शनिवार, 6 नवंबर 2021

The Easiest Cranberry Sauce

This cranberry sauce is the perfect mixture of sweet and tart! It’s made with fresh cranberries and topped with orange zest to really set it apart!

Making Thanksgiving dinner just got more delicious with this cranberry sauce. If you love cranberries like I do try this Cranberry Pecan Sweet Potato with Rice Pilaf, Cranberry Cheesecake Fluff, or this Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball to have at your Thanksgiving dinner table.

Cranberry sauce in a bowl with an orange slice.

The Easiest Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Your holiday dinner just got better with this amazing cranberry sauce! It’s one of my favorite side dishes to make during the holidays! It is simple, easy and so fresh tasting! You will not want to buy a can again and will love how quick and easy it is to make. What sets this cranberry sauce apart from others is definitely the subtle orange flavor. It’s the ingredient that you didn’t know it needed until you taste it! And then you’ll never want to have it without!

You can never go wrong with picking a fresh side dish over one from a can. It’s so delicious that it will for sure have your family and friends passing it around the table until it is gone! It is one of my all-time favorite side dishes, especially for Thanksgiving! I love to make this cranberry sauce with all my Juicy Butter Herb Turkey or Slow Cooker Turkey Breast. It will make your holiday meal complete!

Ingredients to Make Cranberry Sauce

Enjoy this cranberry sauce next to all your other delicious side dishes this holiday season! See the recipe card below for a list of exact ingredient measurements.

  • Bag of fresh cranberries: Fresh cranberries are best but you can use frozen if needed.
  • Sugar: The sugar sweetens up the cranberries.
  • Orange Juice: This ingredient is added as a sweetener and brings out a more flavorful taste.
  • Water: The water added to the sauce aids in popping the cranberries.
  • Zest from one orange: The orange brightens and adds a hint of sweet orange flavor!
Sugar being poured onto cranberries.

Let’s Make Some Cranberry Sauce!

This cranberry sauce recipe is so simple to make and doesn’t last long. It is simple to make and adds so much color and zest to all your holiday dishes!

  1. Mix ingredients together and cook: In a saucepan add the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water and orange zest. Over medium low heat cook the cranberries until the sugar has dissolved and the cranberries start to soften.
  2. Cooking until cranberries burst: Increase the heat to medium and continue to stir and cook for another 5-6 minutes until the cranberries burst. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
Cranberries in a pan with sugar and adding orange zest overtop.

How to Zest an Orange

Orange zest is one of my favorite ways to add zest and a hint of orange zing to any dish that I am making! The color is bright and it just pops!

  • To zest an orange you will want to use a grater with fine teeth or microplane. (A vegetable peeler will also work well too.) With a grater, simply run the rough, outside surface of the orange against it and you will then see the orange peel fall. Move your orange around to get the brightest orange skin that you can. You will want to make sure you do not grate past the white layer under the orange. It tends to become bitter at that point. If you are using a vegetable peeler, cut off the outside orange layer and peel from your fingers.
Cooking cranberries in a pan.

Tips for Making Cranberry Sauce

This sauce is super quick and easy to make! I’ve come up with a few tips that will help it turn out perfectly for you this holiday season!

  • How to pick out cranberries: When you are trying to pick out cranberries at the store, look for full and unbroken cranberries. They will be bright pink or red in color!
  • Fresh cranberries: If you are using fresh cranberries, gently rinse them and remove any stems or debris on them. Add in your cranberries whole.
  • Frozen cranberries: If you dont have fresh cranberries available then frozen will work! Don’t worry about defrosting them first.
  • Added flavor: For more flavoring you can add in more orange juice and leave out the water. You can also use other juices to replace the water with. The added citrus enhances this sauce immensely.
  • Fresh orange juice: Squeezing your own orange juice is a little more work but the taste is amazing and adds a freshness to your cranberry sauce recipe.
  • Thicker sauce: The longer the sauce sits, the thicker it will be become.
Cranberries in a saucepan.

Variations to Try

You can totally switch up this sauce to change it up! It’s super easy to do and it adds so much to your holiday dinner! So, if you love to add in more flavoring and extras to make it your own here are a few ways to do so.

