Cold and Rainy

What to do when it is cold and raining?

Raspberry chocolate chip and pumpkin snickerdoodle.  Yum!  Now to find a good hiding spot from my children.

Distressed!!

Last night while in a shopping frenzy, I couldn't find the crucial ingredient to my cranberry sauce recipe. After much searching (what did I do before the internet), I discovered that the company is out of business. How could that be? I thought the nice grocery store stocking man was mistaken. I scoured the internet for the recipe. I found a recipe, so I am going to give it a try. This recipe is untested without the Indian Trail sauce, but I am confident it will taste the same. I am often asked for this recipe, so I am passing it along:

Cranberry Salad

Orange Cranberry Relish: Grind with with food grinder (food processor would work also)

1 pound fresh cranberries (or one bag)

2 oranges quartered with seeds removed (with peel)

3/4 - 1 cup sugar

Let drain; refrigerate or freeze (this makes enough for 4 batches)

In large bowl Dissolve 1 large box Cherry Jello (Raspberry or Strawberry will work also) with 2 cups boiling water

Add:

3/4 cup Orange Cranberry Relish (formerly my friend Indian Trail)

2 cans whole berry cranberry sauce

1 can mandarin oranges

1 to 2 cubed apples

1 cup seedless grapes halved

1 can crushed pineapple drained (20 oz)

1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Pour into trifle bowl to look extra pretty or a 9X13 container and let set overnight. My kids like to have this year round. I am not a cranberry lover, but I love this recipe.

I'm glad it's Friday

Even the dog is ready for Friday! He is guarding the monkey hoping that someone will come after it and initiate a chase.

I don't know about you, but this week has been really long for me. I think it was the lack of sun that made me tired. My blog has been really boring lately because I haven't found the time (or energy) to turn on the sewing machine. I did try a really good and semi-nutritious smoothie for lunch. My daughter brought the recipe home from school.

Pumpkin Yogurt Cheesecake Shake

1 14-ounce can pumpkin chilled
3 ounces reduced fat cream cheese (I used regular)
1 6 or 8 ounce container low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 cups milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
graham cracker crumbs to sprinkle on the top!

Dump everything into the blender and process until smooth. Pour into glasses and sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs . (It would be tasty with whipped cream added before the crumbs, but that sort of defeats the nutritional value)

Plenty of vitamin A, Calcium, protein, and Fiber. It was a big hit with all the little people at my house today. I will be making these again. Let me know if you try these. I am curious what you think!