Add this beautiful jewel toned side to your holiday menu!  Cranberry sauce with roasted grapes, apples, and shallots provides a burst of flavor, both sweet and savory, that is unforgettable. 

Have you ever tried roasting grapes? Maybe you’re thinking, hmmm, roasted grapes would be like raisins, right? Kind of shriveled up, chewy, and dry? Not that appealing…

I pretty much roast everything (have you tried roasted butternut squash or Brussels sprouts?) so I thought, why not give roasted grapes a try? I had a bunch of grapes in the fridge so I tossed them with olive oil and a little maple syrup, put them on a corner of a pan of roasting sweet potatoes, and was blown away by the results. The grapes do shrivel, just a bit, which looks really kind of intriguing, and the insides turn into a jammy delight. Not even remotely like raisins! 

When I saw a recipe for cranberry sauce with roasted grapes, cranberries, apples, and shallots in Cooking Light, I knew I had to try it. I adapted it quite a bit to make it my own and the results are startlingly delicious.

I almost hesitate to call it cranberry sauce because it’s a total departure from traditional cranberry sauce with ground up cranberries and oranges, or cooked cranberries with tons of sugar. The roasted fruit and shallots make this cranberry sauce a taste experience that outshines any other cranberry sauce. I’m sure you’ll agree!

P.S. Don’t wait until the holidays to try this recipe. You’re going to want to try this cranberry sauce right away now that apples are in season. It’s a great side for chicken, pork tenderloin, grilled salmon, or a vegetarian pilaf. And it’s a breeze to make. 

About this Cranberry Sauce with Roasted Grapes

Looking at the photos of this cranberry sauce with roasted grapes, apples and shallots, I can’t believe how beautiful it is! I love how the cranberries and grapes intensify in color as they roast in the oven, and how the apples and shallots absorb the color from the cranberries, turning a deep rose color. It’s a visual feast. 

And the fruit smells heavenly as it roasts in your oven! You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to make this cranberry sauce. 

After preheating your oven, add shallots, apples, and grapes and a bit of mild tasting oil (I used avocado but olive oil would be fine, too) to a large rimmed roasting pan. Roast for five minutes or so, then add cranberries and stir together. Roast for twenty-five minutes or until shallots and apples are tender. 

I mix the roasted fruit and shallots with a mixture of melted butter, maple syrup, and fresh chopped thyme to enhance the flavors and give the fruit a more sauce-like consistency. Oh, so yummy! Be careful if you try a spoonful or two–you may end up eating the whole thing!

Let the mixture cool for a bit before serving. Gently spoon it into that fancy bowl that your great-grandma gave you (or that you found at a thrift shop!). Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme. You’ll hardly need a centerpiece with this beautiful roasted fruit on your holiday table. 

Cranberry sauce with roasted grapes, apples, and shallots is great served at room temperature which makes it an ideal holiday side. You don’t have to be making it at the last minute. Make it early in the day, let it cool, cover it, and set it on your counter until dinner is served. 

If you make it a day or two ahead, I would refrigerate it in a sealable container. Take it out of the refrigerator in the morning and let it come to room temperature before serving. Give it a gentle stir before putting it into a serving bowl.

How to make this recipe your own:

This recipe is really versatile. Here are some suggestions for changing it up to make it your own:

• Add more grapes, apples or shallots. You could add up to a cup more of each.
• Use fresh or frozen cranberries; both kinds work well. You don’t have to thaw the frozen ones, just put them right onto the roasting pan. The cranberries add a lot of tartness so be a little careful with adding more, unless you compensate with more maple syrup. 
• I like Honeycrisp apples but you can use any apple variety that stays somewhat firm when cooked, like Gala, Jonathan, Granny Smith, or Cortland. 
• Red grapes are beautiful but green or purple grapes would work well, too. Just make sure they’re seedless!
• If you can’t find shallots, use red onion or sweet onion. Or no onion!
• Not crazy about thyme? Substitute an herb you like better, maybe chopped chives or parsley. Or just leave out the herbs. 
• If you don’t have maple syrup, use a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar, honey, or agave syrup to sweeten the sauce. Actually, the fruits are so sweet you could skip the sweetener. 

I hope you enjoy this recipe for cranberry sauce with roasted grapes, apples, and shallots as much as I do!

More holiday sides that are just a little bit unique: 

Like to think outside of the box when it comes to holiday recipes? Looking for healthier alternatives to the traditional? Here’s a few more recipes that I think you’ll love.

 

Verdict: Since I’ve been raving about it for paragraphs on end, it’s probably no surprise that I love this recipe.
Husband’s take: A little bit outside the box for Ben, but he still enjoys it and doesn’t complain.
Changes I would make: None are necessary, but have fun with some of the adaptations I mentioned.
Difficulty: Easy!

