Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 bag fresh cranberries
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1/2 cup water 
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 thin slices of orange, halved and any seeds removed

Directions

1. Combine ingredients in a medium-sized saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium high, and continue to simmer until all or most of the cranberries have popped.
3. Turn heat to low, and continue to simmer for about 20 min.
4. Pour into a decorative serving dish, and cool at room temp. Serve immediately or transfer to refrigerator until ready.

Gingerbread Spice Sugar Scrub

 

Bring the comforting scents of fall into your shower with this sweet, spicy, and warm Gingerbread Spice Sugar Scrub. It’s great for exfoliating your skin while showering, leaving it silky smooth without the need for lotion. Or keep a bowlful next to the kitchen sink to help moisturize your dry hands throughout the day.

It’s also perfect for gift giving! Find a jar, add a pretty label, and you have the perfect gift for a neighbor, teacher or friend.

Gingerbread Spice Sugar Scrub 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon Apple Pie Spice
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp ginger
• 2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp vanilla flavor or extract
• 1 cup olive oil (or coconut oil)

 Directions:

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
2. Slowly add in your oil and break up any clumps that may form.
3. Mix until well combined.
4. Spoon into a jar and seal with a lid.
5. To use, gently massage on to areas of dry skin and rinse clean.

 

 Combine all dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.

Note: The Apple Pie Spice and Ground Allspice are not included in the first picture of the dry ingredients because I ended up adding them as well as vanilla afterward since I wasn't satisfied with the scrub at first attempt.

 

Slowly add in your oil and vanilla and break up any clumps that may form.

 

I used vanilla flavor because I found the scent was stronger and more pleasant than the extract, and I was trying to make the scent of the scrub stronger than the scent of the olive oil.

 

 Mix until well combined.

Spoon into a jar and seal with a lid.

To use, gently massage on to areas of dry skin and rinse clean.

Make Your Own Apple Pie Spice

Despite it’s name, Apple Pie Spice is not just for pies. It's great in crisps, oatmeal, granola, muffins, and cakes. I've heard that a lot of places have stopped carrying Apple Pie Spice, but no worries! It's super simple to make your own!

Apple Pie Spice

Ingredients: 

• 3 tablespoons ground cinnamon 
• 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg  
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom 
• 1 teaspoon ginger (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine spices in a small bowl, mix well to combine. 
2. Store in a small jar or spice container.

DIY Pumpkin Puree

We harvested lots of pumpkins from our garden this year, so I am pretty sure I will be making lots of pumpkin puree! When baking and making puree, you want to use pie pumpkins, or sugar pumpkins, instead of carving pumpkins. Baking pumpkins are smaller, more flavorful, and contain less water. 

DIY Pumpkin Puree

Ingredients:

• 1 pie pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups water

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Wash any dirt off the pumpkin. 
3. Remove stem or cut top off of pumpkin.
4. Cut the pumpkin in half.
5. Scoop out the seeds.
6. Place the pumpkin halves cut side down in a roasting pan.
7. Pour the water in the roasting pan.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minute or until the skin darkens and it can easily be pierced by a fork.
9. Remove from oven and let cool.
10. Remove the skin.
11. Using a stick blender, puree the pumpkin until smooth. If using a blender or food processor, blend half of the pumpkin at a time.
12. Line a colander with coffee filters or paper towels and place over a deep bowl. 
13. Place the pumpkin in the colander and let the excess water drain into bowl over the course of 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. You may also place the pumpkin in cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess liquid.
14. Use the pumpkin puree in a recipe, or freeze it for future use.

 

Grab your pumpkin and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

 

Wash any dirt off of the pumpkin. 

 

Remove the stem, or cut the top off the pumpkin.

I used a folded up paper towel to hold and pop the stem off, because, as you can see, the stem has all these prickly little spines all along it. 

 

Cut the pumpkin in half. I tried several knives, and found the paring knife easiest to do the job.  

 

I cut the pumpkin vertically, however afterward I read that it may be easier to cut the pumpkin in half horizontally instead.

 

Scrape out the seeds and stringy guts. 

 

If you happen to have a grapefruit spoon, they work great for this type of job.

Don't throw the seeds away! Save them to make roasted pumpkin seeds! Later this week, I'll share my recipe for Kickin' Honey Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.  

 

Lightly rub olive oil across the cut side of the pumpkin.

  

Place pumpkin cut-side down into roasting pan and pour the water into the bottom.

 

 Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minute or until the skin darkens and it can easily be pierced by a fork.
Remove from oven and let cool.

Remove the skin, it should peel away pretty easily.

Using a stick blender, puree the pumpkin until smooth. If using a blender or food processor, blend half of the pumpkin at a time. 

 

 Line a colander with coffee filters or paper towels and place over a deep bowl.

 

Place the pumpkin in the colander and let the excess water drain into bowl.

 

Let it sit anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. You may also place the pumpkin in cheesecloth and squeeze out the excess liquid.

Use the pumpkin puree in a recipe, or freeze it for future use.

 

 I used the puree to make this delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie with Gingersnap Crust from Martha Stewart Living.