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November 09, 2009
Sherri Meyer, MG Registered Dietitian
Recently, as my husband and I ate dinner with our 2 year old we reflected back on our pre-child dinners. Of course, the most noteworthy dinner was our yearly Thanksgiving five course feast. Sitting through a three hour meal was quite enjoyable when all our guests were adults. However, this was tested one year when we hosted my sister and brother in-law and our 3 and 6 year old nieces. Obviously we were clueless as to the ability of a child to sit through a meal.
Fortunately, our nieces are not your typical young children and tolerated this long affair. However, I know my 2 year old would not be so patient. So it goes without saying that our meal this year will not involve multiple courses. This Thanksgiving I am looking for a happy medium & hope to serve a meal that will please adults & children alike. My fondest memories of the holidays are sitting at the table with my family enjoying the food. Though it is unlikely that Oliver’s 2-year-old brain is able to fully appreciate this ritual, I hope he is beginning to form memories that will stick with him for years to come.
In our previous life, our five course meal included a phyllo porcini mushroom appetizer, followed by a seasonal salad, then butternut squash soup, and finally (over an hour later), the main event with turkey (and the traditional fixings of sweet potatoes, cornbread stuffing, cranberry relish & Brussels sprouts) followed finally by desserts including pumpkin pie & chocolate cake.
This year, however, will feature a maximum of 3 courses; we’ll combine the butternut squash soup & a seasonal salad into one course, followed by the turkey with traditional sides & of course dessert which will feature (my favorite) pumpkin pie & perhaps a cranberry upside down cake (see recipe below). Although we won’t have a 5 course feast this year, I do hope that everybody takes the times to enjoy each bite despite their ravenous appetite.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, divided
- 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup fresh orange juice, divided
- 1 12-ounce bag fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries (about 3 cups)
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (see Note)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature (see Tip)
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup low-fat milk, at room temperature
- Whipped cream for garnish
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Heat brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons orange juice in a large (12-inch) cast-iron or regular skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter melts and the mixture starts to bubble. Let cool. Coat the sides of the skillet with cooking spray.
- Bring the remaining 1/4 cup orange juice and cranberries to a simmer in a medium saucepan, stirring often, until about half the cranberries have popped. Pour evenly over the cooled brown sugar mixture in the skillet.
- Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
- Separate egg whites and yolks. Place the yolks in a large bowl and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, oil, granulated sugar and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with milk, using a rubber spatula, starting and ending with the flour. Stir just until the flour is incorporated. Beat the egg whites in a clean dry mixing bowl with clean dry beaters on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Fold one-third of the egg whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest until almost no white streaks remain. Spread the batter over the cranberries.
- Bake until the top is golden brown and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate. Let cool for at least 30 minutes more before serving. Serve warm or room temperature. Garnish with whipped cream, if using.
From EatingWell: November/December 2009
(Recipe adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters.)
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