and I decided that we would not travel this year for the holidays due to extensive travel throughout the year. Instead, we decided to keep a low profile and have a few of his co workers over for a late Thanksgiving dinner. We had a very traditional Thanksgiving dinner with an oven baked turkey, buttermilk mashed potatoes,  crockpot dressing, crockpot sweet potatoes, homemade cranberry pomegranate sauce, and a sweet potato pie.  I get full just from reading that list!

I'm not one that likes cranberry sauce... I'm also one that has never actually tasted cramberry sauce...Joe makes fun of me for this. I know, I know...you can't not like something if you've never tried it before but, hey! Its my party and I'll cry if I want to. 

I remembered at about 2 o clock on Thanksgiving Thursday that I hadn't yet gone to the store for cranberry sauce and I was not about to leave then and go. I'd watched the Thanksgiving Live show on the Food Network earlier in the day which made it about the 4th time I'd watched it  since that previous Saturday.  You could say I was a professional by this time when it came to Thanksgiving....haha only kidding!  I remembered seeing Alton Brown's recipe for homemade cranberry sauce and decised I'd give it a shot.  The only ingredients I had that he called for were cranberries and honey so I'd have to improvise...I didn't try the main recipe but I think this one is much better!

          Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce

1/4 cup cranberry-pomegranate juice
1/4 cup apple cider
1 cup honey
1/2 bag cranberries (I think its a 12oz bag)
Arils of 1 pomegranate

Mix together both liquids and honey in a medium saucepan amd bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce to a medium-low heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.  Add cranberries and pomegranate arils and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cranberries burst.  Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a mold of choice ( I used a pint and a half mason jar ans it was the perfect size) and refrigerate for 6 hours up to overnight.

I could have eaten this stuff straight out of the jar on crackers it was so good! Make it for Christmas and enjoy all the compliments you'll get!