Cranberry Baked Apples

"Baked apples are stuffed with cranberries and sweetened with honey and brown sugar in this simple recipe for a delicious autumn dessert."

• 6 Golden Delicious Apples - Jenn used Fuji or Gala which were awesome!
• 1-3/4 cups fresh cranberries
• 2-1/4 cups water
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 cup honey

Preparation -
Spray a shallow baking dish with non-stick cooking spray; set aside. Peel only around the top of each apple... about one inch around the stem. Carefully remove the apple cores... do not cut all the way through... leave about 1/2" in the bottom of each apple. Place the apples in the prepared baking dish. Rinse the cranberries in a strainer. Fill the center of each apple with cranberries, as many as will fit. In a saucepan, combine the water, brown sugar, cinnamon and honey. Heat and stir until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is well blended. Pour the mixture over the apples. Bake in a preheated oven at 350º for about 1 hour or until the apples are tender, spooning the liquid over the top of the apples about every 20 minutes while they're baking. Serve warm.

These were fantastic, thanks for making them Jenn!

This recipe came from http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art64112.asp

If you want eggnog, call Ashlyn

So I posted a lite eggnog, but due to popular demand I am posting the eggnog Ashlyn makes. This is so delicious and so not low fat.

http://256.com/gray/recipes/eggnog/ - this is where he found the recipe

Cyril K. Collins Eggnog Recipe (Egg Nog)

Advice from Cyril Collins "Please note that this eggnog is a potent alcoholic beverage. Please encourage the members of your party to bring a Designated Driver if they plan on drinking. To lower the alcohol in the recipe, use lower proof whiskey and/or rum, or substitute a cup of milk for every cup of alcohol removed."

Ingredients	8 servings	16 servings	24 servings
Fresh Eggs (separated into yolks/whites)	4	8	12
Sugar (divided into 2 equal parts)	1/2 cup (1/4c, 1/4c)	1 cup (1/2c, 1/2c)	1 1/2 cups (3/4c, 3/4c)
White Rum (dark works)	1/2 cup	1 cup	1 1/2 cups
Milk (Whole or 2%)	1 1/2 cups	3 cups	4 1/2 cups
Whiskey (Bourbon or Canadian)	1 1/2 cups	3 cups	4 1/2 cups
Heavy/Whipping Cream (divided into 2 equal parts)	1 cup (1/2c, 1/2c)	2 cups (1c, 1c)	3 cups (1 1/2c, 1 1/2c)
Ground Nutmeg (strongly recommended)	Enough to sprinkle on servings. Consider whole nutmeg nuts and grinder.

Eggnog Recipe Instructions

You are doing things gently and slowly to preserve the eggnog's fluffiness. A good whisk for the stirring and a high speed mixer for the egg-whites and cream helps this process immensely. Notes on taking this to a party below.

1. Separate eggs into yolks and whites in separate bowls (see below for a how-to). I put the whites into the mixer and the yolks into another bowl.
2. Beat egg-yolks with 1/2 of sugar, set aside.
3. Beat egg-whites until stiff, then mix in other 1/2 of sugar.
4. Pour the yolks into the whites and mix together slowly.
5. Stir in white rum slowly. I've tried dark rum and it works.
6. Stir in milk slowly (see below for dairy intolerance)
7. Stir in whiskey slowly (Bourbon, Canadian, Sour Mash. I use Jim Beam or Jack Daniels)
8. Stir in 1/2 of cream slowly
9. Whip rest (1/2) of cream and fold in carefully. Notes on how to fold below.
10. Serve at room temperature by ladling the eggnog into cups and sprinkle nutmeg on the top. Information on nutmeg grinders below. Try to get some of the foam and some of the liquid (if not fully mixed) in each cup.

Visit the link for more tips on drinking and enjoying eggnog.

Cheers!!!!

November at Jolene's

Our gathering this month was small but so much fun. Thank you to all that attended. Great food, Great Friends and a Great Cause.

The food for the evening consisted of;

Chicken Samosas

Garlic Soup

Clam Chowder

Fresh Baked Breads

Cranberry Stuffed Apples

Recipes for all the above to follow soon.

Wines for Humanity's joined us and brought a nice variety of wines for sampling.

The wines we tasted were:

1. Duca di Montebello - Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay blend

2. Kakadu Ridge Unoaked Chardonnay, SE Australia

3. 2006 Stafford Lodge Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

4. 2006 Pierre Laforest Cuvee St. Vincent, France

5. 2005 Golden Grape Estate Shiraz Blend, Southeastern Australia

6. Boland Cellar Pinotage, Winemakers selection

7. 2006 Matrai Blaufrankisch, Hungary

The groups favorites were the Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Cuvee and Shiraz, but all were really good.

Kraft Foods is Feeding America

This weeks issue of People Magazine was covered with a section by Kraft Foods.

"Holidays are all about twinkling lights, sharing gifts with loved ones, gathering with friends and making treasured family recipes." I couldn't agree with the Kraft folks more and I love that they are taking it one step further by donating meals to Feeding America.

"For every FREE e-card you send, Kraft Foods will donate 10 meals to Feeding America. Visit www.kraftrecipeforjoy.com from Nov. 16 - Dec. 31."

On the site check out the recipes for Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms, Pretzel Bark and Caramel Nut Cheesecake. Yummy!