2011 November Newsletter

Click here to read the November issue of The Cranfest Scoop.

In this month's issue:

• Letter from the President


• 2011 Festival Overview


• 2011 Festival Election Results


• 2011 Festival Youth Volunteers


• 2011 Donations to Date


• Royalty News


• Cranberry Cuisine


• Calendar of Events


• Cranberry Trivia


• Membership & Volunteer Forms

Cranberry Leftover Idea Recipes

Thanksgiving is just a few days away and we thought it would be appropriate to share some cranberry inspired recipes to use up all that leftover turkey from your holiday dinner.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Cranberry Turkey Tacos - Submitted in the 1991 Recipe Contest

Ingredients:
1 80z can jellied cranberry sauce
1/2 cup mild picante sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups cooked turkey, shredded
10 taco shells
Garnishes: shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, chopped onion, and shredded cheese

In a medium saucepan combine cranberry sauce, picante sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, cumin and turkey. Mix thoroughly. Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into taco shells. Top with garnishes and serve.

Yield: 5 servings


Zesty Cranberry Turkey Salad in Tortilla Cups - Submitted in the 1996 Recipe Contest

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons corn oil
1 teaspoon cumin
6 flour tortillas (7 or 8 inch)

Dressing:
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Salad:
3 cups cooked turkey
1 (5-6oz) can water chestnuts, sliced
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1 medium sized orange, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
Garnish: Cilantro sprigs, orange sections, and assorted lettuce leaves

Mix oil and cumin in a small bowl. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap stacked tortillas in foil. Heat 5-7 minutes, until softened. Lightly brush oil mixture on both sides, then gently press each into a 10-12oz custard cup. Bake 15-20 minutes until tortillas are crisp and lightly brown. Remove tortillas from custard cup and cool on a wire rack. In a large bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients. Add salad ingredients and toss to mix. Just before serving, spoon salad mixture into tortilla cups. Arrange on a platter garnished with cilantro, oranges and assorted lettuce.

Yield: 6 servings

Grilled Turkey Sandwiches with Stuffing and Cranberry Relish
Recipe Courtesy Emeril Lagasse, Courtesy Martha Stewart Omnimedi, Inc.

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
8 thick slices of French Batard Bread (or other dense bread such as ciabatta or boule)
6 oz Emmenthaler cheese, grated
10 oz roast turkey breast, sliced
1/2 - 3/4 cup leftover Thanksgiving stuffing (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 tablespoons cranberry sauce
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Sweet Potato Chips, for serving (optional)

Cooking Directions:

Lay the bread on a work surface and spread a little over 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise on 4 slices of bread.

Sprinkle the cheese on half of the bread slices, top with the turkey, and season with salt and pepper. Spread 2-3 tablespoons of the stuffing over the turkey, if desired, then spread the cranberry sauce on the remaining 4 slices of bread. Close sandwiches, pressing each on tightly together. Brush both sides of the sandwich with some of the melted butter.

Heat a grill pan over medium-low heat and brush the pan with the remaining butter. Place the sandwich in the hot pan and grill for 5-8 minutes per side, pressing the top of the sandwich with another pan. The sandwich should be hot and the cheese should be melted. Continue process until all the sandwiches are grilled.

Serve immediately, with sweet potato chips if desired.

Cranberry Relish Recipes

Because it is November and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday is fast approaching we thought it would be appropriate to share some cranberry inspired recipes for that Thanksgiving favorite RELISH! So, here are some relish recipes that were entered in our Recipe Contest in past years.

Enjoy and Bon Appetit!

Cranberry-Orange Relish - Submitted in 1986

4 cups fresh cranberries
2 small oranges, quartered and seeded
1 1/2 cups sugar

Grind cranberries and oranges in a blender or food processor. Stir in sugar. Cover and store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve.

Yield: 3 cups

Wild Cranberry Relish - Submitted in 1999

1/2 cup wild rice
2 cups boiling water
1 package fresh cranberries
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup triple sec
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg or orange zest
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup honey roasted walnuts, chopped
Whole walnuts & crisp lettuce leaves to garnish

Place rice and water in 2-quart microwavable dish and cover. Microwave on high 15 minutes, stirring and checking occasionally that all water has not evaporated. Wash and sort cranberries. In batches, chop in blender or food processor until cranberries are desired consistency. Blend orange juice, triple sec, and nutmeg; pour over cranberries in shallow covered dish. Just before serving, stir in wild rice, thawed peas (raw), and chopped walnuts. Spoon atop lettuce leaf and garnish with whole walnuts.

Yield: 4-5 cups

Cranberry -Apple Relish - Submitted in 1993

2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
5 apples (firm and tart)
1 tabelspoon fresh ginger root
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 ounces fresh cranberries

Place brown sugar and vinegar in a large skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Pare, core and dice apples. Peel ginger root and cut into 1-inch long strips. Add apples, ginger root, and cayenne pepper. Cook 2 minutes. Add cranberries and cook until the first few burst. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat. With a slotted spoon, transfer cranberry-apple mixture to bowl. Cook sauce until slightly thickened and reduced, about 3 minutes longer. Pour over mixture in bowl, cover and store in the refrigerator at least one day before serving, to allow flavors to develop and relish to thicken.

Yield: 10 servings