Pinterest and Food

If I thought blogging was going to take up a lot of my time, I have now found that Pinterest can take up even more.  I've started boards, deleted boards, and created new boards from existing ones.

I started posting recipes on a 'recipes' board.  But before I knew it I had something of everything and it got difficult for me to find stuff.  So, I broke it down to 'desserts and sweets', 'wonderful side dishes', and 'food, food, food'.

I have found that the boards have come in handy when cooking.  I just load the recipe on my Kindle Fire and follow along.

I have already posted the recipes I am going to use for my Thanksgiving turkey and brussels sprouts.

Yesterday I made my brandied cranberry chutney.  It sure beats that stuff they sell in a can.  And with the brandy, it will keep for weeks.  Here is the recipe, in time for you to enjoy it with your dinner.

 

1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped fine

1 cup dark brown sugar OR 1 cup light brown sugar plus one Tbsp molasses

1/2 cup raisins

1 cup Brandy

 

Combine above in a sauce pan, bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.  While simmering, prepare the following:

 

3 cups fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained

1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and small diced

1 tsp lemon zest

 

Add to above mixture in pan and simmer until cranberries are slightly broken, about ten more minutes. 

 

Squeeze juice from lemon.  You should have about 1/4 cup.

Finely chop 1/4 cup crystallized ginger.

 

When cranberries are slightly broken, stir in lemon juice and ginger.  Add a dash of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes.  Cool and refrigerate until ready for use.  (Or eat it out of the pan.)

 

I serve this at room temperature with some toasted walnuts on top.  You may substitute water for all or part of the brandy and add more brown sugar if you want a sweeter taste.  If you like it hot, double the amount of red pepper flakes.

 

I've also given this as a gift in a nice glass jar so that folks can enjoy it with their own dinner later.