By Chris Goff
My mother was a “holiday cook.” While my father was master of the kitchen, making amazing gourmet creations, always by memory, my mother’s specialties were Thanksgiving and Christmas. Again, no recipes. So, when I married my husband, I happily collected the family recipes my mother-in-law seemed eager to pass down. Among the favorites are: Grandma Snover’s Pumpkin Pie made with brown sugar and spices; Basil Gel for using on all things toast to roast; raisin sauce over pork patties; Peanut Stew; and a twist on cranberries.
To my surprise, there wasn’t a recipe card for the latter! Fortunately, it’s simple. Here’s how you make it:
1 package of whole cranberries
2 large apples
1 large orange
1 cup of sugar (approximately)
Pull out your food processor. We use an old Kitchen Aid. Wash the cranberries. Peel the orange (though a little of the peel adds zest). Core the apple. Then, run the fruit through the food processor to “relish consistency.” (Note: you’re not after purée.)
Add sugar to taste. And, really, you can mix the amount of fruit added to taste also.
My husband likes his relish tart. I like mine a little sweeter. One bit of advice: start with less sugar and let the flavors blend a bit before adding more. As the juices mix, the sweetness comes up. Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving, from (most of) my family to yours!
Chris Goff is the award-winning author of eight novels—six mysteries and two international thrillers. Her books have been finalists for Colorado Book Awards, Colorado Authors’ League Awards and Willa Cather Awards. In 2016, her debut thriller, Dark Waters, was a finalist for the 2016 Anthony Award for Best Crime Audiobook and took home a gold medal from the Military Writer’s Society of America. A former journalist, Goff is a long-standing member of multiple writing organizations and currently serves on the executive board of the International Association of Crime Writers. When not hard at work, she can often be found gallivanting around the world in search of stories and adventure.
I never heard of basil gel or peanut stew – interesting. A very Happy Thanksgiving to you Chris, and all of our RWW readers out there!
Great pictures!! But your culinary skills far surpass mine. My Thanksgiving spread is as basic as it gets…I inherited my dad’s bland taste buds!