Let me express my heartfelt appreciation for all the confidence and entrustment I receive as we explore all the potential before us.  Thanksgiving is a favorite because we are encouraged to stop, count blessings and rest in the good fortune of freinds, famliy and bounty.  My Thanksgiving table is really just an elegant potluck where everyone will bring the dish that best represents their own food nostalgia. My mother will bring the stuffing her grandmother made, my sister will recreate her mother-in-law’s sweet potatoes with mini marshmallows (no judgements on Thanksgiving) and my native Californian friends will bring homemade salsa and guacamole.  We each have the opportunity to bring what means most to us, for others to enjoy.  Hopefully, we are all doing that in small ways everyday.  Bringing some best part of ourselves to share with others.

Getting back to the meal, my must have is cranberries.  Here is a simple, but delicious way that I have adapted this tangy relish  from the sliced canned version of the 1970’s to fresh from the bog:

Cranberries with Attitude
Take a 12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries, rather than adding 1 cup of water, add 3/4 cup of orange juice and 1/4 cup of water, add 1 cup of sugar (feel free to use unprocessed cane, I use turbinado), and 1 minced jalapeno pepper with the seeds removed.  This will add a little something-something, but not too much.  Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until fruit bursts and a everything has thickened.  Cool and refrigerate, can absolutely be made ahead.

Finally,  here’s a new book that has come my way,  “If You Give a Mouse an iPhone: A Cautionary Tail”.  If you loved, like I have, it’s original “If you Give a Mouse a Cookie”  this one will surely please.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Cris