Christmas Dinner Recipes – Pork With Cranberries and Apples

Tender pork layered with sweet cranberries and apples.

1 pound boneless pork loin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/4 cup butter, divided

1 large delicious apple, peeled, cored and sliced into rings

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup cranberries

1 cup chicken broth, divided

2 teaspoons sugar

2 tablespoons flour

Directions

Cut pork loin diagonally into 8 slices.

Pound slices until they are 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; set aside.

In a large fry pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Saute the apple rings about 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Remove from pan.

In the pan, heat oil on medium high heat; sauté pork for 2 to 3 minutes until browned on one side. Turn pork over and sauté on the other side for 2 minutes. Cook until meat is only slightly pink. Remove cutlets from pan.

Reduce heat to medium and add in 1 tablespoon of butter, cranberries and 2 tablespoons of chicken broth. Cook until the cranberries start to pop. Mix sugar into the cranberries; place on the platter with apples.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan. Stir in the flour until paste forms; cook 1 minute longer, stirring constantly. Stir in the remaining chicken broth and cook until the sauce boils and thickens. Serve over pork chops.

Makes 8 servings.

Christmas Dinner Recipes: Cherry Wild Rice Salad

A delicious wild rice salad with dried fruit and crunchy vegetables.

2 cups fresh snow peas, halved

2 cups cooked wild rice

1 cup cooked long grain rice

1 (8 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

Wild Rice Salad Dressing

In a large bowl, combine snow peas, wild rice, long grain rice, water chestnuts, dried cherries, celery and green onions. Toss with Wild Rice Salad Dressing before serving.

Wild Rice Salad Dressing

6 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

4 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

1 to 2 garlic cloves, peeled

3/4 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot

3/4 cup cashew halves, toasted

Directions

In a blender, combine the sugar, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Cover and blend well. Pour over rice salad and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir cashews in just before serving.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Christmas Dinner Recipes: Cream of Pumpkin Soup

This creamy and flavorable pumpkin soup makes a nice first course.

2 tablespoons olive oil and/or butter

3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, minced

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups fresh or canned mashed pumpkin

2 cups half and half

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup cream sherry

Dried dill weed to taste

Nutmeg to taste

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Sour cream (optional)

Fresh dill weed or parsley (optional)

Directions

In a large pot, heat up the olive oil. Lightly sauté the garlic and onion. Add in the chicken stock. Bring all to a boil. Reduce heat and add the pumpkin and half and half. Whisk and blend well.

In a bowl, mix the flour and butter into a roux. Whisk roux into soup. Keep whisking soup over medium low heat until thickened. Do not overcook.

Add in the cream sherry, dill weed, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Serve hot. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill weed or parsley.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.