Cocktail Franks in Cranberry Chili Sauce

Mini smoked sausages, jellied cranberries, and rosemary simmer in a homemade chili sauce. This is a classic holiday appetizer everyone loves.

Cocktail franks are dressed for the holidays.

Ready. Get set. Here come the holidays!

Now, can we all just get real with one another? While those Pinterest-perfect food and table setting pics look great, don’t we want some simple solutions for entertaining? I don’t know about you, but I’d much rather spend time with family and friends versus logging hours in my kitchen.

So, as we embark on a busy November (and December), let’s embrace the shortcuts, the tasty yet simple recipes, and settle into the idea that we don’t have to do this by ourselves! In this simplified holiday spirit, we’re going to explore some easy entertaining tips from the experts and revisit a classic appetizer with a newer twist.

Some form of Lit’l Smokies — those mini smoked sausages in some form of sweet tomato sauce — has been on holiday buffets for generations. My mom often made Lit’l Smokies in barbecue sauce for our New Year’s Eve home party. The vintage recipe used grape jelly and bottled chili sauce. You’ll find thousands of recipes online for this popular appetizer; let me save you some time. All you need is a can of jellied cranberry sauce, a small can of tomato sauce, a little brown sugar, fresh rosemary, and a few other items from your pantry. These little sausages cook on your stove top in under an hour and freeze well. Let’s get cooking because company’s coming!

To make Cocktail Franks in Cranberry and Chili Sauce, which yields about 8 servings, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 1 (14-ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce

• 1 (4-ounce) can tomato sauce

• 1 (14-ounce) package Lit’l Smokies smoked cocktail links

• 1 fresh rosemary sprigs

• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 3 Tablespoons brown sugar

• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire

Follow these directions to make Cocktail Franks in Cranberry and Chili Sauce

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the tomato sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and red pepper flakes to pan.

Open cranberry sauce, slice, and cube. Add to saucepan. Cover and stir frequently until sauce starts to come together.

Add Lit’l Smokies and stir. Drop in rosemary and turn heat to medium. Cook for 30 minutes until cranberries have melted into the sauce and links are heated through. Stir ocasionally to prevent sauce from burning.

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Party tips for easy entertaining

The goal of any holiday party should be connecting with friends and family, not outshining Martha Stewart. I love an appetizer party. It’s simple and frees up your time to enjoy your guests.

Make a pretty cheeseboard—with either a cheeseball or just two cheeses—with fresh or dried fruit, and crusty bread. Have one or two additional appetizers and you’re good to go! It’s good to have at least one hot app (the cocktail franks, for example) and cold selection.

Kim Cook often writes about entertaining for the Associated Press. She reminds us to keep the party’s setting simple. A counter or coffee table can fit the bill as a place to organize your food and beverages. Full sets of china aren't necessary; mix-and-match plates and glasses can be quite stylish. Some fresh supermarket flowers and well-placed candles, as well as holiday music, rounds out the ambiance. For more tips, visit Kim’s blog.

And what’s a holiday gathering without drinks? Have a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages for your guests. While the newest holiday cocktail lends a perfect Instagram moment, a batch cocktail will save a lot of time.

Cranberry Rose Spritzer

Try this tasty Cranberry Rosé Spritzer! You’ll need:

• 1 bottle (750 ml) chilled rosé

• 1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice

• 1 cup ginger ale

• 1 cup ginger simple syrup (here’s a recipe from Spruce Eats)

Serve over ice cubes and garnish with fresh rosemary and cranberry. This spritzer pairs beautifully with the Cocktail Wieners in Cranberry and Chili Sauce!

About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

Roasted Sweet Potato Autumn Salad

Sweet potatoes, a staple fall ingredient, shine in this hearty salad with Romaine and apples that’s perfect for lunch or a lighter dinner.

This is the season for root vegetables to step into their spotlight. Potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and beets are common ingredients in many heartier recipes for fall and winter. We’ve relied for generations on these food items to fuel us through colder months.

Consider a sweet potato (1 cup serving) has 12 percent of our daily potassium and 16 percent of daily fiber, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. An article on Healthline.com said sweet potatoes — whether orange, white or purple — are a good source of vitamins A and C, as well as manganese. They also have anticancer properties and may promote immune function and other health benefits.

