Relish the Relish - Two Hot Dog Toppers

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's a miracle that any of us raised in the 40's and 50's lived to tell the tale. We biked without helmets, skated without knee pads and rode shotgun without seat belts. Folks were not yet health conscious and, unless your mother was a dietician, pantry shelves sagged under the weight of newly introduced dips, chips and spreads. Casseroles ruled the day and a quick dinner of hot dogs and chips was not unusual. One of the treats of the time was a cheese stuffed hot dog wrapped in bacon. When I stumbled on a recipe for them written by Emeril Lagasse , I really had to laugh. The lowly hot dog had come full circle. As bad as these might be for you, they are delicious, and had Proust sampled one, culinary literature might forever have been changed. Over the next few days, folks are going to consume a lot of hot dogs, so, I thought this would be a good time to share some recipes for condiments to serve with them. As it happens, I have two recipes for relish that I think you'll enjoy. They are easy to make and will allow you to put your own stamp on the hot dogs you serve this holiday weekend. Here's how they're made.

Cranberry and Sauerkraut Relish...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Taste of Home Magazine

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

Directions:

In a small saucepan, saute onion in oil until tender. Add cranberry sauce, mustard, sugar, garlic powder and pepper sauce. Cook and stir for 5-10 minutes or until cranberry sauce is melted. Add sauerkraut; heat through. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

Quick Pickle Relish...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Michael Chiarello

Ingredients:
1 cup diced dill pickle
1/4 cup hot/sweet mustard
1 tablespoon pickle brine
1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
Optional: 1 teaspoon drained, chopped pimento

Directions:
Combine all ingredients, stir and serve with hot dogs or hamburgers.







One Year Ago Today: Red Pepper Relish















Two Years Ago Today: Parmesan Crisps








You might also enjoy these recipes:
Sweet or Savory Pickle Relish - Cooking with Corey
Sweet Pickle Relish - Stefani's Cooking Spot
Dill Pickle Relish - The Tasty Kitchen
Corn Relish - Simply Recipes
Pickled Pepper Relish - One Perfect Bite

Cranberry, Apple, and Walnut Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was up at first light this morning. That, truly, is not my habit. The birds have returned to the woods behind our home and the bickering that accompanies their annual quest for real estate belies the birdsong of which the poets spoke. Only the deaf or the dead sleep in these days. While it's noisy, the feuding is a sure sign that the damp gray that marks our winter has had its day and that ascendant Spring is on its way.

A quick stroll through still muddy woods reveals early hellebores in full bloom while daffodils, defying grave and gravity, are grasping for the sun. There will, of course, still be a bad day or two, but worst of winter here is over, and with that spirits and meals lighten. I had a taste for salad today, and, so, for lunch came up with this creation. The salad is quite simple, and without the dressing would not be worth your time, but the play of the tangy molasses-like dressing against the salty bite of cheese and sweet, candied nuts is really very special. I serve each salad with its own shot glass of dressing to avoid having to deal with the color of balsamic vinegar on a fully dressed salad. It makes for a far nicer presentation. I think you'll enjoy the salad. You can find my recipe for Candied Walnuts here if you'd like to make your own. Here's the recipe for the salad and the balsamic-pomegranate dressing.

Cranberry, Apple and Walnut Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Salad Dressing
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup pure pomegranate juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/4 cup agave syrup
Salad
8 cups baby greens
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 firm large apple, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup candied walnuts
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1) To make salad dressing: Combine vinegar, pomegranate juice, orange juice and agave syrup in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes.
2) To make salad: Place 2 cups of greens of each of 4 salad plates. Top each with 2 tablespoons of feta cheese. Sprinkle each salad with a portion of apples, cranberries andd walnuts. Serve dressing on the side. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Raw Pineapple-Macadamia Salad - Health Seeker's Kitchen
Endive and Fennel Salad a la Honest Fare - Green Kitchen Stories
Cobb Salad - Skinny Kitchen
Kale with Raisins and Pine Nuts - No Recipes
Yummy Spinach Salad - Cookery Corner
Winter Grapefruit Salad - Bless Us O Lord
Raw Carrot and Parsley Salad - ATX Gluten-Free

