Holiday Leftovers Recipe: Cranberry Orange Butter

Happy New Year!  Cranberries are often the only remaining leftover in the fridge by now, and sadly, they often end up getting tossed. Instead of throwing them out, try this super-simple recipe, and you can enjoy your cranberries for at least another week in a different form! Enjoy on hot cranberry bread or muffins, or warm biscuits.

This calls for cranberry orange relish, but you can also use plain cranberry sauce - just make sure to drain it well in step 1.

Using up leftovers doesn't get any easier than this!

Cranberry Orange Butter

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, room temperature
1/4 cup cranberry orange relish

Directions:

• Put cranberry orange relish in sieve over a bowl and let drain; discarding the liquid or keep it for another use.
• Put butter in shallow bowl, and when it reaches room temperature, add the cranberry orange relish.
• Using a fork or pastry cutter, mix the relish into the butter until well blended, then put in pretty serving dish and put in refrigerator to get cool and solid.
• Serve cold on hot cranberry bread or muffins.

Fun & Frugal Tips for Holiday Cooking Traditions

Holiday traditions become traditions for a reason – we love them.  But sometimes our budget doesn't love them quite so much.  When you get trapped into doing certain things and having certain foods during holiday gatherings, spending beyond your budget is a distinct possibility. How can you get away from paying more than you want to for these traditional foods and holiday entertainment year after year?  It may be a bit uncomfortable at first, but when you see the savings, you'll be glad you learned to break away.

Traditions May Have To Fall

It is very often difficult to break with tradition, especially during the holidays.  However, if you're hosting a holiday gathering and you have a budget to consider, you may have to step on some toes. I won't say it's going to be easy. The struggle may be internal, in your own mind.  Or, the struggle may be external, family members telling you that you “simply can't” skip Grandma's special six-hour-twelve-layer-dessert that costs as much to make as Junior's orthodontist bill.

Personal feelings can play a big part in these traditions. If you break the news to the family that this year you don't want to cook something or do something that you usually do, and you're met with shrieks and tears, then suggest that someone go ahead and take on that particular tradition.  You don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but be honest.  Then, if someone wants to take up the mantle, by all means, let them. Everyone wins, tradition is intact if someone feels it should be, and you are off the hook for the expense. And remember, not everyone in the family is necessarily in love with the tradition that you've been trying to figure out how to eliminate from your plans.  Do a fact-check in your family and find out before you spend the money and time on something nobody really wants.

Brainstorming New Traditions

If you and your family agree that a tradition must be lovingly set adrift, it is time to begin anew. This is where everything starts getting interesting, and fun. It's time to get everyone on board and start brainstorming. So the question is put to the family; If we're going to let go of the huge meal and all the other expense surrounding a holiday, what do we replace it with?

Christmas dinner in Sweden (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A fun idea to break away from tradition is to set a theme for your holiday dinner.  Have everyone bring one dish that they feel is consistent with that theme. For instance, make your dinner about the immigration of people from all over the world.  Feature dishes and decor from any region you think would be interesting. Choose areas of the world that are unknown to you, or celebrate your own heritage, or share a dish you enjoyed from your travels. Have fun with the variety that a themed event can provide.

But, don't stop there.  How would you like to host a beach party for Christmas?  Or a picnic for Thanksgiving?  Or a traveling meal, going between a few houses instead of one person responsible for the entire meal? The brainstorming session is all about throwing ideas on the table for everyone to consider.  Let your thoughts run wild and have fun with this new experience.

You Don't Have To Do It Again

Now that you are excited about brainstorming new ideas, it's time to remind everyone that even THIS new tradition doesn't have to be a tradition.  Next year you may forget the theme and just have hot sandwiches and movies.  The following year maybe you will host a Christmas breakfast instead of dinner.  Nothing is written in stone – even traditions.  

The idea is that if you have the privilege of hosting a holiday gathering for your family and friends, then you have the say about exactly what sort of event it will be.  Are you going to tote out Grandma's celery seed biscuits again, and throw them all out again, or are you going to get creative?

