cranberry sauce? green beans? I want to do fresh...

[lovinAZ]

I am hosting Thanksgiving this year and am attempting to do it all fresh.

Anyone have a good recipe for cranberry sauce?  I'd like not to have it from a can.

What about green bean casserole?  All of the recipes I have include all canned ingredients: beans, soup, onions.

I can make according to those directions, and can just buy canned cranberry sauce, but I thought I'd check in here first...

[just me]

The bags of the fresh Ocean Spray brand cranberries has a easy (and yummy) recipe for cranberry sauce right on the bag.

A quick search on Epicurious.com turned up a ton of recipes: http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresults?search=cranberry+sauce

As for the green bean casserole, here's Alton Brown's version, using all fresh ingredients:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/best-ever-green-bean-casserole-recipe/index.html

[Summrs]

Here's another recipe for Cranberry sauce... I don't do the green bean casserole so I can't help you there. 

This makes 2 1/4 cups.

The cooking time in this recipe is intended for fresh berries. If you have frozen cranberries, do not defrost them before use; just pick through them and add about 2 minutes to the simmering time.
 
  3/4 cup water
  1 cup sugar
  1/4 ts salt
  1 (12-oz) bag cranberries, picked through
 
Bring water, sugar, and salt to a boil in medium non-reactive saucepan over high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Stir in cranberries; return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until saucy, slightly thickened, and about two-thirds of berries have popped open, about 5 minutes. Transfer to non-reactive bowl, cool to room temperature, and serve. (Can be covered and refrigerated up to 7 days; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)

[lovinAZ]

Thanks!

Sorry - I should have explained - I can google search and get a zillion recipes, but I don't know if they're any good.  If someone has one here that they've used, then at least one person thinks it's good

[Elle]

The above is THE best cranbery sauce around. Add a little OJ to it though. OJ and cranberry go great together. And it's really fun watching the cranberries pop.

[lovinAZ]

OK, thanks!

Can I double triple it without issue?  It looks like it should...

(I'm having 28 people - how much do you think I should serve?)

[just me]

Okay, well then the Ocean Spray recipe on the bag is the one I always use. Haven't made the AB green bean casserole recipe, but every other recipe of his that DH or I have made has been excellent.

[LovesWater]

Here's the Ocean Spray recipe right from the bag in case you get a different brand:

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
12 ounce package cranberries

Bring water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add cranberries and return to a boil.  Reduce heat and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Pour sauce into a bowl, cover and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate until serving time.

I always rinse first with cold water and make sure there are no stems or "off" berries.

This recipe is what I always use and it works just fine. For double I do it twice because I have no pan the right size to do a double recipe, but you should have no trouble. The good thing about cranberry sauce is it is best done the day before, so that is one less thing to do on the day of!

Sorry I cannot help you with green bean casserole; someone else always makes it and they always do it from the canned anyway! But we love it!

[MrsJWine]

http://thanksgiving.allrecipes.com/az/CranberrySauceExtraordinaire.asp

INGREDIENTS:

* 1 cup water
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
* 1 orange, peeled and pureed
* 1 apple - peeled, cored and diced
* 1 pear - peeled, cored and diced
* 1 cup chopped dried mixed fruit
* 1 cup chopped pecans
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium saucepan, boil water and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to simmer, and stir in cranberries, pureed orange, apple, pear, dried fruit, pecans, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature.

I used canned pears that I just broke into pieces with my fingers. I used super-finely-chopped pecans because then my I-hate-nuts-in-anything family members don't mind them. But I made my husband try some (he is also a pecan-hater, also a cranberry-hater), and he loved it. He gave it an 8. Considering he's never liked a cranberry sauce before, this is good news.

I also thre some cinnamon sticks in, and I think next time I make it I'll replace some of the sugar with honey.

By the way, if you actually decide to use this recipe, it takes longer than 30 minutes for the cranberries to burst. I think it was about 45 for me. I'm also told this stuff is better if it sits in its juices for a couple days. I'm going to bed.