Cranberry Trifle

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I want to classify this as a leftover dessert because it is just that in our house. It's made from bits and bobs of other Christmas desserts and the trifle is a last minute effort to see that nothing goes to waste. It is delicious and quite simple to do if you have all the elements at hand. It is, unfortunately, quite involved if you have to start from scratch. Not hard, mind you, just time consuming. To make ours, I used the remains of our orange-flavored Christmas pound cake, homemade cranberry conserve and a Crème Anglaise that had been made for other purposes. I additionally used frozen, thawed mixed berries and real whipped cream to complete the layering of the trifle. I have included recipes for the various elements of this dessert and instructions for its assembly below, but if you would prefer to make a semi-homemade version of the dessert, frozen pound cake, commercial cranberry preserves, a pudding mix and whipped topping can be used. If at all possible, I recommend making your own pudding or Crème Anglaise and using real whipped cream. There is a point at which time saving ingredients become counter productive and produce a dessert that might look gorgeous but have a synthetic flavor. This is one of those desserts. I rarely serve trifle following a meal. I prefer to serve it as a stand alone dessert with coffee later in the evening. I also like to serve this in individual portions, but you can, if you wish, make one large trifle. Here's are the recipes you need to make the trifle from scratch.

Cranberry Trifle...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from a recipe by Daniel Golden

Ingredients:
1 sponge or pound cake, cut into 1” by 6” pieces
1 recipe Crème Anglaise (or vanilla pudding)
1 recipe cranberry preserves (or commercial preserves)
1 recipe whipped cream (or whipped topping)
32 ounces frozen mixed berries, thawed
2 ounces toasted almonds
½ cup cranberries

Directions:
1) To assemble, begin with a layer of cake. Add a layer of mixed berries. Place cranberry preserves directly on top of berries, followed by a layer of Crème Anglaise. Top with whipped cream and garnish with toasted almonds and sugared cranberries. Yield: 6 to 8 individual trifles or one large trifle.

Recipes for Components

Cranberry Preserves
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups cranberries
28 ounce jar of orange marmalade
1 pinch of ground cloves

Dissolve sugar into orange juice over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients to orange juice mixture and bring to boil, then reduce to simmer for 15 minutes. Chill preserves in refrigerator.

Crème Anglaise
9 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups heavy whipping cream
4 teaspoons vanilla

Combine egg yolks and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix until thickened. Heat cream in a medium sauce pan until it begins to bubble slightly. Whisk cream into egg mixture 1/4 cup at a time. Return mixture to sauce pan. Continue to cook over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes or until thickened. Take care to not allow mixture to boil. When thickened, move Crème Anglaise to mixing bowl to cool. Stir, occasionally, as it cools to prevent skin forming on top. Chill. Add vanilla and serve.

Sponge Cake
1 cup flour
6 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

In a small mixing bowl, stir flour with whisk to break it up. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks, half of sugar, and vanilla until thickened. Add flour to top of egg mixture, but do not stir in. In another bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until peaks form. Gently add remaining sugar to egg white mixture. Continue to whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold egg white mixture into egg yolk mixture. Transfer batter into a buttered 9” by 12” pan. Bake for 28-30 minutes or until knife can be inserted and removed clean. When cool, cut cake into 1” wide by 6” long strips.

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

Beat all ingredients until stiff. Chill whipped cream until ready to use.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Peach and Mango Trifle - Adora's Box
Cranberry Trifle - Tasty Tidbits
Eggnog Tiramisu Trifle - Half Baked
English Trifle with Pears and Cherries - Lindaraxa's Garden
Christmas Pudding Trifle - The English Kitchen
Panettone and Orange Trifle - Alessandra Zecchini
Accidental Chocolate Trifle - Food Loves Writing
Raspberry Trifle - Healthy and Gourmet

Christmas Cranberry Conserve + Blue Monday + Ruby Tuesday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had duck for dinner tonight, and, as is my habit when serving duck or goose, I made a fruit conserve to serve alongside it. I've found that a conserve or chutney helps clear the palate when rich or potentially fatty foods are eaten. A conserve is a fruit spread, much like a fruit preserve, save for the fact that it contains a mixture of fruits and no pectin is required to set it. Only a handful of ingredients are required to make conserves and they really are easy to prepare. I chose cranberries to make ours this evening. While they are seasonal and add great color to the table, the berries were selected more for their tartness than their seasonality. The cranberry is a perfect foil for potentially fatty fowl and the berries make a marvelous conserve. This spread is almost foolproof to make. The only thing you can do to spoil it is to cook it for too long a period of time. Overcooking produces too much juice and excess liquid will keep the conserve from setting. I added raisins and nuts to mine to make it a bit more festive. Here's the recipe.

