Berry the Hatchet (23 page)

Cranberry and Orange Salad with Dressing

½ head of red leaf lettuce

½ head of romaine lettuce

1 small red onion

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup mandarin orange slices

1 cup pecans or walnuts, broken into small pieces

Tear red leaf and romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces and place in bowl. Slice red onion as thinly as possible and separate into individual rings. Add to lettuce along with cranberries, oranges and chopped nuts.

D
RESSING

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

Salt and pepper to taste

Place dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until well blended. Pour over salad and serve.

Serves 8

Monica's Cranberry Salsa

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce or equivalent of homemade

12 ounces of fresh salsa, drained

2 tablespoons jalapenos, chopped (more or less to taste)

Place cranberry sauce in a bowl and mash berries slightly with the back of a spoon. Add the drained salsa and chopped jalapenos. Taste and add more jalapenos if desired. Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

2 cups sugar

¾ cup orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange peel

3¼ cups fresh cranberries

Combine sugar, juice and orange peel in a slow cooker or on the stovetop on low heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cranberries and cook on low for six hours in a slow cooker or on top of the stove until berries are soft. When done, mash the sauce with a potato masher. Chill.

Cranberry Balsamic Pork Chops

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup dried cranberries

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

3 or 4 boneless loin pork chops

½ cup balsamic vinegar

Heat oil and add cranberries and shallot. Cook over medium heat until soft. Add pork chops to pan and brown on both sides. Cook until internal temperature measures 165 degrees. When done, remove pork chops and set aside. Lower heat and add balsamic vinegar to pan. Heat while scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced by half. Pour over the pork chops and
serve.

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