KMTR-NBC Channel 16
November 16, 2004
News Source Today with Kelli Warner and Jeff Smith

The Thanksgiving holiday is just over one week away. To get ready, Chef Becky, Kelli, and Jeff prepared two delicious side dishes featuring cranberries. Oregon is the fourth largest producer of cranberries in the United States. They are farmed on the Southern Oregon coast in Coos and Curry counties.

Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing

1 pound turkey sausage (breakfast flavor)
1 1/2 cups onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
3 teaspoons fresh sage, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 teaspoon thyme, dried
2 golden delicious apples, cored and chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
1 cup turkey or chicken broth
1/4 cup butter
6 cups homemade bread cubes, toasted* (not store-bought bread cubes)

*I highly recommend making homemade bread cubes from your favorite sandwich bread. Stack bread 6 slices high on a cutting board. Using a bread knife, saw all the way through the stack, making 1/2 inch strips of bread. Turn bread and cut strips into 1/2 inch cubes. Toast cubes on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for approximately 10-15 minutes.

In a large non-stick skillet, cook the sausage and onions together. Break the sausage into small pieces using a spatula. Cook until onions and sausage are cooked through. Add the celery, apples, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Cook for 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes and dried cranberries. Add the fresh parsley. Toss well. Add the seasoned meat mixture. Toss well. Spread this mixture evenly into a 13 X 9 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Stuffing can be prepared up to the point of baking the night before. Add 15 minutes to baking time if baking from a refrigerated state.

Glazed Carrots with Dried Cranberries

1 pound baby carrots
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups orange juice
2 tablespoons margarine (recommended over butter for this dish)
1/2 teaspoon Coleman’s dry mustard powder (can substitute Dijon)
4 teaspoons dried cranberries

Cook carrots in boiling water until tender, about 7 minutes.

While carrots are cooking, melt margarine in a small saucepan. Add all remaining ingredients except cranberries. Stir well.

Drain carrots thoroughly. In a small serving bowl, combine the carrots, the glaze, and the dried cranberries. Stir well and serve.