Cran-Apple Pie

We were going to a family Thanksgiving, and I was planning to make Pumpkin-Maple Pie and Pecan Pies. I had a bag of apples that needed using, though, so I thought I'd make an apple pie too.

Look. They're just begging to be made into pie.

I peeled them, and then cut them in half.

Then they were all quartered.

And then I cored them by cutting into them at a diagonal.

After that, I sliced them up fine.

I needed 7 cups of apples. About a dozen small apples filled that amount perfectly.

A couple tablespoons of lemon juice will help keep the apples from turning brown.

Brown and white sugars sweeten the deal. I used about a third of a cup, which made a not-too-sweet pie. I also used sweeter apples (Gala, I believe.) If you like sweet pie, or are using tarter apples, feel free to add a tablespoon or two more.

Traditional apple pie flavors come next, starting with cinnamon.

Then ginger.

And nutmeg.

Salt, of course, always belongs in baked goods.

Flour will help your filling thicken while the pie bakes.

I remember as a kid when my grandma would make apple pie. I would just sit there, eating her sliced, spiced apples. Even when making apples to eat by themselves, I'd always add a bit of flour. I guess I just thought it belonged.

To make it more seasonal, I added some sweetened dried cranberries.

Everything was stirred together, and then I let the filling sit for at least 15 minutes, to let the sugars melt and the spices flavor the apples.

When you're ready, pour your filling into your pie crust. Yes, I cheated and used storebought.

Dot the top of the pie with butter.

Roll the second crust over the top and crimp the edges.

Make sure you do a good job, or the juice may leak.

Apples and cheddar cheese are a great pair. If I had made my own crust, I would have made a cheddar cheese crust. But I didn't. So I just sprinkled some cheddar cheese over the top of the pie. It works, I promise!

And don't forget to cut a few holes in the top of the pie, for venting.















Give the pie some time in the oven, and you'll get a great golden-brown crust with a warm, spicy filling. It's a great fall pie, and perfect for taking to your next Thanksgiving party.

Recipe: Cran-Apple Pie

7 c. thinly-sliced apples
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. dried sweetened cranberries
2 premade piecrusts
3 tbsp. butter, cubed
cheddar cheese

Combine apples, lemon juice, brown and white sugars, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and cranberries. Stir well. Let sit for 15-30 minutes, to allow flavors to mix.

Pour apples into piecrust. Roll second crust over the top of the pie; crimp the edges.

Sprinkle the top of the pie with cheddar cheese. Bake in a 425F oven for 45 minutes. Let cool before serving.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Cranberry-Apple Dressing

When you're too busy to stuff a whole turkey, stuffing chicken breasts is a great second option. It's easy to do and takes little effort (but looks super fancy.) If you want a more low-key meal on Turkey Day, give these stuffed chicken breasts a try.

The first thing I did was start the stuffing. I used a mix of bread cubes that included both white bread and cornbread.

For crunchiness, I chopped and added some pecans.

And for tartness and flavor, I did the same with some cranberries. This is what they look like on the inside--kind of neat, don't you think?

Now, in a pan, saute some onions and celery with some butter.

While the onion and celery are sauteing, you can peel an apple. I had a lot of Honeycrisp apples around, so I used one of them. For more tartness, a Granny Smith can be used.

Core the apple and dice into pieces.

Add the apples to the bread cubes and then spice things up with some dried thyme.

Dried sage is good, too. Sage and apples are good friends.

And, as always, never forget to salt and pepper.

When the celery and onions are softened, you can add them to the bowl too. Be sure to get all the little buttery bits!

Then moisten the dressing with a box of chicken broth. You'll need the whole box.

Mix until all the bread is moist and the herbs are evenly incorporated.

Now you can move on to the chicken. Lay a chicken breast flat on your cutting board, and, using a sharp knife, carefully cut a pocket into the breast.

Stuff the pocket with the dressing. Don't use too much, or it will just spill out and make a mess. If you can still seal the chicken, you've got the right amount.

Press the seams of the pocket together. And season the outsides of the breast with salt and pepper.

Melt some butter and olive oil in the same pan you sauteed the onions and celery in. Use medium heat.

Once the butter is melted and the pan is hot, carefully lay the chicken in the hot pan, seam-side down. Let cook for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown.

Carefully flip the breasts over and cook the other side for another 4-5 minutes.

Pop the pan into a 350F oven (you did use an oven-safe pan, right?) for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked completely through.

Put the rest of the stuffing in a baking dish and let that cook through, too.

The stuffing will plump up inside the chicken breasts, making a pretty picture.














If you feel so motivated, you could make a simple gravy with the pan drippings--just a bit of flour (and a little more butter, if the pan looks dry), and some chicken broth, and you've made yourself a mini Thanksgiving in a pan. Way easier than roasting a whole turkey, huh?

Recipe: Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Cranberry-Apple Dressing
 

6 c. bread cubes
1/4 c. coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 c. fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 rib celery, diced
1 medium apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. dried sage
salt and pepper, to taste
1 box chicken broth

two large chicken breasts
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil


In a large bowl, combine bread cubes, pecans, cranberries, and apple.

In a large, oven-safe pan, saute onions and celery in butter until softened. Add to bread cubes. Add thyme, sage, salt, and pepper.

Add chicken broth, stirring until all bread cubes are moistened and herbs are evenly distributed.

On a cutting board, carefully cut a pocket into the chicken breasts. Stuff with bread mixture. Salt and pepper the outside of the chicken.

Using the same pan as before, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat. Place chicken breasts in pan, seam-side down. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip chicken over; repeat.

Place pan in a 350F oven for 12-15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve immediately.

Orange-Ginger Cranberries

 I used to think I didn't like cranberries. Thanksgiving would come, and my mom would make a batch of homemade sauce, but I wouldn't touch it. At some point, I realized, hey, they're not so bad! And now I make my own cranberry sauce to accompany some of my favorite poultry or pork dishes.

Just grab a bag of fresh (or frozen) cranberries. Check them over for stems or any wrinkly-looking guys. Then dump them into a pot.

Add some brown sugar. Cranberries are pretty tart, and I like mine on the sweet side.

I used white and brown sugar. Just because I didn't want the brown sugar flavor to overpower the sauce.

For festivities, a dash of maple sugar rounds out the sugary sweetness.

Orange juice will help enhance the cranberries, and add more flavor. If you're not a big fan of orange, apple juice or cider, or cranapple juice, would be a nice substitution here.

And because it's what my mommy would add, I bought myself some candied ginger.

I gave it a good mince.

If you love ginger, you could double the amount. This gave the cranberries a nice, subtle gingery bite.

Stir everything together and turn the burner on medium.

Once the berries start to pop, cook them for another 15-20 minutes, to allow their jamminess to come out.

At this point, you could strain your sauce (if you like it in jelly form--just use a cheesecloth and squeeze all the jelly out) or you could leave it as-is, for a whole-berry cranberry sauce.








Pour the sauce into your favorite serving bowl, and serve right away (if you like your sauce warm) or allow to cool. It will thicken as it cools.

Take this spin-off of the back-of-the-bag recipe and serve it to your family for Thanksgiving. Who knows--maybe one of them will realize that cranberries aren't so bad, too.

 Recipe: Orange-Ginger Cranberries

1 12-oz. bag fresh cranberries
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. white sugar
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1/3 c. orange juice
1 tbsp. very finely minced candied ginger


Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive pot. Heat over medium until cranberries start to pop. Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes. Let cool before serving. Strain in cheesecloth, if desired.