Life is starting to feel a bit hectic. Though I always feel stressed, now I feel stressed and have a lot to do!
Agh! Turkey season is really here and if you didn't know, all you have to do is look at the blogs and see the plethora of recipes for Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, cranberries, mashed potatoes, pumpkin, and anything with kale.
Whoever invented the Internet or Google and thought it was such a time saver is beyond me. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I'm supposed to be writing a blog, not just commenting on others. This takes a lot of time and I am starting to feel pressured!
Which somehow leads me to the BIG question. Have you ordered your turkey yet? I have always ordered my turkey from Whole Foods, well, at least as long as they've been in my neighborhood. I like the idea of calmly walking in, and picking up a turkey in the size I want, all packed in a perfect sized box.
I don't even have to worry about thawing it. I like the idea that this turkey was treated well. You know what I mean, right? I have a soft spot for turkeys. I mean this guy/gal shows up every few months and sits on my brick wall and well, just sits.
Then he ambles off. I've only seen him/her fly once. But it is fun to have a turkey in the neighborhood. I always worry about him/her around this time of year. In any case, I like my turkey. Gobble, gobble.
Whole Foods has lots of different kinds of turkeys, besides big and small. The best part is they bring it out to you and your hands don't have to get cold while shuffling through turkeys thrown into the frozen food bin.
I watched this video on Diestel turkeys and I think I want to move there. Unlike massive turkey operations Diestel even invites you to visit their ranch. No secrets there!
Whole Foods offers 5 kinds of turkeys all from Diestel. I always order the basic bird which isn't certifiably organic because the corn and grain hasn't been tested for GMO's, but they are range grown and haven't been fed any animal by products or antibiotics or growth stimulants.
You can get a turkey free of GMO's from Heidi's Hens for a little bit more price per pound. You can also get a turkey that is fully mature at 10 pounds and one of those gorgeous heritage turkeys with the bronze and black feathers, but it is dark meat only.
This is probably what the Pilgrims would have eaten if they had turkey, which many don't think they did. I would want the feathers from these beauties!
And last but not least, Diestel offers a pasture raised turkey. These guys roam around and are able to forage and graze naturally.
Thanksgiving is about the company, but it is also all about the food, don't you know?
This is a time I want to treat my family like royalty. It makes me feel better to order my turkey from Whole Foods and I'm not telling you that because they want me to. I'm telling you because I do and have and hopefully always will!
I never liked watching Manservant put the turkey on the grill and then a few hours later have this plastic thing pops out of it. I mean real turkeys don't have plastic things.
Now I know some of you think that's helpful but it just never worked for me. And I really like my turkey, as just turkey. Not injected with something that is probably chemical salt water.
We always brine our turkey because we always smoke our turkey. We make our own brine so our turkey will taste the way we want it to taste. We love and honor turkey in this house!
I have always utilized Whole Foods over the holidays to save me time.
This is one holiday I truly enjoy because my family is home.
This doesn't happen often so I like to make sure that everything is done in advance. I've never been accused of keeping things simple but I do try to simplify.
I try to make sure that I'm not stressed and yelling at the top of my lungs. I like everything just so and Whole Foods steps in here and there.
Please note that I am not a gravy person. Never have been-probably cause I never remember having it as a kid.
Well, for a long time, we celebrated Thanksgiving with a family that always had gravy. It was then I discovered that my family LOVES gravy. No one told me!
So now I buy my gravy and I am not ashamed to admit it, at Whole Foods. I always add some of the drippings from our turkey as it does tend to thicken a bit when heated.
This way it tastes like my gravy and I don't have to make it at the last minute. And I've never heard anyone complain!
I do make my own cranberries but this year I thought I'd check out the berries at Whole foods.
They are kind of a cross between jelled and fresh berried. I liked them because they remind me of the ones that come out of the can. (Yes, I love the ones that come out of a can.)
I even eat them during the year when I have a hankering for cranberries. Usually I eat them with my pb and j! Weird, I know.
Well, this year we are having a Southwest Thanksgivingkuh so I thought I'd see how their cranberries work with a bit of tequila and chipotles. My, oh, my. I've got a winner.
Simple and extraordinary. This is one way to make their cranberries, yours. I can't wait to use the leftovers on my quesadillas or in my grilled cheese or on my leftover turkey sandwich. Damn they'd be good on a BLT, too.