You don't have to stick to traditions when they don't work for your budget.  And when you try new traditions, you don't have to do it again. Don't let traditions dictate your budget.  Find a way to break free and enjoy what's really important – spending time with people you love and having some fun!

Recipe: Cranberry Egg Nog Punch

Merry Christmas! If you're looking for a way to warm up this evening after the kids are in bed, try this holiday-flavored adult beverage for a special holiday treat! It's also a great way to use up leftover eggnog and cranberry sauce - which means fewer leftovers to put away after dinner. :-)

Now, go put the cubes in the freezer for tonight, and enjoy your day, and lots of yummy food!

Cranberry Egg Nog Punch
(Serves 10-18.)

Ingredients:

1 gallon egg nog
1 can (or 15 oz home-made) whole cranberry sauce
1 bottle (750 ml) sparkling apple cider
3/4 cup spiced rum

Directions:

1. Prepare the ice cubes ahead:  Pour 2 cups egg nog and whole can of cranberry sauce into blender and puree until creamy and smooth. Pour into ice cube trays and freeze at least 8 hours or overnight.
2. Prepare the punch just before serving:  In bowl you're using to serve, pour the remaining egg nog, pour in the sparkling apple cider, stir in the rum, dump in all the ice cubes you made, stir, and serve immediately, making sure you have an ice cube or two in each glass.
3. Makes about 18 small servings of punch.

3 Questions To Ask Yourself Before Planning Your Holiday Meal

The difference between taking the time to really plan your holiday meal, and flying by the seat of your pants, is that the first way will typically result in an amazing dinner and a great time with family and friends.  The second way, not so much.  You're bound to feel the stress, frustration and quite possibly end up serving a less than splendid meal. Failing to plan wisely will inevitably lead you to spending way beyond your budget, in both money and time.  In order to avoid this undesirable outcome, there are three points you must focus on; your time, your guests, and your skills.

How Much Time Do I Have?

Christmas tree. (Photo credit: Christopher S. Penn)

It's quite likely that the first time the phrase 'time is money' was uttered was during preparations for a holiday gathering. Being aware of how much time you have to prepare your holiday meal is of the utmost importance. If you don't get a good idea of how much time you can spend on the feast, you could end up having to skip parts of the menu.  Or you could end up spending extra money to change your menu to speed things up to fit the time you have.  So, be completely honest with yourself when you figure out how much time you have. No, you do not possess super powers.  It's better to get that straight right now so you aren't trying to magically bend and stretch time later.

Yes, you have to realistically figure out how much time you have. But, there's more. You also have to know how much time the food takes to go from store to table.  If you have ten hours you can spend to prepare your holiday feast, and the menu takes twenty hours to shop, cook, and serve, something's got to give. If you think you can squeeze twenty hours worth of food preparation into ten hours, then you are a magician and don't need any help from me!  However, if you're not a magician and you're still going to try this trick at home, it's quite likely you will find yourself rushing around spending valuable time trying to gather ingredients to substitute for menu items you wanted to have but ran out of time to prepare. This could put a huge burden on your time, your money, and your sanity. Don't make the mistake of under-estimating how much time it takes to prepare for your feast and celebration.

What Do My Guests Want And Need?

You would think this is a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how something so simple can make such a big difference in the way your holiday feast turns out.  For instance, do your guests like to snack, mingle, chat, and then snack some more?  If so, why not focus on that approach rather than a huge sit-down meal?  After all that nibbling and mingling, if you lead your guests to a big seven course dinner, you may be putting a halt to the fun and putting your huge meal away untouched. However, if your guests are the kind who like to come in, sit down, and dig into a big meal, then by all means skip all the appetizers and get your meal on the table.  This keeps you from wasting money preparing a bunch of snacks when it's the meal everyone is looking forward to anyway.