Christmas Cranberry Conserve...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Mildred Banker and Taste of Home

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, halved or very coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 oranges, peeled, sliced and quartered
1 cup raisins
1-1/4 cup water
1 cup chopped pecans
2-1/2 cups sugar

Directions:
1) In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, orange zest, oranges, raisins and water. Cover and simmer over medium heat until cranberries are soft, about 5 minutes.
2) Add pecans and sugar; stir well. Simmer, uncovered, 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Cool. Spoon into covered containers. Refrigerate. Serve as a relish with poultry or pork, or spread on biscuits or rolls. Yield: 3 pints.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fig Jam Preserves - My Man's Belly
Relish the Thought - Stacey Snacks
Cranberry Chutney - Closet Cooking
Brandied Apple Conserve - Foodista
Plum Conserve - Simply Recipes
Honey Pear Conserve - Mermaids Treasures

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Work of the Poet: Ruby Tuesday

Cranberry Glazed Pork Roast

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love the taste and flavor of pork, as well as the ease with which it can be prepared. Chops and tenderloins are perfectly sized for today's smaller families and even the larger loins can be cut to prevent endless leftovers. Pork is also inexpensive. Our warehouse store sells large single loins for about $2 a pound. Most of the loins weigh 8 to 9 pounds each and can be cut into meal size portions that are more appropriate for today's families. I usually divide these loins into thirds and freeze them for later use as whim dictates. Unfortunately, I usually spend the money I save buying meat this way on ingredients with which to sauce it. When I prepare a loin for roasting, I tie the meat into a cylinder of uniform size and brown it before roasting. I cook my pork loin to an internal temperature of 140 degrees. When I take it out of the oven, I tent it in foil and let it sit for another 15 minutes. The roast continues to cook and at the end of the rest period it will reach 150 - 155 degrees, a perfect temperature for pork. I've been experimenting with cranberries lately and I wanted to use them to make a glaze that could be used for pork or chicken. I finally have come up with one I think is acceptable and a somewhat different than standard fare. It is a bit pricey, but it is wonderfully flavorful and will give your palate a joyful jolt. I've left the berries whole for the photograph, but the sauce can be strained and you may actually prefer to use it that way. Here's the recipe for cranberry glazed roast pork.

Cranberry Glazed Roast Pork...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Glaze
1 (12-oz.) bag fresh cranberries
1/3 cup chopped fresh ginger
Zest and juice of 1 large orange
1 cup sugar
1-1/4 cups cranberry juice
1/4 cup orange liqueur
Roast
1 ( 2-1/2 to 3 pound) center cut boneless pork loin
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided use
4 teaspoons coarse garlic salt
2 teaspoons coarsely cracked fresh pepper
2 teaspoons dried marjoram

Directions:
1) To prepare glaze: Combine cranberries, ginger, sugar, orange zest and orange and cranberry juices in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and cook until cranberries burst and sauce thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes. If you wish, strain through a fine mesh sieve and allow to cool. When cool add orange liqueur.
2) To prepare roast: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using kitchen twine, tie roast at 1-inch intervals to form a cylinder of uniform circumference. Rub all surface of roast with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Rub cylinder with all of salt pepper and marjoram. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large, heavy ovenproof skillet. Add pork and sear all surfaces well. Brush pork with glaze. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 15 minutes. Brush again with glaze and cook for another 20 minutes, or until pork reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees. Remove from oven. Brush again with glaze, tent with foil and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also like these recipes:
Maple Rosemary Glazed Pork - What's Cookin, Chicago?
Pork Tenderloin with Honey Glazed Apples -Food and Whine
Pan Roasted Pork Chops with Cranberries and Swiss Chard - Dinner Du Jour
Slow Cooker Pork Chops - The Hungry Housewife
Roast Pork Tenderloin with Pears and Figs - Verses from my Kitchen
Pork Milanese - Bored Cook in the Kitchen

