Cranberry Sauce

I thought I would get a head start on Thanksgiving and prep as much food ahead of time, starting with cranberry sauce! This is the perfect side to make a day or two ahead.

I started by rinsing 12 oz of whole cranberries.

Over high heat, I threw the cranberries in a medium saucepan and added 1 cup of apple cider.

Of course, you could add cranberry juice, orange juice, or apple juice.

I then added 1 cup of pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup!).

I kept an eye on the cranberries while I zested one orange. It yielded about 1 tbsp of zest, but you can add as much as you'd like. 

Lastly, I squeezed about 1 tbsp of orange juice and added it to the cranberries.

I stirred the berries and kept it over high heat until they started to boil.

Once the cranberries were at a rolling boil, I turned the heat to low and let it simmer for about 10 more minutes, or until the sauce was thick.

Once it cooled, I poured it into a storage container and stuck it in the fridge!

And if you happen to have leftovers, you could spruce up yogurt or oatmeal by adding some of the cranberry sauce!

>> If you end up making this, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis

DIY: Burlap Napkin Ring

I just bought napkins for the Thanksgiving meal Will and I will be hosting -- but I just couldn't find napkin rings that I liked enough to buy. I called my friend Aly who suggested I make them from paper towel rolls! I love that girl - she is so creative!

After some trial & error, here are my finished napkin rings:

Supplies:

• Burlap, or fabric/ribbon
• Glue gun & glue sticks
• Marker
• Tape measure
• Box cutter
• Scissors
• Paper Towel Roll

I started by marking the paper towel roll at 1 inch intervals.

All marked up!

Before I cut the rolls with my scissors, I had to make a small incision with a box cutter.

After making the incisions, the roll was super easy to cut.

The roll yielded about 11 rings.

I cut about 3/4 inch wide chevron burlap ribbon about 20 inches long.

I started by putting a dab of glue inside the roll.

I then placed the ribbon inside and made sure it was secure.

I then wrapped it around, making sure it was tight.

Then I added another dab of hot glue and continued to wrap the roll, overlapping just a little.

All done!

They are the perfect size for the napkins!

I tried different burlap fabric I had. I found that the burlap that had a painted print held better than plain burlap. 

I think it would be so cute to make these again but with a solid ribbon color and then add buttons!

They looked amazing on the napkins! 

And the cost? Practically nothing! I had all the supplies at home :)

If you make your own, let me know how they turned out! Feel free to include pictures!

Oatmeal Cranberry Cheesecake Bars

I made these for a work Thanksgiving party (and some extra for us!) and they were a hit!

I started by preheating the oven to 350 degrees and then I sprayed a 9x13 inch pan with non-stick spray.

I then measured 2 cups of all-purpose flour and poured it in a large bowl.

In that same bowl, I added 1 1/4 cups of quick oats...

... and 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar.

I mixed the dry ingredients and then got started on the wet.

This recipe calls for 1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, but I didn't plan ahead and melted it on the stove in a small saucepan.

(Tip: Be careful when melting butter in the microwave. The water evaporates quickly and the fat causes the butter to explode. Use a cover if you use the microwave.)

I then added the butter...

... and mixed it with a hand mixer. You can use a stand mixer if you have one.

I set 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture aside for the topping.

I poured the rest of the crumb mix into the 9x13 pan.

I pressed the crust down and put it in the oven for 15 minutes.

To make the cheesecake filling, I started by putting 1/2 cup of sugar into the same bowl I used for the crumb mix.

I had added 12 oz (1 1/2 bars) of softened cream cheese before. 

I went ahead and creamed the cream cheese/sugar mix.

To the cream cheese layer, I included 2 tsp of fresh lemon juice.

I also added 1 tsp of vanilla extract and 2 eggs.

All mixed up!

In another bowl, I added a can of whole cranberry sauce...

... and 2 tsp of corn starch.

It's all ready!

After 15 minutes, the crust looks great!

I poured in the cheesecake layer and spread it evenly over the crust.

I then spooned the cranberry sauce over the cheesecake layer...

... and gently smoothed it over with a spatula (the back of a spoon will work too).

I then took the crumb mix that I set aside and sprinkled it oven the filling.

I threw it in the oven for 40 minutes and it came out smelling wonderful! Make sure you let the bars cool for at least 3 hours -- overnight would be better.

In the morning, I cut them up and put them on a cake pedestal. Yum!

>> If you end up making this for dessert, tag me in an Instagram post -- @marriedtodavis or #marriedtodavis