When I saw this recipe for chipotle cranberry sauce in Bon Appetit I was somewhat skeptical. But I made some adjustments to it, and made it and you know what?

It was good. Not just like..mmm..yeah..good...But more like...WHOA, now that’s GOOD!

This would be great warmed up over a brick of cream cheese and served with gingersnaps or Carrs Water Crackers. I am thinking it would make incredible phyllo appetizers as well. You get the tart-sweet tastes of the cranberry and cinnamon and then the smoky heat from the chipotle..and a little whisper of garlic at the end – like the smell of perfume in the house the morning after a party. Faint…but there.

If you love your traditional orange- cranberry sauce you may not like this as a substitute. To me it was more of an appetizer, something to be eaten with cheese, apples, and crackers. Give it a try, if you like southwestern flavor you are gonna love this.

Chipotle Cranberry Sauce

• 2 canned chipotles in adobo sauce, mashed
• 1 lb cranberries
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup apple cider
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cumin

1. Combine chipotles, sugar, cider, garlic, and cranberries in a pan.
2. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until sugar melts and cranberries pop. You may need to add a little more cider.
3. Add cinnamon and cumin and simmer about five minutes.
4. Let cool.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

images:marye audet

Post from: Baking Delights

Erin, my daughter, is addicted to mango. It has been one of her favorite fruits since she first sampled it, I think. Whenever I see mango in the store I think of her. And…this time of year they are at their best here so I buy them. The mango black bean salsa I made was so awesome I decided that I wanted to try a spicy mango chutney.

Spicy Mango Chutney

I used the traditional raisins even though I don’t like raisins cooked. I wanted to get a feel for the taste and texture before I played too much with it. Next time I think I will use dried cranberries instead. I also added the pecans, and made other adjustments but the recipe is based on one from the Culinary Institute of America Cookbook.

This is sweet, rich, spicy, and exotic all at once. I have used it several ways. I made a Moroccan Chicken, also based out of the CIA book, and I used the chutney along with cubed chicken breast as a tea sandwich filling for Erin’s shower.

…Then of course there was the bowl licking that I did…so, serve it with chicken, serve it with pork, serve it on a spoon…it is good no matter what you do!

If you don’t know how to cube mangoes, it is quite simple. Cut down through the mango on either side of the pit. Run your knife vertically without cutting through the skin, and then horizontally. Now Push the skin up from the bottom which will separated the mango squares. Cut them off with the knife, and voila! You have cubed mango.

Spicy Mango Chutney

• 2 cups very ripe mango, cubed
• 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 jalapeno seeded and minced
• 1/2 red fresno pepper seeded and minced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the pecans in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and simmer slowly, stirring often, for about 15 minutes.
2. Taste and adjust the sweet to tangy ratio to personal taste by adding a touch more sugar or balsamic.
3. Add the pecans just before serving.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

image:maryeaudet

Post from: Baking Delights

O.k…Gayla sent me a link to this, and it absolutely made my day.

As a homeschool mom I  actually do have to deal with things like the Periodic Table, Venn Diagrams, and dangling participles rather often.  I seriously bake and cook to relax and get away from it all, because, as we all know, nothing repels children (of dishwashing age)  like a dirty kitchen.

This table has things like:

29GC Guacamole 2 days

Aww..it doesn’t look nearly as cool when I copy it.

Please..get a laugh…go see this it is really good. I think I am printing mine out for the fridge.  Table of Condiments that Periodically Go Bad

The visit Gayla, at Supernanny Rules  and tell her thanks.

Post from: Baking Delights