Cranberry Layered Cheesecake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was seduced by its color and because I'm weak, this five layered cranberry confection ended up on my table. I normally don't make desserts that are this involved. As a matter of fact, I rarely make cheesecakes at all. I love them, mind you. I just can't convince myself that the protein packed into all that cream cheese offsets the fat and calories that keep the protein company. The first time I saw this cake was on the table of an accomplished cake decorator. It was gorgeous and its garnet glow snared me before reason could take hold. I made a homely version of the cake, one precious time consuming layer at a time, and thought that would be the end of it. I never dreamed Bob would like it. He did and now I'm dealing with a case of unintended consequences. I'll have to make the cake again. The cake begins with an almond flavored crust that is partially filled with a sweetened cheese custard and then topped with a cranberry filling. The garnet layer is then smothered with the rest of the custard before being topped with sweetened sour cream. The cake bakes a considerable while, and then is cooled and chilled for a considerable while, before a final layer of cranberries crown the cake and decorations of almond whipped cream are applied. It is a lovely tangy cake that provides irresistible color on the holiday table. The recipe was developed by Teri Rasey for Taste of Home magazine. Despite the work, I'm glad to recommend this cake to you. I've made a few changes to the original recipe. which you can find here. My version of the recipe appears below. I suggest that you add salt and almond extract to the crust and that you eliminate the ground almonds from the whipped cream. Let the cake chill for 24 hours before serving. This is a very nice recipe and, if you like cheesecake, it will be a great addition to your files. Here's how it's made.

Cranberry Layered Cheesecake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Teri Rasey and Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
Pastry Layer
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
Cranberry Layer
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cranberry juice
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
Cream Cheese Layer
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Sour Cream Topping
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whipped Cream Topping
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
1) In a food processor, finely chop dried cranberries. Add flour, almonds and confectioners' sugar, salt and almond extract; process until blended. Add butter; pulse just until crumbly.
2) Press onto the bottom and 1-1/2 in. up sides of a greased 10-in. springform pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.
3) In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch; stir in cranberry juice until smooth. Add berries. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Set aside.
4) In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, vanilla and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat just until combined. Pour half of batter into crust. Carefully spoon 3/4 cup berry mixture over batter; top with remaining batter.
5) Bake for 45 minutes. Reduce heat to 250°. Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until center is almost set. Combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla; spread over top. Bake 20-30 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Spread remaining berry mixture over the top. Refrigerate overnight.
6) Beat cream with sugar and almond extract until stiff peaks form. Pipe around top edge of cheesecake. Yield: 16 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Caramel Cheesecake - Wild Yeast
Mini Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecakes - Dessarts
Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie - The Sweet's Life
German Cheesecake - Anja's Food 4 Thought
Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake - The Other Side of 50
Pumpkin Cheesecake - Simply Recipes

Rocks - Chunky Oatmeal Cookies with Walnuts and Cranberries

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The only "rocks" that are better than these are diamonds. I know I confound people when I direct them to the sites of test kitchens operated by food manufacturers. Lots of us think that a recipe that appears on the back of a box is something that doesn't deserve a second glance. I suspect we forget the time, effort and repeated experiments that have led to its publication by the manufacturer. I found this recipe on the Diamond Nuts website and once I tried them they replaced what had been my favorite oatmeal cookie. My family loves them as well and they have become permanent residents in my cookie jar. We joke that they are never-stale cookies. They just don't last long enough for that to happen. I think you like them too. Here's the recipe for a new take on a favorite old-fashioned cookie.

Chunky Oatmeal Cookies with Walnuts and Cranberries...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Diamond Nuts

Ingredients:
3 cups Diamond Walnuts
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup dried cranberries

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To toast walnuts, spread evenly on a baking sheet or in a shallow pan. Bake, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Coarsely chop and set aside.
2) In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and oats; add to sugar mixture and stir well to combine. Stir in dried cranberries and toasted walnuts.
3) Drop cookie dough by tablespoonfuls onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 36 cookies.

You might also like these recipes:
Banana-Maple Oatmeal Cookies - Food and Whine
Oatmeal Coconut Cookies - Angie's Recipes
Famous Oatmeal Cookies - Katy's Kitchen
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies - Baking Bites
Frosted Oatmeal Cookies - The Daily Dish
Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies - Be Delicious
Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies - Good Things Catered