  • Add more fruit: Diced apple or apple sauce, cherries, crushed pineapple or diced pear.
  • Juice: Ginger ale, apple juice or cranberry juice are always great to add in instead of the orange juice.
  • Nuts: Toss in a few pecans, walnuts or cashews for an added crunch and texture.
  • Seasonings or spices: Add a pinch of ginger, cinnamon or nutmeg are fun to add in for warmth.
Up close cranberry sauce.

How to Store Cranberry Sauce

Whether you are storing leftovers or are making this ahead of time for your holiday feast, this cranberry sauce is delicious!

  • Refrigerating cranberry sauce: Let your cranberry sauce cool completely. Then, add it to an airtight container where it can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
  • Freezing cranberry sauce: Cook your cranberry sauce through then let it cool completely. Once it is cooled, add it to an airtight container or a ziplock bag to be frozen. Lay flat if it is in a ziplock bag. Freeze for up to 1 month in the freezer. When reheating, your sauce will not be as thick with the added water from being frozen. You can thicken it up by simmering for a few extra minutes. Thaw in the refrigerator over night before warming up.
  • Reheating cranberry sauce:  When you are ready to warm it up then simply reheat it over medium heat in a skillet. Simmering the sauce will help thicken this sauce back up from being frozen!
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The Easiest Cranberry Sauce

This cranberry sauce is the perfect mixture of sweet and tart! It's made with fresh cranberries and topped with orange zest to really set it apart! 
Course Appetizer, Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword cranberry sauce
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 12 people
Calories 80kcal
Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

  • 12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup orange juice
  • 1/2 cup water
  • zest from one orange

Instructions

  • In a saucepan add the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water, and orange zest. Over medium-low heat cook the cranberries until the sugar has dissolved and the cranberries start to soften.
  • Increase the heat to medium and continue to stir and cook for another 5-6 minutes until the cranberries burst. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. The sauce will thicken as it cools.

Notes

Updated on November 6, 2021
Originally Posted on October 31, 2019

Nutrition

Calories: 80kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg


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Slow Cooker Sausage Herb Stuffing

This classic sausage herb stuffing is full of an amazing mixture of flavors! The spices used in this are the star of the show and it will be a side dish that everyone goes crazy over!

If you are looking for some more Thanksgiving ideas then I have a few that you should try first! This Casserole, this amazing Cranberry Sauce, and this delightful Pie should all be on your menu this year!

Stuffing in a serving dish.

Sausage Herb Stuffing

I love everything about the food at Thanksgiving. The turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and one of my favorite parts is the stuffing! When you add the sausage, celery, carrots, onion, and fresh herbs, and spices you create an unforgettable stuffing. Something about making it in the slow cooker fuses all of the flavors together. The veggies cook up so soft and tender and the result is absolutely amazing. The edges get crispy and the stuffing is perfectly moist and full of flavor.

For many of us, Thanksgiving is a busy holiday of getting here or there. That is why this recipe is perfect for this holiday! Not only is it a classic dish that you see made at every Thanksgiving dinner but it can be made in your slow cooker! This makes it so easy to transport! Or, if you are hosting then this will free up your oven for all of the other food! It slow cooks to perfection adding crispy edges and will be the best stuffing that you will ever make!

What’s In Sausage Herb Stuffing?

I always love having herbs on hand in the pantry because they are great to add to any dish in a pinch. See the recipe card below for a list of exact ingredient measurements.

  • French bread: You will want to cut this into 1 inch pieces
  • Italian sausage: Using meat that already has added flavor really takes this stuffing up a notch!
  • Onion: Chop up your oven into small pieces so that it can be in every bite!  
  • Carrots: When you chop up your carrots then just make sure that they are all about the same size so that they cook evenly.
  • Celery: I like to slice up my celery into small pieces.
  • Basil Leaves: Basil adds such a fresh taste to this stuffing.
  • Rubbed Sage: When you use rubbed sage, you will notice a delicious earthy flavor!
  • Thyme Leaves: Thyme is similar to sage but it also has a subtle hint of citrus and mint!
  • Salt: This will enchance all of the flavors in this recipe.
  • Pepper: The amount used in this recipe adds just enough flavors without adding in any heat.
  • Butter: I used unsalted butter in this recipe.  
  • Chicken broth: When you use chicken broth instead of water, it really adds in a delicious flavor!
  • Fresh parsley and cranberries: These are used as a garnish on top!