Beer marinated roasted sweet potatoes, charred corn, creamy avocado, crisp onions, and fresh cilantro, wrapped in a soft corn tortilla, make these vegetarian sweet potato tacos a taste sensation! 

You’re going to love these amazing crispy sweet potato tacos. They have everything going for them, involving nearly all the senses.

Imagine the texture: buttery roasted sweet potatoes, chewy bits of corn, crisp fresh onions, creamy avocado, leafy cilantro. Then the flavorful smells: malty beer marinade as the potatoes slowly roast, the sharp bright flavor of onions and cilantro, corn tortillas toasting. The colors are so beautiful too: deep orange potatoes, lightly browned, golden yellow corn, bright avocado, fiery red hot sauce, and deep cilantro green. And you haven’t even taken a bite yet! 

The recipe comes from my friend and colleague, Jackie of The Beeroness. They’re from her third book, Lush: A Season by Season Celebration of Craft Beer and Produce, and let me tell you, the book is stunning!

It’s a season-by-season guide to cooking with beer, and it’s all vegetarian recipes full of amazing, seasonal produce. The photos are gorgeous, and the recipes are flavor-forward, yet still very approachable. More on the book soon. But first… let’s talk about these tacos!

About these sweet potato tacos:

The beer marinated sweet potatoes make these tacos so outstanding! You may wonder whether marinating raw sweet potatoes really works (my mom was super skeptical) and I’m here to tell you, the flavor of these marinated sweet potatoes is outstanding. 

After cutting the peeled sweet potatoes into long narrow planks, they are submerged in a nice brown ale bath for at least three hours and up to twelve hours. They emerge from this soaking smelling of toasty caramel, kind of yeasty, and…well, like a nice brown ale. 

Note:

Jackie recommends a “winter ale” for this recipe. If you’re not a beer aficionado, she has you covered with this description:

 

“Although the idea of a ‘winter ale’ varies wildly from brewery to brewery, there are some common themes. Most often, beer that has been designated a winter ale falls into the category of a strong ale. However, they can also include anything from an IPA to a stout. Winter warmers are generally higher in ABV, have strong malt profiles, range from dark amber to inky black, and frequently contain spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.” 

 

I chose Short’s Bellaire Brown for this recipe. Short’s is a Michigan brewery, and we love drinking this beer as well as using it in recipes like this one, so it was a great choice for this recipe. 

After the sweet potatoes marinate, you’ll want to rinse them well and dry them thoroughly for maximum browning in the oven as they roast. But wait, don’t put them in the oven yet! First, you’re going to coat them with a nice even layer of olive oil, a little garlic and onion powder, and salt and pepper.

Spread them flat on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast until those sweet potato planks are soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. Perfect! I like mine nice and brown so I broil them a few extra minutes. 

The crispy sweet potatoes are the base of these tacos. Next comes charred corn. I add corn to the baking sheet with the sweet potatoes to char it lightly. 

To heat the corn tortillas, set each tortilla over a gas flame for a few seconds on each side or use a hot skillet to heat them. 

Beer flavored sweet potatoes, charred corn, crisp onions, creamy avocado, fiery hot sauce, and fresh cilantro, wrapped in a flavorful corn tortilla! Doesn’t get much better than that!

How to make these tacos your own:

• As I mentioned above, the sweet potatoes are the base of these tacos. While the beer marinated, roasted sweet potatoes are a grand slam, you could also use mashed, grilled, or these spicy sweet potatoes.
• For more protein, add black beans, refried beans, cheese, or sour cream. You could add grilled chicken or taco meat, seasoned with my homemade taco seasoning.
• To add more spiciness, top them with this homemade restaurant style salsa, or another salsa of your choosing. Salsa verde is really, really good on these crispy sweet potato tacos! Another great ideas would be pickled red onions (which are good on almost anything!).
• You could add shredded lettuce or kale for fresh crispiness. 

About LUSH: A Season by Season Celebration of Craft Beer and Produce

Highly recommend this book, you guys! It’s not only full of great recipes, but it’s contains a ton of super informative content about beer as well as cooking seasonly. Food tastes better when it’s in season and fresh, so this is a fantastic way to approach cooking and to prevent boredom in the kitchen. 

Here are some more recipes I can’t wait to try:

• Salt-Roasted Golden Beets with Whipped Belgian Ale Mascarpone and Herb Gremolata
• English Pea and Bock Risotto
• Grilled Romain with IPA-Pickled Strawberries (YUM)
• Beer-Sautéed Apple, Caramelized Onion, and Brie Sandwiches
• Blueberry-Lavender Summer Ale Clafoutis
• Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Feta-Mustard Beer Vinaigrette
• Mexican Street Corn Beer Cakes with Chipotle Creme
• Spiced Rutabaga and Porter Cake

Truth be told, that was a really hard list to write because I want to make so many recipes in this book! It’s definitely worth checking out if I haven’t convinced you yet!