Knowing your guests also means knowing their likes and dislikes. This doesn't mean you have to cater all your dishes to individual tastes, but try to reach a general consensus so you don't feel like you're running a restaurant, or spending money like a restaurant. Skip the rosemary potatoes if your guests are lukewarm with their responses when asked.  And, yes, I did say ask.  It's quite appropriate when you issue an invitation to a dinner to ask your guests if they have any preferences, dietary needs, or even allergies.  Go ahead and be specific and tell them what you plan to have on the menu and if anything could cause a problem.  It's all part of being a good host.

Crab served. Christmas dinner. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Where Do My Skills Fit In?

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to cook an over-the-top meal and dumping it into the trash just because you reached way beyond your skills. Avoid creating culinary disasters by knowing your abilities. You don't want to spend a lot of money, or time, on a holiday meal that is a vision of loveliness in the foodie magazine but has no basis in reality in your kitchen. The holiday meal is no time to experiment.  Find trusted recipes and use them.  If you want to try something new, stay within your range of skills and try them out beforehand if possible.  If you're the least bit nervous, stick with what you know. Your guests will always appreciate your tried-and-true dishes.

By being aware of your time, knowing your guests, and being true to your skill set, not only will you have a great holiday meal, you will also keep your budget intact. And that all leads to a fun, relaxing holiday celebration for everyone, including you!

Easy Christmas Cooking Through Planning Ahead

Christmas is a hectic time of year. Many families find that they barely have time to breathe much less cook dishes to bring for this or that function. For this reason there are a number of tasty "cheat" dishes that can be  prepared for these occasions and very few people will be the wiser. Though Christmas may be about being with friends and family, it is not about broadcasting a possible lack of talent in the kitchen, time on hand, or a shortage of attention span that is required in order to prepare a stellar dish for your Christmas needs.

Macaroni casserole (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Of course, you could begin preparing and freezing large casserole favorites as early as August for the Christmas season. In this instance you could freeze all your family favorites and have great dishes not only for family functions that require a pitch-in dish, but also for those nights when you are far too busy to be bothered with something as demanding on your limited attention span as actually preparing a home cooked meal. If you prepare casseroles and similar dishes that work well with a holiday theme throughout the year be sure to double your efforts next time and freeze half for busier months such as November and December.

But if you didn't think to do that this year, not to worry! Foods that you cook this week and freeze for next week will be fresh and ready to pop in the oven come Christmas day. Pies and casserole-type dishes work best for this, but even some soups and appetizers can be made ahead and frozen. If you're making a Christmas ham, these are usually pre-cooked, so you just need to heat them in the oven for a bit, and then you're ready to eat. If you do this right, when you get to the big day, you may only need to make the salad and mashed potatoes!

Christmas dinner. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Besides cooking some items ahead, you can also help prepare for your Christmas meal by making a list and shopping early. Not only will you avoid the crowd of last-minute shoppers, but with a list of everything you need, you can keep from making those impulse purchases that sometimes happen if you make multiple shopping trips or are just shopping willy-nilly. Sit down ahead of time and plan out your menu, gather the recipes you plan to use. This will make it easy to assess what you already have on hand, and then make a list of everything else you will need to purchase for the meal. Make this a day or two ahead of your shopping trip, so you can add on any items that pop into your head that you may have forgotten on the first pass. Then go buy everything in advance and start your preparations. That way when the guests start to arrive, you can enjoy their company rather than having to make a last-minute trip to the store for something you forgot!

You do not have to have super powers or even a great deal of cooking talent in order to make a Christmas dinner that is delicious and easy to make when time is short. Careful planning well ahead of time is often the key to a successful Christmas season. Most of us begin our shopping early, and there is no harm in also beginning our cooking and meal planning a little early too.

Traditional Christmas Cooking Tips & Ideas

Christmas is a time of year when families all around the world will get together and observe unique traditions specific to their own families. In America however, there are some foods that many people consider traditional holiday cooking, although many of these traditions are regional rather than nationally accepted.

Traditional Christmas Eve supper in Poland. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For example: turkey or ham? For some families the answer is both while others answer quite quickly that it is neither. One of the best all-American Christmas cooking ideas for my family is lasagna. It's just special enough for the holiday, and honors my Italian roots! There are no right or wrong traditions - only those traditions that work well for you and your family.