How to Make Sausage Herb Stuffing

When you use your slow cooker, it makes it so easy to show up to your destination with a delicious dish to share. It also keeps the food warm while you are enjoying your meal for when you go back for seconds… or thirds!

  1. Prepare bread crumbs: To prepare the bread crumbs, Cut into 1 inch pieces and stale them overnight. You can also toast them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until they are lightly golden.
  2. Cook sausage: In a medium sized skillet, cook and crumble the italian sausage until no longer pink. Prepare your slow cooker by spraying it with non stick cooking spray.
  3. Combne ingredients and add to slow cooker: In a large bowl toss bread crumbs, sausage, onion, carrot, celery, basil, sage, salt, pepper, and butter until combined. Add to slow cooker and pour chicken broth on the top. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until vegetables are tender.
  4. Garnish: Garnish with fresh parsley and dried cranberries if desired.
4 pictures showing steps on how to make homemade sausage herb stuffing.

Tips for Making Homemade Stuffing

Sausage herb stuffing is one of my favorite side dishes for Thanksgiving! Here are a few tips that I have to make this recipe turn out perfectly!

  • Bread crumbs: This recipe calls for you to make your own bread crumbs for the stuffing! I like to do this to add in some delicious and fresh artisan bread. But, if you don’t have time or want this to be faster then buying store bought ones works fantastic too!
  • Type of bread: You can easily change up the type of bread that you use in this stuffing! Try out Brioche, sourdough, country bread or even cornbread!
  • Add ins: You can add in a few more ingredients to make this your own! Try some walnuts, bacon, or some mushrooms!
Sausage herb stuffing being served with a wooden spoon.

How to Store Leftovers

Thanksgiving leftovers are the best of the best! Here is how you can store this sausage herb stuffing and eat it later. After all, Thanksgiving is just not Thanksgiving if you aren’t breaking out the food for round two the next day!

  • Refrigerate: Once your stuffing has cooled then put it in an airtight container in your fridge. It will last for 3-4 days!
  • Reheat: To reheat your stuffing, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place your stuffing in a baking dish and cover it with some foil. Bake for 30 minutes or until heated through!
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Slow Cooker Sausage Herb Stuffing

This classic sausage herb stuffing is full of an amazing mixture of flavors! The spices used in this are the star of the show and it will be a side dish that everyone goes crazy over! 
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Italian American
Keyword sausage stuffing
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 460kcal
Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

  • 1 large crusty loaf of french bread cut into 1 inch pieces, (about 8 cups)
  • 1 pound ground italian sausage
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 3 medium carrots chopped
  • 2 stalks celery sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon Basil leaves
  • 2 teaspoons Rubbed sage
  • 1 teaspoon Thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 8 tablespoons butter cut into ½ inch pieces
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • Fresh Parsley chopped and dried cranberries for garnish

Instructions

  • To prepare the bread crumbs, Cut into 1-inch pieces and stale them overnight. You can also toast them in the oven at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until they are lightly golden.
  • In a medium-sized skillet, cook and crumble the Italian sausage until no longer pink. Prepare your slow cooker by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl toss bread crumbs, sausage, onion, carrot, celery, basil, sage, salt, pepper, and butter until combined. Add to slow cooker and pour the chicken broth on the top. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or until vegetables are tender.
  • Garnish with fresh parsley and dried cranberries if desired.

Notes

Updated on November 5, 2021
Originally Posted on November 5, 2015

Nutrition

Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1148mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4196IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 3mg


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शुक्रवार, 5 नवंबर 2021

Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken

This crockpot Olive Garden chicken is to die for! The juicy and tender chicken cooked with some pasta is insanely delicious! Plus, it’s super easy which is a total win-win!

I love an easy and delicious crockpot meal! If you want to try more meals like this, you should start with Soup, this Beef and Broccoli, and this amazing Lasagna!

Chicken and pasta cooked in a crockpot.

Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken (with Pasta!)