Photo Credit: Jacquelyn Dodd

Tip: This book would be great for gift giving to any beer-lover in your life! Pair it with a six-pack of their favorite beer (or even better, a custom mixed six-pack and you’re good to go!

Reheating and Storage Tips

These are definitely best eaten right away! If you want to make the crispy sweet potato planks ahead of time, you could roast them a day or two ahead. I would store them in a large container so you can kind of spread them out. To serve, reheat on a roasting pan under the broiler for about 5 minutes so they crisp up again as they reheat.

Other vegetarian and vegan taco recipes:

If you love these as much as I do, I’m guessing you’ll love these recipes too! They have so many flavorful ingredients that even meat lovers won’t miss the meat.

 

Verdict: I absolutely love these tacos. I couldn’t believe how much you can taste the flavors of the beer…it was such a pleasant surprise!
Husband’s take: I’m not sure Ben has had the opportunity to try these yet!
Changes I would make: None are necessary, but you could definitely have some fun with the toppings!
Difficulty: Easy!

Apple compote with cinnamon will have tantalizing autumn scents wafting through your kitchen! This versatile compote is a delicious addition to breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert!

We Michiganders don’t have to travel far to find apple orchards.  I estimate there are at least four or five apple orchards within a ten mile radius of my home. In fact, we have several apple trees right in our backyard! 

So it’s only natural that I’m bringing you this delicious apple compote recipe. I always have a ready supply of crisp red apples in my fridge. They’re so good eaten fresh but I think that they’re even a little bit better cooked, especially with a healthy dash of cinnamon. Apple cinnamon, cinnamon apple, a match made in heaven, don’t you think? 

I just love this cooked apple compote with cinnamon. It’s very easy to make and you’ll see there are so many ways to use it. It’s perfect for pancakes and so much else!

About this Apple Compote:

So easy to prepare, you’ll have this ready to serve in 20 minutes or less, and most of that time is hands off. 

Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter in a small skillet, add chopped apples, peeled or not peeled (your preference), brown sugar, and cinnamon and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, 15 minutes or so.

I used a combination of Honeycrisp and Gala apples but any flavorful apple will work. I like apples that stay a little firm when cooked, such as Honeycrisp, Gala, Jonathan, Granny Smith, or  Cortland. Use your favorite variety. If you prefer a compote that is more like applesauce, use a softer apple variety. 

This apple compote with cinnamon is delicious as a topping for pancakes, warm and sweet with the slight tartness of the apples shining through. 

But don’t stop there! This versatile apple compote would elevate a humdrum bowl of oatmeal or other cooked cereal. Just swirl it on top and enjoy the extra flavor it brings. Or add it to your morning yogurt or make it part of a yogurt breakfast bowl with crunchy granola added. 

How about lunch? Spread a little apple compote on a sandwich with deli turkey, cheddar, watercress, and a hint of stoneground mustard. Or dollop it on a bowl of butternut squash soup. 

Imagine dinner with pork roast or pork chops, nestled on the plate with apple compote, mashed sweet potatoes, and roasted green beans. The apples and cinnamon perfectly complement the rich flavor of the pork. 

Or think of apple compote as dessert: a spoonful or two on cinnamon ice cream and a sprinkling of crunchy oat topping  (yum! just like apple crisp!) or top a plain yellow cake with apple compote and a dollop of whipped cream. Add apple compote to a bowl of homemade vanilla pudding for a simple yet elegant dessert. 

How to make this easy compote your own:

• Cinnamon is a must but you could also add nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, or allspice. Try fresh grated ginger or even a splash of lemon juice.
• If you prefer a compote that is more like applesauce, use a softer apple variety, like McIntosh, or continue to cook until it is softer. 
• If you’re not a fan of apple peels, feel free to remove them. I like the color, texture, and nutrition they add, but this compote will be delicious with or without them.
• You could add other fruits. I love blueberries cooked into this compote! Cherries, chopped pear, or raisins would be so delicious, too. 

Reheating and Storage Tips

If you make the apple compote ahead or simply have some left over, put it into a covered container and store it in the fridge. You can reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave. It’s delicious at room temperature, too. 

How long does apple compote keep?

Kept in the fridge in a covered container or bowl, this apple cinnamon compote should last five days. I bet it won’t hang around that long, though!

Can you freeze fruit compote?

We like to go an apple orchard and pick a bushel (or two!) of apples. Then we wonder what to do with all those apples! Making and freezing apple compote would be a great way to preserve apples to use later in the year.  Simply make the compote, cool it, and put it into small freezer containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge for best results.

Love the idea of fun pancake toppings?

Me too, I’m a toppings girl through and through! Try these ideas next time you have pancakes:

 

Verdict: So good. On everything. Fall in a frying pan!
Husband’s take: Ben is all about this compote, especially on pancakes.
Changes I would make: None! But have fun adding other fruits or seasonings.
Difficulty: Very easy.