Thanksgiving at the Scully household of my youth was always a time with so many people running around; so much food cooking and for some reason lots of loud music. My mom was always considered the best cook in her family so her family was usually at our house in force. She made everything from scratch, so I didn’t know any better. I thought everyone made a pan gravy and au gratin onions. I thought it was normal to make a pate from the Turkey liver.

However, I gradually became aware of the way other folks “celebrated” culinary feasts. That was for the most part, very disappointing. When I met the mother of my two kids, I found someone who rivaled my mom. She was interested in doing everything the best she could, including Thanksgiving! So good in fact, that I was compelled to have two versions of many Thanksgiving staples. I am going to print the two Cranberry sauces and let you be the judge(s) of which was best. It wasn’t easy for me to decide…

Cranberry/Apple Chutney

Ingredients:

1.5 cups                                water

1.5 cups                                sugar

3/4 cups                               onion (finely chopped)

1 tbs                                        garlic

2 tsp                                       cinnamon

3/4 tsp                                  ground cloves

1/2 tsp                                  salt

1/2 cup                                 apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp                                  cayenne pepper

1 ea.                                      12 oz. bag cranberries

1 cup                                     white raisins

1 cup                                     apples (peeled and diced)

1/2 tsp                                  ground ginger

1/2 cup                                 brown sugar

Method: Sauté the onions  in a little oil, add the first nine ingredients and simmer for 5 minutes.  Add everything else and simmer for 15 minutes. Cool.

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 cups                                   water

1.5 cups                                sugar

1/2 tsp                                  salt

1 ea.                                      12 oz. bag cranberries

4 each                                   cinnamon sticks

1 each                                   orange (navel) quartered and sliced thin)

Method: Combine all items and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and cool. Serve.

As you might be able to observe, the two recipes are VERY different. So were the two women, each great in her way as are these distinctive Thanksgiving Sauces.