I love a recipe that I can whip up at the last minute and still have it taste delicious!! This Olive Garden crockpot chicken and pasta is the perfect meal! It only takes 5 minutes to put together! Then, it cooks all day and you don’t have to do a thing! Cook up some Broccoli, Asparagus, or this delicious salad and you have a meal to remember!

This recipe only uses 5 ingredients! And one is a bottle of Olive Garden salad dressing. The dressing is SO GOOD and when you mix it with the chicken and cheeses, it takes it to a whole new level! I also love that you just throw in some cooked pasta again and the meal is done! My kids go crazy over this and are so impatient that they want to just eat it straight out of the crockpot! Go ahead and try it! You are going to love it!

Ingredients for Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken

This recipe only uses 5 ingredients…. yes, 5! It’s so easy and delicious, you have to try it! See the recipe card below for a list of exact ingredient measurements.

  • Chicken breasts: Use fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe.
  • Olive Garden Italian dressing: This dressing is SO GOOD! Using the entre bottle will make it so you get all of that amazing flavor!
  • Parmesan:  I just used parmesan cheese from the can! It’s super easy and you probably already have it in your fridge.
  • Cream cheese: This makes that sauce texture taste so creamy. And you can’t beat the tangy flavor of cream cheese!
  • Pasta: Cook up the pasta right before the chicekn is done and all you have to do is throw it right in and mix it up!
Ingredients laid out for Olive Garden crockpot chicken.

Let’s Cook Some Chicken!

This meal is really a set it and forget it kind of meal! It only takes a few minutes to put it together and then you can enjoy it as soon as it’s done!

  1. Add chicken and dressing: Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker laying flat. Pour the whole bottle or homemade olive garden dressing over top the chicken.
  2. Add cheeses and cook: Sprinkle parmesan over top the chicken and dressing. Place the block of cream cheese on top. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high. 
  3. Cook pasta: Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside. 
  4. Shred the chicken, add pasta and serve: Using 2 forks or shredders, shred the chicken evenly. Use ¼ cup parmesan and sprinkle over top the chicken. Add in the pasta and stir until well combined. Serve while hot.
Chicken being placed in a crockpot and ingredients being added on top of it.

Tips for Cooking with a Crockpot

Using a crockpot is easy but try out these tips and it will make cooking with one even easier! You may never go back to cooking on your stove again! This crockpot Olive Garden chicken is the perfect place to start!

  • Keep the lid ON: I know it’s tempting to want to take the lid off and check on your food! But a crockpot is designed to do its thing with the lid ON. Keep the lid on and don’t let out all of that heat that has been built up! Just look throught the glass and trust your recipe!
  • Preheat your crockpot: A lot of people don’t do this and it really is a step that should always be taken. Turn your crockpot on to the correct setting about 20 minutes before you plan on putting your food it. You can just turn it on while you prep your food!
  • Spray it: If you spray your slow cooker with cooking spray before you put your food in, then your cleanup will be so much easier! This helps so that your food doesn’t stick to the sides. Trust me, it’s an easy step that you will appreciate doing later!
Chicken and pasta on a plate with a fork.

How to Store Leftovers

If you have some leftovers with this dish then consider yourself lucky! This crockpot Olive Garden chicken and pasta is so delicious the next day! Once the food has cooled them store it in an airtight container in your fridge. It will last for 3-4 days! When you are ready to eat, you can heat it up in your microwave for 1-2 minutes or until heated through!

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Crockpot Olive Garden Chicken

This Olive Garden crockpot chicken is to die for! The juicy and tender chicken cooked with some pasta is insanely delicious! Plus, it's super easy which is a total win-win!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword crock pot olive garden chicken, olive garden chicken
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 414kcal
Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the chicken breasts in a slow cooker laying flat. Pour the whole bottle or homemade olive garden dressing over top the chicken.
  • Sprinkle parmesan over top the chicken and dressing. Place the block of cream cheese on top. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
  • Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  • Using 2 forks or shredders, shred the chicken evenly. Use ¼ cup parmesan and sprinkle over top the chicken. Add in the pasta and stir until well combined. Serve while hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 381mg | Potassium: 515mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 614IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 2mg


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