[cicero]

I've never tasted that "convenience food" casserole and i only make fresh from scratch. here is a green bean stew that i love. I actually had this recipe fro a long time before i made it, because i didn't like to cook the beans for so long --- i like them when they are crisp--- but this is really good


 Leah S's Green Bean Stew
====================

Leah is a friend that i "met" on a foodie forum in israel, and then actually met in person a few times.

1/2 kilo (1 pound) green beans (works with yellow too, also with the very flat green beans - i don't know what they are called, can use frozen but i prefer fresh)
2 sliced tomatoes
1/3 cup oil (i used olive, but can use whatever, and can use less than 1/3 cup)
salt, black pepper
a few garlic cloves (can use more than a few!)

layer in a wide pan with cover: beans, tomatoes, sprinkled each layer with salt, pepper, garlic. pour oil over all. cook covered for 40 minutes, low flame, without stirring.

i added: 1-2 onions, peeled and sliced. pour small amount of oil in pan, layer onion on bottom, then contineu as above.

[Just Lori]

In the case of green beans, I prefer to keep things simple:

Steam your green beans.
Saute some garlic in butter and toss it with the green beans.
Toss in some sliced almonds.
Enjoy. 

[GlindaBunny]

If I make green bean casserole, I use a homemade alfredo with fresh herbs and top with herb croutons.  Sorry I don't often use measurements; I have none for this.


Steam fresh green beans, set aside. 

Finely chop whatever fresh herbs you want to use (I use thyme, rosemary, and parsley).

Cube some Italian bread, butter lightly, and add some of the fresh herbs.  Bake til toasty.

Finely chop a shallot or two, then add to butter in a pan.  Cook til soft and translucent; add some softened cream cheese and then some cream.  Whisk and cook over medium low heat until smooth; do not let boil.  Add a couple handfuls freshly grated parmesan (you have to use the block and grate it yourself or it won't be as good).  Add a couple grinds of black pepper, then the herbs.  Taste sauce and see if it needs salt (if you use enough parmesan, you shouldn't need much, if any).  Sauce should be relatively thick in order to coat the green beans.

Toss green beans with sauce, place in a casserole or serving dish, then top with more parmesan and the croutons.


I don't like mushrooms.

[Brentwood]

Here's my favorite recipe for cranberry sauce:

SPICED CRANBERRY SAUCE WITH ZINFANDEL
1 3/4 cups red Zinfandel
1 cup sugar
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
6 whole cloves
6 whole allspice
2 cinnamon sticks
1 3x1-inch strip orange peel
1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries

Combine all ingredients except cranberries in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 1 3/4 cups, about 10 minutes. Strain syrup into large saucepan. Add cranberries to syrup and cook over medium heat until berries burst, about 6 minutes. Cool. Transfer sauce to medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until cold. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Makes about 3 cups.


This appeared in Bon Appetit in November of 2001, and I've been making it for Thanksgiving and Christmas every year since. I just made a batch today!

[Claire]

Easiest Cranberry Sauce

1 1/2 cups cranberries (1/2 of the standard bag of fresh cranberries)
Juice & pulp of one medium orange
1/2 cup sugar

Place in microwaveable bowl and cover with plastic wrap.  Microwave on HIGH for 3-5 minutes until berries pop.  Chill.
________________________

I have successfully doubled this - microwave time is 6-7 minutes.  If you need to make more than that, make separate batches.

[ladylostris]

Here's a green bean recipe we've had before and liked.

Green Beans with Orange

1 1/2 cups water
1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
1 tablespoon orange peel zest or strips

In a 10 inch skillet bring water and salt to a full boil.  Add beans.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until beans are srisply tender (15-20 minutes).  Drain, set aside.  In same skillet melt butter.  Add slivered almonds; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown (3-4 minutes).  Add beans and orange peel.  Cover; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated trough (5-6 minutes).
 
4 servings