Now I'm still going to make the Cranberry Freeze 'cause it is tradition, but if you need to save some time on cranberries, this works. Totally!
I also buy Whole Foods cornbread to use in my tamale stuffing. It is really good. I think they add a dash of vanilla, but I'm not sure...Yes, when I'm pressed for time I buy it and use that in my stuffing. No one knows and I don't care if they do!
(That's the thing people. Good food is good food. People always say how they are afraid to have me over because I am such a good cook. Well, I'm a good eater, too. And I don't care how you make, bake or get your food, as long as it is good! It matters not a bit, how much time you spent in your kitchen. In this day and age anyone has access to good food and everyone should know how to serve it. That, I believe! I'll even show you if you need help!)
But I got off track...I buy the tamales there, too and the turkey chorizo. My stuffing is easy to make then and not as time consuming.
The truth is I don't shop at Whole Foods that often. I would like too, but it just doesn't work out that way. I can easily get carried away there because I love to try new things.
And they always have something new and fun to try! You do know that groceries are in my blood, don't you? Well, Whole Foods is like eye candy for me. I could spend hours in there. Really. You know what I mean.
So, take a word from the wise. Simplify. Plan your menu. Check it twice. Go find out what's naughty and nice.
Buy your pies, buy your cheese, buy your turkey (fresh or baked), if you please.
Buy your taters and your gravy, get your sauce, don't say I'm crazy. Have some fun and keep it simple, that way you can show your cute little dimples! (OK. I don't want to torture you anymore.)
More great dishes for Thanksgivingkuh:
Pumpkin Brown Sugar Muffins
Simple Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
Cranberry Chipotle Wonton Cups
Mushroom Lover's Pastry
Onion Dip
3 Ingredient Artichoke Dip
Smoky Pumpkin Hummus
Dried fruit Salami
Smoked Trout Pate
Waldorf Salad
Hot Brown Sandwich
Traditional Latkes
Parsnip Latkes
My Mother's Brisket
Shortbread Nut Bars
Frozen Cranberry Salad
Brown Sugar Spice Cake with Caramel Glaze
Green Onion Garlic Chive Corn Bread
Onion Lover's Twist
Gingerbread Pear Upside Down Skillet Cake
Recipe
Orange Cranberry Relish recipe
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Side dish
- Cuisine: American
Description
Anyone can make this simple orange cranberry relish recipe. Loaded with flavor this cranberry sauce relish is perfect with any turkey, but especially a smoked turkey!
Ingredients
Orange Bitters and Tequila Cranberries
Serves 2-4
1 cup Whole Foods cranberries (from the deli)
10 drops orange bitters (I use Fee's)
1 t white anejo tequila
1 t chopped chipotle (from a can)
1 t zested orange peel
Instructions
Mix together and serve. Please note this can be adjusted to your taste. And it does taste better after it sits a spell.
This is great with turkey or goats cheese, or blue cheese or nachos, or bacon or endive, or in muffins, or on top of muffins, or spooned into your mouth!
barblong says
My favorite Thanksgiving side dish is green bean casserole.
[email protected]
slehan says
I love stuffing with LOTS of gravy.
Thanks for the contest.
slehan at juno dot com
Roxann says
My favorite is mashed potatoes and gravy.
Brian E. says
Thanks for the giveaway…any sweet potato side dish or dessert has a hallowed place at our Thanksgiving table !
Anonymous says
My favorite is my mom's scalloped potatoes:) luvs2fishmama
atyahoodotcom
Leslie says
My favorite is stuffing.
theshadedmoon (at) gmail (dot) com
Alicia says
My favorite side dish is baked corn.
Beth Klocinski says
My favorite is just plain out turkey and gravy,
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Anna and Liz Recipes says
HI Abbe! I hope we are not too late for entering in the giveaway! Its so nice of you to give a very generous gift. Everyone could definitely use a wholefoods gift card. Our favorite side dish for Thanksgiving ( and there are a few) would have to be the stuffed mushrooms, it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without them!!
email: [email protected]
ellie says
Cornbread dressing is my favorite.
eswright18 at gmail dot com
Susan Smoaks says
i love my green bean casserole.
susansmoaks at gmail dot com
Denise Donaldson says
My favorite side dish is home made mashed potatoes with home made turkey gravy! I cant wait! YUM!
winz135 at gmail.com
07violet says
One of my favorites is mashed potatoes.
alterna7 at hotmail dot com
Timothy D says
My favorite is the waldorf salad my great aunt makes,
timothy j 228 AT gmail DOT com
annemarie562000 says
Stuffing is my favorite Thanksgiving dish!
annemarie562000(at)yahoo(dot)com
brich2222 says
My favorite dish is greenbean casserole!