Other great traditional favorites for many Americans as far as Christmas cooking goes are things such as sweet potato casseroles, deviled eggs, dressing or stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, apple pie, mince meat pie, and pecan pie. Of course there are regional favorites that are often highly dependent upon where you live such as key lime pie, lemon icebox pie, oyster dressing, deep fried turkey. If one of these is a Christmas tradition for you, no matter where you are in the world you will think of home or Christmas whenever you come across them. And if you are separated from loved ones this year, a shared Christmas food tradition can help you feel closer even across the miles.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

That, of course, is the great thing about Christmas traditions. We pass them along to our children who one day will find that they are a little less alone because someone in an airport is eating a slice of key lime pie or having a dish or macaroni and cheese. If you don't have Christmas traditions it is time to develop a few just so that you can share something special and almost sacred with your friends and family. Be sure to check back later this week for some delicious holiday recipes that just may become a tradition in your household!

Video - Christmas Sugar Cookie Recipe

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday!  We will not be posting next week - I will be traveling to spend time with my family. But be sure to check back just after the New Year for more great recipes and cooking from scratch tips! Stay warm and safe, enjoy your loved ones, and enjoy all the holiday goodies - remember it's okay to splurge once a year!  :-)

Here is a simple and good from-scratch recipe for Christmas cookies to bake with the kids - or just to take to a holiday party. This basic recipe is easy to make and versatile - feel free to add other ingredients or flavorings if desired. It's as easy as a pre-packaged mix, but without all the preservatives and artificial ingredients, and you can cut down on the sugar if you like.

Makes a great plate of decorated cookies for Santa! :-)

Simple Sugar Cookie Cutout Recipe (Christmas Cookie Cutouts)
Same cookie recipe as yesterday, but I wanted this recipe to be a "stand alone" recipe so that people looking for a simple sugar cookie recipe would be able to find it without the melted snowman instructions. Cookies: Makes approximately 2 dozen 4 in...



More Fun Christmas Cookie Recipes:
   

Holiday Cooking Tradition: Christmas Cookies with the Kids

Christmas cookies are as much a part of the Christmas tradition for many as a visit from Old St. Nick himself. The cookies are often prepared in hopes of his pending arrival by children that are as excited as they can possibly be with all sorts of visions of great things to come dancing around in their bright and shining little eyes. Preparing the cookies in these instances can be a great time of bonding with your little ones but can also be a trying time if you don't follow a few of the tips and hints listed below.

Image via Wikipedia1. If you want to make cooking Christmas cookies and/or candy with your little ones the very best experience for you all that it can possibly be make sure you do it on a day when this is the only thing on your calendar. You do not want to rush through this time that is not only important for bonding with your child as a parent but also a time that is an important opportunity to lock in a few precious memories of great times you'll spend together. This is one thing that you want your children to look back at Christmas and remember doing with you and you want to be able to look back on Christmas and remember doing this with your children.

2. You should also make sure that everyone is well rested and well fed before beginning the process. This is important now more than ever, as we know more about the dangers of commercially farmed foods, such as raw eggs, that are included in cookie dough as well as the dough for many of our favorite Christmas confections and candies. You do not want to risk the health of your children through temptation over raw cookie dough.

3. Be sure that every child gets a turn with the fun stuff. This includes of course using the mixer and watching things spin around as well as choosing their personal favorites for the next batch of cookies. You should also make a few cookies that you plan to let them paint, decorate, and play with just for fun and their own personal enjoyment. This will guarantee a few smiles while also scoring a few brownie points for mom.

Image via Wikipedia4. Be patient and expect spills and messes. If you can afford a cleaning service once a year, the day after your cookie extravaganza is the day you want to splurge. Seriously, don't sweat the small stuff. We make little messes every day it shouldn't be such a shock when they make a really big mess in one day. This is one of the reasons why you want to plan your cookie making on a day when the calendar is clear-you will need time for clean up when all is said and done.

