Cranberry-Dijon Salad Dressing

Alright, so I’ll be honest with you- I didn’t measure anything while I was making this today.  I remembered having an amazing salad once with this dressing on it so I decided to see if I could recreate something like it.  We haven’t had dinner yet (it’s only barely 1pm) but I was bored enough to start the dressing now.  Plus, if I screwed up, I wanted time to find other things to make for dinner.  Luckily it tastes really good.  I’m excited.  I’m going to try to write the recipe below, but please keep in mind that all measurements are approximations and its way more important to do things to taste.  =]

Cranberry-Dijon Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

• Fresh cranberries (a few handfuls, maybe 2 cups/4dl?)
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard (this I did measure!)
• White wine vinegar (probably about 1dl/0.5cup)
• White wine (probably about 2dl/1 cup)
• Olive oil (a couple tbsps)
• Water (to bring to desired consistency.  Though I left mine pretty thick, I like the creamy texture.)

Cook:

1. Put a couple tbsps olive oil in a small sauce pan and put on high heat.
2. Add cranberries and put the lid on.  The cranberries will sorta ‘pop’ like popcorn, so you don’t want that oil splashing onto you.  When the popping stops lower heat and mash with a potato masher.
3. At medium heat add wine, vinegar, and mustard.  Stir in more olive oil if desired.  Blend together.  Add water if desired.

This can be refrigerated for about a week.  I’m making a chopped salad for it tonight with grilled chicken, turkey bacon, almonds, leeks, apples, a red onion, mushrooms, cranberries and parmesan cheese.  Should be good =]

-Ariel

Grandma’s Cranberry Glop (recipes from my moms cookbook)

Since I haven’t been cooking much this week thanks to this stupid virus, my mom has emailed me another guest post for the blog.  =]

-Ariel

Grandma’s Cranberry Glop

Let me start by saying I have no idea why my mom’s cranberry dish is called glop, other than the ingredients are all glopped together.  However, it’s been a part of our Thanksgiving tradition all of Ariel’s and my life and we all love it.  I am offering two versions one nonvegetarian and one vegetarian.  You might wonder how any cranberry dish would fit into the non veg category, it’s due to gelatin.  Many don’t realize this but gelatin is made from animal tissue.  If you interested in more  gelatin info click here. I would also love to see what recipes you and your loved ones share on the holidays.  Please feel free to share them with us!

Grandma’s Cranberry Glop

• 1 box red gelatin (cranberry or other flavor is fine)
• ½ cup hot water ½ cup cold water
• 2 cans whole cranberries drained well
• 1 20 ounce can crushed pineapple drained well
• Crushed walnuts, the recipe doesn’t say an amount I’m guessing about ½ cup but use more or less to suit your personal preference
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Pour hot water onto gelatin stir until dissolved, then mix in cold water
2. Refrigerate until it starts to thicken, watch this carefully!
3. Once about ½ way thickened mix well with cranberries, pineapple, nuts and lemon juice
4. Refrigerate a few hours longer the gelatin will continue to thicken

This is best made early in the morning or the night before.

The vegetarian version is very much the same.

• 2 cans of whole cranberries, drain excess liquid but not all the liquid!
• 1 20 oz can of crushed pineapple drained well
• Chopped walnuts, again use an amount to suit your tastes
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Just toss all the ingredients together and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

-Lin