"Turkey with Gravy and Cranberry!"

Just as the Adam Sandler Thanksgiving song says, some things are meant to be paired together. A traditional Thanksgiving turkey dinner without the cranberries? Or all of those delicious leftover turkey sandwiches?
The Lonesome Road takes a couple of different turns when it comes to cranberries. One likes the jellied cranberry sauce in the can, you know the one - it makes that embarrassing noise as it sidles out of the can onto a plate, in a perfect log shape. The other one (that would be me) likes whole berry sauce, and I like flavors that accentuate and contrast with the tart flavor of fresh cranberries. That is why the following recipe is one of my all-time favorite preparations for cranberries.
Not quite a "sauce," this is more of a relish. Fresh lemony flavor combines with vinegar and sugar plus the whole arsenal of fragrant autumn spices to create a sweet and tart side dish that perfectly accompanies pork, duck and pheasant as well as turkey.
The original recipe is from one of my most cherished cookbooks, "Prairie" by Stephen Langlois. The cookbook is a collection of seasonal and regional recipes from the Chicago area (Prairie was located on Printers Row in Chicago but has since closed). Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups malt vinegar (you can use red wine vinegar to cut some of the acidity; malt vinegar is very piquant)

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cups white granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

One 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries, washed and picked over

In a medium non-reactive saucepan combine the vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, corn syrup and spices. Bring to a full boil over medium heat.
Add cranberries, lower heat and cook on low for 10 to 15 minutes or until the skins have cracked and the mixture has thickened. Store in a non-reactive container for at least 2 or 3 days before serving so flavors have a chance to blend. Makes 1 quart.

the weekend baker - the great pumpkin!

The Great Pumpkin Shortage of 2010...?

Imagine going to your favorite supermarket and.... the canned pumpkin shelf is EMPTY! You speed from store to store, in search of that elusive can of pureed curcubit. Panic begins to set in as you realize that you may never again see a can of pumpkin on a store shelf. Never, I tell you!

That's certainly how I felt recently. Fortunately I found a can hiding in a cabinet in my kitchen but it could have been curtains for pumpkin pie and pumpkin bars this year. I jokingly told people that I was going to sell that can for thirty bucks on Ebay. Then I discovered that people really have been doing that.

The cause of the shortage depends on who you talk to and where you get your news. The Washington Post says that there was too much rain, making it difficult to harvest the pumpkins. During a recent visit to a pumpkin farm in my area, I overheard the grower telling a customer that the plants were not being pollinated properly and that was the problem. Either way, I've recently noticed that supplies of canned pumpkin seem to be returning to stores and now we can all breathe a little easier about that Thanksgiving pie!

Another autumn favorite is pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting. Delicious, a favorite of all, and easy (if you can just find a can of pumpkin).

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1-2/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil (I like to use safflower)
• 1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Beat together eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin in a large mixing bowl. Combine all of the dry ingredients and gradually add to the pumpkin mixture, mixing well.

Pour batter into an ungreased 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, then frost with cream cheese frosting.

For the frosting, beat together:

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup butter (half of a stick), softened

1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

1 tablespoon milk, or as needed for desired consistency

Spread frosting over bars and decorate them if you wish (they look very cute with candy pumpkins, or with icing "webs"). Makes 20 to 24 pumpkin bars.

"Halloween Jack" pendant by Lonesome Road Studio 2.

cheap eats - the comfort food edition

Chilly Nights and Frost on the Pumpkin...

it's time to put on a big, comforting pot of hot lentil & sausage soup!

I literally do not eat soup in warmer weather; being someone who is fussy about seasonal foods, temperatures and the like, I can't just sit down to a hot steaming bowl of soup when it's 90 degrees outside. But in the fall, that all changes, I can't get enough warming, homey soup!

Lentil soup is one of my favorite comfort foods, especially when it's prepared with spinach for added flavor, vitamins and iron. Since lentils do not require soaking it's actually very quick to prepare and so full of fiber, high in protein, and low in fat. And, the price is right too; a bag of dried lentils costs around $1.50 and will make so many delicious main dishes in less time than it takes to go out and grab a big, fattening, artery-clogging burger and fries.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. Italian sausage, cut into slices (I use turkey Italian sausage but you can use a traditional pork sausage, or even seasoned veggie crumbles)
• 1-1/2 cups dried lentils, picked over and rinsed briefly
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 10 oz. package of frozen chopped spinach
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• one large russet potato, chopped (I leave on the peel for more nutrition)

Begin by browning the sausage slices in a large soup pot; turkey sausage and veggie crumbles will yield little or no extra fat so you will probably have to add a bit of olive oil after browning in order to cook the onion and garlic.

Cook onion and garlic until wilted then add the lentils, broth, spinach and seasonings. Bring to a medium boil then turn down to a medium-low simmer. Partly cover and simmer for about 45 minutes; taste seasoning and correct if necessary (the amount of thyme and basil you use will depend on the seasonings in the sausage, and the amount of salt you need will be determined by the broth used).

Add the chopped potato and cook until potato is tender (another 20 to 30 minutes or so). Serve steaming hot with crusty French bread and butter. A sprinkling of freshly grated Parmesan cheese is a nice touch for the soup, or some crispy homemade garlic croutons.

Makes about six servings.