Blood Orange Cranberry Fall Spiced Sangria

Recipe from Ansley Beutler of The Fit Peach

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 6-8 servings

This festive and delicious punch is perfect for all fall and winter holiday parties.  The best thing about it is that it can and should be made up to three days in advance for the best flavor.  Come party time, just add ice to the glasses, ladle in the sangria and garnish.  

For the Cranberry Reduction

2 cups cranberries

3 Tablespoons maple syrup (agave syrup, honey, or sugar will also work)

1/2 cup water

For the Sangria

2/3 cup blood orange juice (approx. 2-3 large blood oranges)

3 blood oranges, sliced (Set aside one slice for rimming glasses.)

2 cups cranberries

3 cinnamon sticks

fresh rosemary

1 bottle white wine (Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, etc.)

2 cups ginger beer

3 shots brandy (I used cognac.)

For the Cinnamon Sugar Rim

3 Tablespoons coconut sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 slice blood orange

To Garnish

cinnamon sticks

fresh rosemary 

star anise

Instructions

Add the cranberries, agave syrup, and water to a small pot and bring to a simmer on the stove over medium heat.  The cranberries should begin to pop open and become soft.

Let mixture simmer for 2 minutes then remove from heat to cool.  The mixture will thicken up during this time.

While the reduction is cooling, juice the oranges and slice the remaining into small pieces.

Once cooled, spoon the reduction into the bottom of a large pitcher.  Add the orange juice, orange slices, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and rosemary on top.

Pour the wine over top followed by the ginger beer and brandy.  Mix with a long cocktail stirrer to incorporate the cranberry reduction at the bottom.  The color should turn a darker red.  Let the sangria sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours to soak up the flavors

When ready to serve, prepare the cinnamon sugar rim mixture on a small plate.  Us an extra orange rind and run it along the rim of a cocktail glass (hold the glass upside down to prevent the juice from dripping down the sides of the glass).  Dip the rim of the glass into the cinnamon mixture to coat

Use a ladle to serve the sangria into cocktail glasses.  Make sure to grab some of the fruit.  Garnish with extra cinnamon sticks or rosemary or star anise if desired.

The sangria will keep (and get better with time) in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Hot Toddy

Makes 1 toddy

Recipe from The Joy of Cooking

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

When it’s cold and blustery out and when either of us is sick with a cold or throat woes, I make a toddy.  It is to be slowly sipped while you’re sitting in a rocker by the fire and under a blanket.  It feels good going down.  It may not cure you, but for a little while, you’ll feel pampered and warm. 

8 oz. water

1 teaspoon Simple Syrup* (recipe below)

1 jigger (1½ ounces) of whiskey, brandy or rum

1 small stick cinnamon

1 lemon slice, seeds removed

3 whole cloves

Bring the water to a boil.  Meanwhile, measure out the Simple Syrup and the whiskey.  Drop in the cinnamon stick.  Press the cloves into the lemon slice.  Put the studded lemon slice in the mug.  Add the hot water to the mug and allow the toddy to steep for a couple of minutes before serving.

*Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is very easy to make.  Make a batch and keep it for weeks in the fridge for making your favorite cocktails, toddies, for sweetening tea or lemonade.

Put equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Let it simmer a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Allow the syrup to cool before putting it in a Mason jar with a lid in the fridge. 

Pear-Custard Tart

Makes one 10-inch tart

Recipes from Williams-Sonoma
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This delicately flavored tart, filled with vanilla-poached pears and brandy-spiked custard and topped with sugary toasted almonds, is a memorable dessert to serve to your favorite people. Oh, and what fun this is to make too! If making a crust is too scary, try making Pear Clafouti (pronounced "Clah Foo Tee")

Perfect Pie Dough (use enough pie dough to make one tart) Freeze the other half of the dough for another recipe, if desired.

¾ cup granulated sugar
3 ripe but firm pears, peeled, quartered, and cored
3 cups water
Peel of 1 orange, removed in strips with a vegetable peeler
½ vanilla bean
1 large egg
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 Tablespoons brandy
Pinch of kosher salt (about 1/8 teaspoon)
¼ cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
1 Tablespoon granulated sugar (or sparkly sugar)

Prepare the Perfect Pie Dough. On a lightly floured work surface, roll enough dough for one tart to a circle about 13 inches in diameter. Transfer the dough to a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and ease into the pan. Prick the surface of the dough with the tines of a fork. Line the tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until the crust is just starting to color a bit, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil and weights. Let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Meanwhile, poach the pears. To poach the pears, cut a circle of parchment paper that will fit in a medium saucepan. Cut a small circle in the middle of the parchment. In the saucepan, bring 3 cups water and the sugar to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and add the pears and orange peel. Split the vanilla bean and scrape out the seeds with the back of a paring knife; add the pod and seeds to the saucepan. Lay the parchment in the saucepan to submerge the pears. Adjust the heat so that the liquid simmers gently and poach the pears until just tender, about 15 minutes. 

Let cool in the poaching liquid. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Cut each pear quarter lengthwise into 4 slices, then lay most of the pear slices in the crust in an overlapping circle close to the rim. Use the remaining slices to fill the middle. 

In a bowl, beat together the egg and the ¼ cup sugar until thick and pale. Beat in the flour and then the cream, vanilla/brandy and salt. Pour evenly over the pears. Bake until the custard starts to puff up, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the toasted almonds and 1 Tablespoon sparkly sugar over the top of the tart. Continue to bake until the custard is set and lightly browned, 15–20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack until warm or room temperature before slicing and serving.

