Alison's Cranberry Chutney

This cranberry chutney is a cheerful and tasty delight. For anyone who remembers fondly the childhood thrill of a colorful canned fruit cocktail, get ready to re-live it. The chutney is easy to make and comes together in a snap with popping cranberries, crunchy celery and almonds with a topping of lemon zest. A melange of flavor and texture, this chutney does justice to the intensity of the cranberries by mixing it in good company. Serve it alongside your holiday meal and make extra! It is great on turkey sandwiches and freezes well.

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Fin & Feather Turkey

Hands up if you've made a barbecue turkey? I've been cooking our holiday bird on the grill for years now and its finally time to share it! The routine varies a little from year to year, but the spice is always Fin & Feather BBQ Rub, it is always cooked outside, and it is always delicious. That's the way traditions are made, and this one is worth keeping.Fin & Feather is a delightful BBQ blend formulated for fish and poultry. It is bright and flavorful, with onion, marjoram and sage topping off the standard pepper, mild chiles and paprika. It makes the perfect centerpiece for a Thanksgiving feast, so bring on the sides.......The first step in this preparation is brining the bird, and be sure to allow yourself plenty of time and space for that. Then once the bird is ready to cook, just fire up the grill. You can cook on a gas grill or over charcoal, but either way your oven is now free for all the other wonderful Thanksgiving fare without a traffic jam. Make an extra pie!

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Lentil Loaf with Awesome Sauce

I've made this recipe for lentil loaf a million times. It is a go-to dish that keeps coming back around. Why? It's true the loaf is moist and flavorful, healthy, and satisfying. It's true that you can make it with just about any assortment of seasonal vegetables and spices. But the real reason is that the sauce is AWESOME. Seriously. For a family that loves to experiment with new dishes, the fact that we keep coming back to this recipe is a testament to its greatness.Credit goes to The Simple Veganista and her perfectly proportioned recipe for The Ultimate Vegetable Lentil Loaf. We've barely adapted it here. For our tastes, the secret is in the sauce, a simple blend of balsamic vinegar, ketchup and maple syrup, that pairs perfectly with all manner of flavors in the loaf. For this recipe I made it with New Mexico Chili Powder and our new Garlic Salt, but Sassy Steak Spice and Creole Seasoning also work well.

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Mayan Cocoa Pumpkin Bark

It's no secret that nuts and chocolate are a delicious pairing, and we never tire of finding new ways to combine them. In this pumpkin bark, toasted pumpkin seeds take center stage with dark chocolate, Mayan Cocoa and Cinnamon Toast Spice. The hints of allspice and chile are delightful alongside three varieties of cinnamon and the toasty crunch of the nuts. We chose to top the bark with sea salt, too. This treat comes together quickly and travels well, so make a round for afternoon snacks or your next gathering.

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Vegetable Pasta Bake

For summer gatherings, this healthy pasta bake offers an easy way to keep a large group fed and get in some vegetables along with the burgers and brats. Using a medley of fresh summer vegetables, this dinner option is hearty, but still light. The version below is Greek inspired with our El Greco herbal blend and feta cheese but you can mix is up and use Fine Herbes or Provencal Seasoned Salt and goat cheese if you're feeling joie de vivre!

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Spicy Baked Hominy

We love this easy recipe from Rustic Joyful Food by Danielle Kartes! Danielle's book is chock-full of simple and delicious New American recipes that the author has lovingly collected, prepared and improved. When we read the book, we fell in love with the basic spicing and ease of preparation in this recipe for spicy baked hominy, which can stand alone as a snack or serve as an all-purpose addition to almost any meal. From the Author: "I love Corn Nuts and was trying to make them one day, but all I got were these heavenly, chewy, salty, spicy bits of corn goodness that I ate until they were gone! I imagine they'd be amazing as a topping to salads and soups and even street tacos! Crack a beer, and enjoy this guilt-free snack."

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Frank's Chocolate Cinnamon Cake

Need a chocolate fix? If you can't decide between brownies, cake or fudge, make Frank's Chocolate Cinnamon Cake and enjoy all three. The cake is dense and moist like a brownie, the frosting is like fudge, and the two combine to create the ultimate chocolate cake. Thanks, Frank!

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Pumpkin Rolls with Kashmiri Garam Masala

Take your cinnamon rolls from simple to sensational with the addition of pumpkin and Kashmiri Garam Masala. When I started looking for a pumpkin dessert, because it is that time of year, the thought of pies, cookies and loaves just seemed...boring. Enter the pumpkin rolls. I was SOLD as soon as I saw this post on Smitten Kitchen, and in making them found the recipe spot on! I barely adapted it, just a little spice make-over with one of our secret ingredients, Kashmiri Garam Masala, and some maple in the frosting. The results should be illegal. I know I say that about all the desserts, but this one is seriously irresistible.We opted for maple syrup and buttermilk in the glaze to round out the flavor profile. Next time I think trying coconut oil in place of some of the butter could be tasty, and orange in the frosting. Stay tuned! This one will definitely be back.While the glaze does put them over-the-top, these beauties are so delicious they could stand alone...or with butter...or with maple syrup.

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Banana Upside Down Cake

We're used to having Pineapple Upside Down Cake, but one made with bananas?This Banana Upside-Down Cake from Brazilian Barbecue & Beyond sounded so delicious that we just had to make it, and it's sooo good and easy to make!From the authors: "In Brazil there are many types of banana cakes: cuca, a German cake with a rich, crumbly topping; banana bread; bolo cakes, which are sometimes made in a ring shape and often spread with cinnamon; and our favorite, the upside-down cake. Like the French tarte tatin, this indulgent cake is cooked with a layer of caramelized bananas at the bottom, then turned upside-down to show its sticky-sweet banana topping. Perfect as a teatime treat."

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