5. Make sure you have all the necessary ingredients for each and every recipe before you begin. This is very important as cookie dough doesn't wait well for that final egg and children don't understand very well when they are interrupted from one project to run a quick errand (also, when was the last time you made it in and out of the grocery store in under an hour?). If you can make it through all the steps above you should be in for smooth sailing and Christmas cookie baking!

Classic Christmas Cookie Recipes:
   

Plan Ahead For A Fun Christmas Dinner Experience

Christmas is a time of year that brings friends and family together who may not have the pleasure of one another's company at any other time throughout the year. While family ties may be a bit difficult to maintain in the world in which we live today, the traditions of Christmas for many families are what keeps us grounded and in touch with one another no matter how far apart we are geographically. The problem is that if one person is doing the cooking for all, that person tends to spend endless hours in the kitchen and misses out on the joys of the company of others year after year. One way to avoid this is by rotating locations for the festivities from one year to the next. Another great way is to delegate items of contribution from all guests in attendance each year so that the cooking and meal preparation duties are shared among the masses.

Image via WikipediaOf course this isn't a perfect plan but it is a good plan. Another great plan is to prepare pieces and parts of your Christmas dinner ahead of time. With careful planning there are items that may be prepared as much as a few weeks ahead of the big day and stored either in air tight containers at room temperature or frozen for heating or baking on the big day or within a reasonable time frame of Christmas for best results. Any of the prep work that can be taken care of before the big day is one less thing to be taken care of when the time comes and that becomes a load off your mind.

Make lists. Lists are wonderful things. If you learn to live by your lists you will wonder how on earth you ever got anything done without them. When you are planning your Christmas dinner write down everything you plan to have, who is bringing what, what you are making, and what ingredients will be needed to complete each and every single dish. Go through your pantry and see which items you have in abundance and which items you will need to prepare the meals. Head to the store at least a week ahead of the big day and purchase all but the fresh ingredients you will need in order to prepare your Christmas feast. And if you are preparing your own fresh meat - such as fish, or a turkey you have butchered yourself, be sure to allow plenty of time for preparing and cleaning them.

Image via WikipediaAnother thing you will need to do is make sure you have a list of all the non-food items you will need to stock ahead of time. Make sure all the bathrooms are stocked, that you have plenty of garbage bags, waste baskets, paper plates, cups, napkins, cutlery, and other items that will be needed in order to make things go smoothly when your guests begin to arrive. These are little things that matter and may get overlooked if you fail to plan ahead.

You should also make a list of decorations, invitations, and gifts or games you may need to purchase for the day too. You want your day to go as smoothly as possible and you want everyone to have a great time. It may be a good idea to pick up a couple of generic gifts for a male or female in case someone unexpected shows up (you really never know) and have extra wrapping paper and supplies on hand in case someone has an emergency re-wrap (as in a kid opened a gift intended for someone else) - it happens! Most importantly, plan to be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy as much of the festivities as possible.

More Holiday Entertaining Tips:
   

What to Do With Christmas Dinner Leftovers?

Image via WikipediaAfter the big meal has come and gone, depending on the quantity of food you prepared and the number (and appetite) of your guests, you may have quite a few leftovers remaining!  Rather than eat turkey sandwiches 5 days in a row, check out this article for how to waste less food, and find creative ways to use up the remains of the day.

How to Waste Less Food This Christmas
If you do find some Christmas trimmings leftover in the fridge, consider using them up to make family meals. A traditional Boxing Day dinner for many families is cold meat, pickles and bubble and squeak - all made out of the Christmas ...
Publish Date: 12/13/2010 7:28
http://www.suite101.com/content/how-to-waste-less-food-this-christmas-a320111

 

Related articles on Holiday Meal Leftovers:

• Recycle Christmas Leftovers! (merrymicrofiberblog.com)
• Our five favourite ways to use up leftover turkey (recyclethis.co.uk)
• Planning for Christmas Leftovers (frugalrecipes.wordpress.com)
• Best Ham Leftovers Ever (wholefoodsmarket.com)