Tag: Cooking

My Homemade Thanksgiving Cranberry Sauce Recipe!

November 21, 2012 Cooking, Holidays, Recipes

My Cranberry Sauce Recipe
I began making my cranberry sauce from scratch about three years ago. I decided to make a sauce that tastes better than the one from a can. I won’t say this is cheaper, but I can buy a bag for $1.50 on sale. This recipe makes more than enough to feed my entire family including second helpings!

Making your own cranberry sauce is so easy. Anyone can make this and make your family think you slaved all day over it. I like to make it a day or two ahead of time and keep it in the fridge to chill. I take it out a couple of hours before serving so it’s not too cold. My husband who refused to eat cranberry sauce loves this cranberry sauce recipe! He always thought he hated cranberry sauce, but it turns out he just dislikes the canned stuff!

What you will need:
1 bag of Cranberries like Oceanspray
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp Cinnamon

Cranberry Sauce Recipe Directions:
I open the bag and pour into a colander. Rinse them really well and pick out the bad ones.

I put them into a heavy saucepan like my Magnalite. I add about 1/4 cup orange juice and a 1 tsp of cinnamon.

Then I allow it cook over a medium heat for about 15 minutes. Yes the cranberries will pop but it’s fine.

I keep stirring it and mashing it a bit while it’s cooking. Then remove from heat when it’s thick and cooked down.

I allow it to cool off and pour into a bowl. If you have a fun mold you could pour it into a ring mold to make it even more festive!

I don’t have one so I just pour it into a Tupperware bowl that won’t stain. Then I put it in the fridge to chill overnight.

That’s it! Super easy and fast and extremely tasty!

McCormick Gravy Mix is My Family Holiday Tradition & Giveaway!

November 17, 2012 Cooking, Family Life, Giveaways, Holidays

I grew up watching my Mom cook using McCormick spices, seasonings, and gravy mixes. I have very fond memories of helping her cook our Thanksgiving dinner each year. We would wake up early to start prepping the turkey which took a better part of the day. I always knew that our dinner was almost ready when I saw her making the delicious gravy.

As an adult, I was so worried that I wouldn’t be able to replicate her delicious gravy. It was always so perfect in color and never had any lumps. She assured me as long as I was using McCormick Turkey Gravy mix then the gravy would be perfect! She was right.

How she got the gravy so perfect was that she learned to add her own flair. She would take the drippings from the turkey and added in the mix along with some spices and a bit of water. Now I cook the big Thanksgiving Dinner each year, and I still continue to use her recipe. I never have to worry about lumpy gravy. I get lots of compliments on my gravy from my husband’s family.

What I really like about McCormick Gravy mix is that it doesn’t contain any artificial flavors or colors, no MSG, and has 0 grams of fat! It only contains natural spices and seasonings which helps it to taste so savory. You can visit the McCormick Website to learn more ways to add your own flair to their gravy mix. You could add sage, poultry seasoning, or even thyme to further enhance the flavors. You will also find lots of great recipes and tips to help you make your Thanksgiving meal even more spectacular!

McCormick has generously sponsored a $75 Gift Pack to one lucky reader!

  • Le Creuset Gravy Boat and Ladle
  • $50 Crate and Barrel Gift Card

The Giveaway will end on 11/23 at 11:59PM EST! Open to age 18+ but only to residents of the USA.

Just enter on the Rafflecopter below and Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is the perfect way to showcase your Turkey Gravy!

Disclaimer: I am part of the Mom It Forward blogger network. Mom It Forward and McCormick partnered in support of this campaign. McCormick compensated me for participation in this campaign. However all thoughts and opinions are 100% mine. Thrifty Momma Ramblings is not responsible for prize fulfillment and will come from McCormick!

Make Homemade Pizza or Bread with These Coupons!!!

August 27, 2012 Cooking, coupons, Printable Coupons

Check out these great coupons on Fleischmann’s Yeast! I love to make my own homemade pizza or bread. It’s cheaper and much tastier than frozen or delivered even with coupons. I use the Fleischmann’s Yeast in a jar and just refrigerate after opening. It does keep for awhile. They have a great recipe you can use. I like to use olive oil instead of vegetable as it’s healthier and tastier. You can also add in fun additions to the crust dough like oregano, basil, parsley, or perhaps parmesan cheese.


$1.00 off Any One Jar of Fleischmann's Yeast

Tiramisu as My Birthday Cake

February 26, 2012 Birthday Party, Cooking, Recipes
Divine Tiramisu

Divine Tiramisu

My mom is an amazing baker. She makes all her delicious desserts from scratch. When she asked me what I wanted for my birthday, then I immediately replied Tiramisu please. I recently asked her where she found the recipe so I could share it on my blog. She got it off the back of the bag of lady fingers she uses (the brand will be listed in the recipe below). The Tiramisu cake was just as divine as it looks in the picture.

*Note: She usually uses Brandy but did use Marsala which made it taste a little stronger. You could smell the wine more than the brandy. Strange but true.

Tiramisu Recipe

To make tiramisu begin by making zabaglione cream as follows:

5 egg yolks from Large Grade eggs – 1/4 cup sugar – 1/2 cup Marsala

In the top part of a double boiler, beat eggs and sugar together until the mixture is pale yellow in color. In the bottom part of the double boiler, bring water to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Place egg yolk mixture over water and gradually add Marsala, beating continuously. Scrape bottom and sides of pan occasionally and cook 6-10 minutes until soft mounds can be formed. Transfer to bowl, cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

1 cup whipping cream, chilled

4 tbsp. sugar

1 lb. Mascarpone Cheese (if unavailable, substitute two 8 oz pckgs. cream cheese combined with 1/2 cup whipping cream and 5 tbsp. Sour cream)

1 recipe Zabaglione

2 cups (16 oz) freshly brewed espresso or other strong brew coffee

1/2 cup Brandy or Marsala

1 tbsp. vanilla

2 7oz pkg Alessi Savoiardi Cookies

3 tbsp. cocoa powder

*Chocolate curls or edible flowers for garnish (optional)

Whip Cream with 2 tbsp sugar until soft peaks form. Fold in Mascarpone and Zabaglione and mix till well blended. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. On a separate bowl, mix espresso, 2 tbsp sugar, Brandy and vanilla. Arrange 16 cookies on the bottom of a 9″x13″ pan. Carefully spoon about 1 tbsp of the coffee mixture over each cookie so they are well saturated but not falling apart. Spoon 1/3 cheese mixture over cookies and sprinkle with 1 tbsp cocoa. Repeat two more times ending with cocoa. Cover and refrigerate at least 5  hours or overnight so that cookies can soften as they absorb moisture. Garnish and serve. Makes 12 servings.

*My mom does not use either one for garnish and just leaves the cocoa powder on top.

Enjoy the wonderful tiramisu cake and please let me know what you think.

Create a Family Cookbook for Christmas

December 10, 2011 Christmas, Cooking, Recipes

My husband’s family shared their favorite family recipes in order to create their family cookbook. They also included family pictures and anecdotes. I think this makes a creative and wonderful Christmas gift the whole family can treasure. Your family’s favorite recipes are kept forever in the family and passed down to future generations. Check out The Family CookBook Project website to create a family treasure below.