Orange Cranberry Sauce...

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When I was younger, I didn't particularly care for cranberry sauce. We always had the straight out of the can kind.

It always grossed me out.

The first few Thanksgiving dinners, I would not serve it... until I realized that it doesn't have to come out of a can.

After watching Food Network before Thanksgiving one year, I thought I'd try making my own cranberry sauce.

Honestly, it's not that hard to make. Another thing, you can make it a day or two before Thanksgiving. Anything I can get done a few days before a holiday dinner is so worth it to me.

Sometimes I throw a cinnamon stick in the sauce the first few minutes it's cooking, to give it some spice.

Stay tuned... if my pie comes out, I may be using this sauce to accompany it...


Orange Cranberry Sauce

• 1 Bag (12 Oz.) Cranberries
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Orange Juice
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 1 Tablespoon Orange Zest

Place all ingredients in a medium heavy duty saucepan. Heat on medium/high, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries pop and all the ingredients are combined, about 10-15 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Re-heat or serve at room temperature. Makes 2 cups.

Enjoy!

Babycakes Donut Maker Giveaway Winner...

 

I have to tell you that I can't get enough of my babycakes Donut Maker.

Seriously, people.

This time I tried out the Sour Cream Donut recipe and the Chocolate Glaze recipe that came in the instructional pamphlet. 

Definitely a denser donut batter than the Spice Donut recipe I recently posted. 

So, so yummy! Next time though, I will use less vanilla extract in the glaze than it calls for. It was a little too much. Other than that, I have no complaints. 

So, I guess I'll go ahead and announce the lucky winner...

Sinful Sundays... yay!

... "Those are good looking donuts you have there! 

I am a sucker for glazed donuts. :)"

Congratulations! I'll be contacting you very soon!

Thank you to everyone who commented on this giveaway!

I'll be back soon with a pie recipe that I'll be linking up to Tidy Mom's 3rd Annual Love the Pie Party!

Babycakes Spice Donuts and A Giveaway...

 

So, I  thought I'd jump on the babycakes bandwagon and buy one. 

Not only for myself, since... ahem... November 10th is my birthday.

But for one lucky reader out there. 

YAY!

It's better to give than receive, right?

I've been wanting the babycakes Donut Maker for a little while now. When I saw it at my local Navy Exchange... on sale (score!) I snatched it right up, of course! 

You can also find them at retailers such as Kohl's and Bed Bath & Beyond.

I used a french vanilla cake mix and added ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves to make a spice cake batter... since I couldn't find a spice cake mix at the store... really? I saw carrot cake, but no spice cake... go figure. 

Anyway, they were a lot of fun to make. A little tedious, since it only makes six donuts at a time, but enjoyable. 

The instruction pamphlet has a few donut recipes and glaze recipes in it, and they look really good, but I just decided to do my own thang and make a spice donut. 

All you have to do to win the babycakes Donut Maker is answer the following question in the comments section:

What is your favorite kind of donut?

Update: This giveaway has ended!

Do you like them plain, sugary, glazed, or with the maple frosting... yum!

Rules

One entry per person, please.

Contest closes 6pm Pacific time Monday, November 14th.

The winner will be chosen randomly.

* This giveaway is sponsored by So Domesticated.

Good Luck!

Spice Donuts

For the Donuts:

• 1 Box (15.25 Oz.) French Vanilla Cake Mix, Plus Ingredients Listed On Back
• 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cloves
• 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger

For the Cinnamon Glaze:

• 2-1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted
• 2-4 Tablespoons Half & Half

Preheat the babycakes Donut Maker.

In a large bowl, mix the french vanilla cake mix, cake mix ingredients, and spices until well combined. Follow the cooking instructions that come with the babycakes Donut Maker to make your donuts. I found that piping the batter yielded a fluffier donut. Also, I filled each donut impression with about a tablespoon of my cake batter. I let my donuts cool a bit before dipping them in the cinnamon glaze. Makes 5 dozen babycakes donuts. 

In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, cinnamon, butter, and half & half until smooth. Add the half & half a little at a time until you get the desired consistency. Dip the donuts into the glaze, covering one side. Set on cooling racks, until the glaze sets.

I'm linking this post up to I'm Lovin' It.

Enjoy!

Brie Cheese Bread Bowl...

 

Thanksgiving is swiftly approaching, so I thought I'd share a recipe that my family enjoys each and every year for the holidays.

It's a bread bowl. A brie cheese bread bowl, to be exact.

An appetizer that my mother-in-law introduced to me and I'm so dang glad she did!

The best part about eating this is that you can tear it apart and indulge when you are out of baguettes... the entire thing... yes, I kid you not.

I mean, it's our favorite thing to do. The crunch of the bread as it's torn apart...... irresistible.

How can you not over-indulge in bread that looks like this?

Anyway, you will not regret making this apart of your Thanksgiving Menu, should you choose to do so.

Fights may irrupt over the last piece of bread bowl... I'm just sayin'.

Be prepared.


Brie Cheese Bread Bowl

• 1 Large Loaf Sourdough Bread, Round
• 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil, More If Desired
• 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder, Or To Taste
• 2 Bars (8 Oz.) Cream Cheese, Cubed
• 1 Wheel Brie Cheese, Rind Removed And Cubed
• 2 Loaves Baguette Bread, Sliced Diagonally

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).

Begin by cutting the top off of the sourdough round. Set aside. Hollow out the sourdough round, saving the bread pieces for dipping later on. With a pastry brush, brush the olive oil inside the sourdough, making sure to get every nook and cranny. Sprinkle the garlic powder inside the sourdough seasoning it well. Fill the sourdough with the cream cheese and brie cheese. Cover with the top you cut earlier and completely wrap in heavy duty foil. Bake for 1-1/2 hours or until the cheese is hot and bubbly. 

Serve with sliced baguette pieces and bread pieces that were hollowed out. Break apart and devour, once you run out of bread!

Enjoy!

I'm linking this post up to I'm Lovin' It.

Apple Cider Slushies...

 

So, a few weeks back I was reading a cute blog that I enjoy popping in on called Two Twenty One.

Something in Chelsea's post caught my eye.

Apple Cider Slushies.

I've never had one... ever.

Immediately I knew that I wanted to make them. After experimenting, I decided to make a cinnamon simple syrup to make the slushie sweet... because I like my slushies super sweet, hello.

Doesn't everyone?

Anyway, I thought this would be a fantastic treat for "fall" on the island, since it is usually 85 and sunny year round.

I get to incorporate an autumn ingredient into a refreshing, icy treat.

My girls had so much fun drinking these...

... and so did I!


Apple Cider Slushies

• 2 Cups Crushed Ice
• 1-1/2 Cups  Apple Cider
• 1/4 Cups Cinnamon Simple Syrup, Or To Taste (Recipe Below)

In a blender, pulse all ingredients until processed. Makes 2 servings. 

Cinnamon Simple Syrup

• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Cup Water
• 2 Whole Cinnamon Sticks

In a small heavy duty saucepan, bring the sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks to a boil, stirring constantly. When the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and cool completely. Allow the cinnamon to steep while the syrup cools. Remove the cinnamon sticks and strain into a small container. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator. Use to brush cake layers or to sweeten drinks and cocktails. 

Enjoy!

I'm linking this up to I'm Lovin' It.