Note: To turn this into an apple tart, gently sauté 3 peeled, cored, and sliced apples in 1 Tablespoon butter until they just start to become tender. Spread evenly in the partially baked crust, pour over the custard, and proceed with the recipe from there.

Sautéed Pork Medallions

Serves 4

Recipe from Martha Stewart’s Cooking School

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This is one delicious dish (good enough for company) and one that comes together quickly. Serve it with brown rice or whole-wheat couscous to soak up the sauce.  A bright colored, crispy salad would be a nice addition to this meal.

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium pork tenderloin (about 1 lb.) cut crossways into medallions and pounded thin

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 medium shallots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into ½ -inch dice

3 Tablespoons raisins (plump them up by pouring hot water over them and allowing them to soak in hot water for about 10 minutes, drain)

Water

1/3 cup brandy (white wine, apple cider or chicken broth would work too.)

1/3 heavy cream

1 Tablespoon fresh sage, minced or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add the oil and heat until shimmering.  Meanwhile, pat the medallions dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper. Cook (in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan) until golden brown, 1 to 1½ minutes per side. Transfer pork to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add butter to the pan and reduce heat to medium.  Add the shallots, apple, and raisins.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally so the apple browns evenly.  Deglaze the pan with 2 Tablespoons water, cooking and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the water has evaporated.  If after 2 minutes the apple is not yet tender, add additional 2 Tablespoons water and continue cooking a few minutes more.  Pour in the brandy and cook until reduced by half, about 30 seconds, then add heavy cream and any juices from the pork that have collected on the plate.  Simmer until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1 minute.  Stir in sage (or dried thyme) and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon pan sauce over the medallions and serve.

Pear, Brandy and Walnut Cranberry Sauce

Serves 6-8 small servings

Recipe from Food52.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This is not the usual cranberry and orange relish.  The pears with the dark brown sugar add a fall-inspired sweetness; the brandy provides richness, and the walnuts, a toasty crunch.

The pears, which are shredded, melt into the sauce. The cranberries soften and soak up the brown sugar and cinnamon. Serve it along side the holiday bird, or on an after-Thanksgiving sandwich.  We all agreed that this sauce would taste fabulous over ricotta cheese or vanilla ice cream.

Feel free to play with the brandy to make the sauce as boozy (or not) as you want.

1/3 cup, plus 2-3 Tablespoon brandy, divided

Water

2 cinnamon sticks, each broken in half

8 black peppercorns

12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained

3/4 cups packed light brown sugar

2 medium pears or apples, peeled

½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted and divided (optional)

Pour 1/3 cup brandy into liquid measuring cup; add enough water to reach ½ cup liquid total. Set aside. Place broken cinnamon sticks and peppercorns in center of small piece of cheesecloth or large tea bag (I used a coffee filter) and tie closed using kitchen twine.

All the ingredients ready to cook.  Notice the coffee filter, which houses the cinnamon sticks and peppercorns.

In medium saucepot, combine cranberries, brown sugar and cinnamon-pepper bundle. Using large holes on a box grater, grate pears into saucepot. Stir in brandy-water mixture.

Over high heat, bring cranberry mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook 10-12 minutes, or until cranberries have burst and the mixture has combined, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

Stir in 2 to 3 Tablespoons brandy. Let cool. Remove and discard cinnamon bundle. Stir in 7 Tablespoons toasted walnuts. Transfer mixture to small serving bowl; sprinkle with remaining walnuts.

Just a few ingredients make up this delicious sauce which can be used for the holidays as a side or as a dessert.

Poached Salmon With Bourbon & Maple Sauce

Here, this salmon is served with Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Kale Salad, Sautéed Veggies & Beer Bread. 

Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated via Louisville Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This was just superb.  It was quick and easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner, but elegant enough for a special meal with friends. Try it as part of a meal which includes other Husband-Tested Recipes like Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Kale Salad, Sautéed Veggies & Beer Bread.  All the ingredients, including wild caught salmon, are available at Lost River Market & Deli, however, the bourbon you'll have to get at a liquor store ;-)

1 large lemon

2 Tablespoons bourbon or brandy

3 Tablespoons maple syrup

2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

1 medium shallot, sliced thin

¾ cup water

4 center-cut skinless salmon fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon chopped chives or scallions

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Cut top and bottom off lemon; cut into eight to ten 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange lemon slices in single layer across bottom of 12-inch skillet. Whisk bourbon, maple syrup, mustard, vinegar, and shallot together in small bowl. Add bourbon mixture and water to skillet.

Place salmon fillets in skillet, skinned-side down, on top of lemon slices (to prevent salmon from coming into direct contact with bottom of pan). Set pan over high heat and bring liquid to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until center of thickest part of fillet is still translucent when cut into with paring knife, 11 to 16 minutes (or until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of fillet registers 125 degrees). Remove pan from heat and, using spatula, carefully transfer salmon and lemon slices to paper towel-lined plate and tent loosely with foil.

Return pan to high heat and simmer cooking liquid until slightly thickened and reduced to 2 tablespoons, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat; whisk in butter and chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Using spatula, carefully tilt salmon fillets to remove lemon slices. Place salmon on serving platter or individual plates; spoon sauce over top and serve.