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

Warm Beef and Cheese Dip with Pecans

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love to see old things made new again. Over the holidays we were served a long retired beef and cheese dip that I'm very fond of. While I love its taste, I even more enamored of the ease with which it can be prepared. I especially like this recipe because the ingredients can be reduced by half to produce a quantity that's perfect for smaller gatherings. I shouldn't admit this, but I 'm a fan of dips. I 'm fond of those made with ingredients that make those more sophisticated than me shudder. I dip freely into mixtures made with dehydrated mixes, so it should come as no surprise that I occasionally serve one made with dried beef. There are many versions of this on the net. This version is my refinement of the recipe to suit the tastes of my family. I always serve this warm from the oven with thinly sliced French bread or an assortment of good crackers. It's perfect football fodder.

Warm Beef and Cheese Dip with Pecans...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 (8-oz.) packages of cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated onion and juice
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 (2-1/2-oz.) jars dried beef, finely minced
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Directions:
1) Combine cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, onion and juice and garlic in a small bowl. Mix until smooth and light. Fold in minced beef. Transfer to a bake and serve dish. Top with toasted pecans.
2) Preheat oven to 300 degree F. Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes. Serve with good bread and crackers. Yield: 2-1/2 cups.