Community Events

SLOW COOKER CRANBERRY SAUCE

This slow cooker cranberry sauce could not be easier! Plus it's super tasty and easy to customize whether you like the sauce bitter or more sweet!

PREP: 5 MINS • COOK: 3 HOURS • TOTAL: 3 HOURS 5 MINS

YIELDS: 4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS:

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup sugar (use your desired kind of sugar or sweetener, and add more/less to taste)

optional add-ins: a splash or bourbon or red wine, orange zest, a pinch of ground ginger, a pinch of cinnamon and cloves, some chopped walnuts, or a splash of vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a slow cooker and stir to combine.  Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours, or until the cranberries have popped open and the sauce is bubbly.  Taste and stir in any extra sweetener or add-ins if desired.  Serve warm.  (Heads up that the sauce will thicken considerably as it cools.)

DIFFICULTY: EASY • CATEGORY: VEGAN

It’s hard to believe, but July is already here and half of 2012 has already passed! As July 4th approaches, our team thought it would be fun to share some facts and safety tips for celebrating our country’s independence day.

Fun Facts:
• Betsy Ross, according to legend, sewed the first American flag in May or June 1776, as commissioned by the Congressional Committee.
• The major objection to being ruled by Britain was taxation without representation. The colonists had no say in the decisions of English Parliament.
• The word ‘patriotism’ comes from the Latin patria, which means ‘homeland’ or ‘fatherland.’
• The first public Fourth of July event at the White House occurred in 1804.
• And what could be more fitting than spending the day in a place called “America”? There are five such places in the country, with the most populous being American Fork, Utah, with 21,941 residents. Check out American Fact Finder.

Safety Tips:
• Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.
• Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.
• Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.
• To prevent a trash fire, be sure to douse the spent fireworks with plenty of water from a bucket or hose after fireworks complete their burning and before discarding them.
• Make sure fireworks are legal before buying or using them.

What are your plans this 4th of July? Share them with us! We’d love to hear what you and the rest of the community will be doing to celebrate! (Don’t forget to make sure there are no restrictions on fireworks! Check out this link to see if fireworks might be an issue for you this year.)

Also, check out these 4th of July party invitations, eGreeting cards, and delicious recipes!

July 4th eCard inviations!

Happy Independence Day eCards

Independence Day Recipes


Photo by shawnajean