Richard Hicks
brich22 at earthlink dot net
bbrittbrat1398 says
I like sweet potato casserole.
Brittney House [email protected]
Sonya says
Stuffing!
Jennifer Reed says
My favorite Thanksgiving side dish is the mashed potatoes with the turkey giblet gravy.
susan1215 says
My favorite side dish is stuffing, it's the one time of the year that I can enjoy stuffing in the bird which to me it the tastest,
s2s2 at Comcast dot net
1froglegs says
My favorite side dish is candied yams. Though, without the marshmallows I probably would care for them as much.
[email protected]
jules mcnubbin (buttmuffin) says
my sister makes this broccoli casserole that is truly evil. it is so cheesy and delicious- we all freak out over it.
Kim Hardy says
home made mac n cheese
smilekisses says
I love the stuffing.
dolniaks at consolidated dot net
Stephanie Larison says
I love the stuffing, I don't know what my mother in law puts in hers (she wouldn't share, lol) but it's amazing!
Daniel M says
it's all about the stuffing! - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com
Julie says
My favorite is stuffing
thanks for the giveaway
[email protected]
Sara Wood says
I love homemade mac and cheese. sarajwood21 (at)gmail(dot)com
McKim says
My favorite side dish is the stuffing. I always make extra to have leftovers.
Amy says
My favorite side dish for thanksgiving? Gotta be the stuffings! I think I like them even more than the turkey! hahaha....Thanks for hosting such an awesome giveaway. I love Whole Foods market.
amy [at] utry [dot] it
Rachel Travis says
I LOVE stuffing. Love Love Love. Seriously, it's what I can't wait to eat every thanksgiving 🙂
rachelmarietravis at gmail dot com
YittleCat says
I'm pretty fond of the fresh cranberry relish we make with toasted pecans, orange marmalade and ginger preserves. Its just about my favourite side dish. Other then that I confess I really like green bean casserole - once a year.
Eugenia Hall says
I'm pretty fond of the fresh cranberry relish we make with toasted pecans, orange marmalade and ginger preserves. Its just about my favourite side dish. Other then that I confess I really like green bean casserole - once a year.
jzagarjr says
My favorite side dish is stuffing
meredith m says
I really like the zesty carrots dish my mom makes - its not very healthy, but we only eat it for thanksgiving, and its so good!!
mermont84 at yahoo.com!
Tamar says
I make the easiest cranberry pineapple sauce ever and it's a huge hit that people ask for it every year.
I won't spoil the secret.
Fine, I will.
Take out pineapple from a can.
Take out cranberry sauce from a can.
MIX.
Pretty pathetic, but hey, it's actually good and people want it 😉
tamarsweeps-at-gmail-dot-com
Danielle Oyen says
My favorite side dish on Thanksgiving is green bean casserole.
Tabathia says
I love chicken pastry and baked macaroni and cheese with bacon as a side dish
tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com
Rebecca says
I love the jellied cranberry!
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Diane52 says
Susan Stanberg cranberry relish
Diane Baum
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Anonymous says
i love cranberry sauce-so simple i know
flyergal82 AT (yahoo) /dot/ $com^
Irina @ wandercrush says
Cooking with tequila? Yes, please! My favourite side would have to be the cornbread. Always the cornbread.
Audrey T says
My favorite side dish is the sweet potato casserole!
Anonymous says
my fav side dish is mashed potatoes with rosemary and gravy
karen
sonflower277 at gmail
kellyr78 says
I like candied yams for Thanksgiving.
kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom
kyl neusch says
love mashed potatoes
Anonymous says
corn souffle
Katie Roch says
My favorite Thanksgiving side dish is Sweet Potato Casserole.
dancehottie1621(at)aol(dot)com
Natalie says
I love apple and craisin stuffing!
