Bourbon Spiced Cranberry Sauce

"If it doesn't have the ridges from the can, it's not cranberry sauce", was my late husband's point of view.  My son takes after him. 

So for Thanksgiving we have the jelled cranberry sauce out of the can.  AND we have the real stuff.  

I've made several versions.  Here is an adult version I really like.


Soak a 12 oz bag of cranberries in a cup of Bourbon for an hour.  (Take them out of the bag first)

Add 1 cup orange juice and a cup of sugar.  Personally I don't care for tart so I add another half cup of sugar.  Start with a cup and taste it. 

Add 1/2 tsp Penzeys applie pie spice  (which is a combinatio of cinnimon, nutmeg, mace & cloves) and 1/2 tsp ginger.

Cook it on low for about 15 minutes.  Then I take an emulsifier and blend it up a bit so it's still chunky but you don't bite into a whole cranberry. 

Have a Very Lutheran Thanksgiving.

Which means JELLO of course:

1 6 oz  Box Raspberry or Orange Jello

1 can jelled Cranberry Sauce

1 8 oz can crushed pineapple

Prepare jello as directed.  Let set an hour to an hour an a half.  Mix in cranberry sauce and pineapple well. 

There.  Now you can have a real Lutheran Thanksgiving.

PS - I DO make real cranberry sauce with fresh cranberries as well, but this has been a family tradition since the kids were tots.

Cranberry White Chocolate Bars

Several years ago in another parish I used to host an open house between Christmas and Epiphany.

Tried it a couple of times in this parish and hardly anyone came and it really wasn't worth making all that food so I quit. But I have a lot of recipes from all the goodies I made. 

 This one I make whether I have a party or not.

Notice that I used half butter and half butter flavored Crisco. I have found this works perfect in cookie and bar recipes. All butter just doesn't bake as nice. That's butter flavored Crisco.

 DO NOT TRY TO BAKE WITH MARGARINE! 

 Margarine should not even exist as far as I'm concerned.

• 2 1/4 C All purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla (do yourself a favor and buy REAL vanilla)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 12 oz package white chocolate chips
• 1 C dried cranberries

Preheat oven 350

Cream the butter, Crisco and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well mixed. Mix in flour, salt and soda a little at a time. Add chips and cranberries and mix.

Spray a 10 x 8 baking ban. Spread dough in pan and flatten. Bake about 25 minutes - I like it when it's still a little soft and chewy.

This is my basic chocolate chip cookie recipe as well. Like the one on the chips package only more sugar (because I like my sweets, well - sweet) and the half butter, half Crisco.