We may hear the names of sweet potatoes and yams mixed interchangeably but these are separate vegetables. According to food writer Margaret Eby, yams are starchy and have a brown exterior. Sweet potatoes are a “new world” vegetable and have a darker interior with reddish skin. Check here to read Eby's story about the history of yams versus sweet potatoes.

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, sweet potatoes no doubt will surface again in the ubiquitous casserole that tastes more like a dessert than vegetable side dish, but you can do so much more with this tuber. Recently, I made delicious sweet potato and black bean chili. Last year, Sweet Potato Salad with Maple Vinaigrette was offered as a Thanksgiving side.

For a perfect fall lunch plate, Roasted Sweet Potato Autumn Salad combines potatoes with apple, peppery radish, sunflower seeds, crunchy Romaine, and — would you believe — a delicious dressing made with barbecue sauce!

To make Roasted Sweet Potato Autumn Salad, which yields 4 servings, you’ll need these ingredients:

• 12 ounces fresh sweet potatoes (about 2 potatoes)

• 1 TB olive oil

• 1 ½ teaspoons pepper

• 1 ½ heads Romaine, washed and dried

• 1 large crisp apple (such as Honeycrisp, Pink Lady) or two Granny Smith apples

• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds, shelled

• 3 radishes, cleaned and trimmed

• Optional 6 ounces cooked chicken or turkey

You don’t have to peel the potatoes; just scrub them clean. No sunflower seeds in your pantry? No problem! Use toasted almons or pecans. Maybe you roasted pumpkin seeds after carving your jack-o-lantern. It all works!

Roast sweet potatoes in oven. Allow to cool before adding to salad.

Follow these directions to make Roasted Sweet Potato Autumn Salad

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Combine the first three ingredients and bake 20 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, core/slice apple. Thinly slice radishes.

Divide greens on four plates and top with other ingredients. Quickly make the dressing by combining:

• 2 TB Dijon mustard

• 2 TB barbecue sauce

• 1 TB apple cider vinegar

• ½ teaspoon honey (optional)

Drizzle dressing over salad and serve.

For another hearty autumn salad, try my Easy Butternut Squash Panzanella. Orange and Carrot Soup can be enjoyed chilled in spring, but it's delicious when served warm with crusty bread this fall.

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About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

Your Thanksgiving Planner

Keep this Thanksgiving Planner handy to help you create a stress-free Thanksgiving feast for family and friends.

It may seem early to think about Thanksgiving in October but once Halloween has been celebrated, the countdown begins. A few years back, I created a Thanksgiving planner for new subscribers to this blog and I've updated it for 2024! This handy checklist will take you from three weeks before the holiday to Thanksgiving Day (this year, Nov. 28), enabliing you to stay in control and on top of your culinary game! Here we go!

Three weeks out

This week, plan your menu and get out the Thanksgiving decorations you want to display.

Two weeks out

It's time to finalize your guest list, inspect your china and silverware, get out your recipes, and buy the frozen turkey and non-perishables. If you don't have a silver polishing cloth, here's a hack you can use. Mix one cup of white vinegar with four tablespoons of baking soda. Submerge the silver in the mixture and let it sit for an hour. Rinse and dry well.

One week out

You'll be busy this week cleaning your home; washing, drying, and ironing table linens; buying wine; and getting out your serving pieces and washing/drying those. If you're having guests staying over for the holiday, this also is a good time to make and freeze meals to enjoy during their stay. (You can eat turkey three days in a row!)

Speaking of turkey, remember you will need to thaw old Tom in the refrigerator. Plan for 24 hours per four pounds of turkey. Keep the bird in original wrapper and store breast side up. Once thawed, it can rest up to four days until your ready to roast. If you brine your bird, don't forget to add that time into your poultry prep.

Two days out

Time to head to the grocery store to get those perishables and finish up your list. Bake your pies and set the bread out to make stuffing. You can make some dishes ahead, including mashed potatoes, and reheat them on Thanksgiving in the slow cooker with a splash of chicken stock and cream. Make and refrigerate your casserole sides, too.

Thanksgiving Day

Remove the turkey one or two hours and bring to room temperature before roasting. Set your table. Bake the bird first; this can be kept warm on your countertop. Bake your casseroles. A tip: A buffet food warming tray will help keep those casseroles warm for guests. Lastly, make your gravy.

And should you need some advice on the fly, Butterball Turkey Talk Line is available through November and December! Call 800-288-8372 or chat live with an expert at Butterball.com.

Happy Thanksgiving!