NancyC says
I love Whole Foods! My favorite Thanksgiving dish would have to be sweet potato casserole!
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You says
Abbe: What a gorgeous side dish for the holidays...I love its serving bowl as well.
My favorite Thanksgiving dish is the sweet potato casserole with toasted marshmallows.
VP22 says
Call it dressing, call it stuffing, call it whatever you want to call it but that is most definitely my favorite side dish.
Stephen Alexander says
Sweet Potato Pie is my fav!
Abbe Odenwalder says
Laura Dembowski has left a new comment on your post "Orange Bitters and Tequila Cranberries and a #Whol...":
My favorite Thanksgiving side dish is roasted vegetables like Brussels sprouts. I'm actually not a Thanksgiving food fan. My family and I usually make filet mignon or prime rib. I love your little turkey visitor!
Liz Berg says
Your cranberry dish looks wonderful...I wish my family would eat cranberry sauces and relishes! It's just the 5 of us this year, so I don't have an excuse to make any this year.
PS...my favorite Thanksgiving side is spinach souffle.
amkj2002 says
My favorite side dish is homemade stuffing...chunks of good bread, sautéed onions and celery, some turkey stock, some seasoning. I can't wait!
Carey Miller says
Mashed potatoes and gravy. Oh, how I love them there potaters. 🙂
Emely says
What a wonderful giveaway!
My favorite dish is pumpkin pie 🙂 yummie!!
[email protected]
Rich Morris says
I'm please by simple things such as cranberry sauce & stuffing
Holli Joren says
My favorite side dish is sweet potato casserole!
hollisweeps (at) gmail (dot) com
Anonymous says
sksweeps has left a new comment on your post "Orange Bitters and Tequila Cranberries and a #Whol...":
I think I have a new favorite! Your recipe sounds fabulous (I love chipotle!) will be trying it!
sksweeps (at) earthlink (dot) net
Anonymous says
I like mashed sweet potatoes
[email protected]
Anonymous says
Rose-Marie has left a new comment on your post "Orange Bitters and Tequila Cranberries and a #Whol...":
My favorite side dish is stuffing! It isn't the same any other time than the Thanksgiving holiday, that is so magical! And I like all kinds of stuffing, just luv it! rose.marie447 at gmail dot com
Anonymous says
sksweeps has left a new comment on your post "Orange Bitters and Tequila Cranberries and a #Whol...":
I think I have a new favorite! Your recipe sounds fabulous (I love chipotle!) will be trying it!
sksweeps (at) earthlink (dot) net
Daraya Johnson says
My favorite Thanksgiving dish is pumpkin pie, of course! 🙂
JC says
I like sweet potato casserole
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
sarah says
Mine is mashed potatoes.
stigay at comcast.net
clc408 says
My favorite side dish is my mom's cranberry salad. It just wouldn't be a holiday without it.
Angie Schneider says
I have never had cranberries prepared this way...looks so intriguing! Love your serving bowl too.
Nancy says
My favorite side dish on Thanksgiving is my grandmother's cornbread dressing . She also made special turkey gravy for me since I didn't like the giblets that were in her regular turkey gravy. I will miss her at Thanksgiving!
Nancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Sharon says
[Not for giveaway]
Oh, this is such a gorgeous dish...bowl included! Reflects Autumn's beautiful colours. It's so romantic-like ^.^
Stephanie says
whipped maple sweet potato mash with pecans - yum!
tvollowitz at aol dot com
Kitchen Riffs says
Those are some pretty zesty cranberries! Lotta flavor there. Cranberry anything is good, but my fave side for Thanksgiving probably is stuffing (a/k/a dressing). Made my way, of course. 😉 Although it's all good. I've been finding pretty good organic turkeys at my local supermarket lately. Frozen, though, so they take time to defrost. But I've come to prefer frozen (without that basting stuff). They actually seem to have better flavor, weirdly enough. I think it's because frozen ones are frozen right after they are processed, whereas fresh ones sit for days before someone gets around to buying them. Anyway, interesting post.
harold - [email protected] says
Our favorite side dish is our cajun "Dirty Rice". A mixture of ground beef, rice, chopped gizzards, seasonings.
hd6719 (at) gmail.com