I was looking for the ultimate Fall dessert for a party I was attending this week and when I was perusing an old edition of Food Network magazine I discovered exactly what I was looking for-Cranberry Pear Crisp. In the past, I had never been especially passionate about cranberries, but I loved the color and I decided that with the sweet pears it shouldn't be too tart. And this recipe was perfect!!

The recipe calls for dried and fresh cranberries, pears and a boat load of sugar and so the contrast of tart, sweet and more sweet, just lends itself to perfection! I was actually very pleasantly surprised with the outcome, the balance really was perfect, all of my sarcasm aside. It also had a nice nutty flavor from the pecans, melted butter and oats on the crumble topping and when you served it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, the entire dish came together. I also have to admit that I was pleased with the aesthetics as the cranberry color is just gorgeous on any table!


This recipe was also incredibly easy. Toss the fresh and dried cranberries in a bowl with the sugar, water and vanilla. Mash the cranberries with a potato masher to get some of them to pop and ooze, wait that sounds disgusting doesn't it? But you know what I mean!



Add the pears, which are peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, cinnamon, allspice and flour. Toss the entire mixture into a 3qt dish. I used a 9x13 baking dish, if that helps.


Next make the topping, which consists of flour, pecan, oats, sugar and salt. Stir in melted butter and mix until it is crumbly. Sprinkle over the cranberry/pear mixture.



Bake for 40 minutes and serve warm or room temperature.


This is truly just comfort food. It is cozy, fulfilling, nourishing and nurturing. I loved the flavors, the color and the ease of baking! I promise you will not be disappointed. Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving!

I know the word molested is a bit harsh, however there is just no other way to describe the experience of cleaning a dead squid. You full on, straight up, violate that deceased creature and it is by far one of the grossest culinary experiences I have yet to encounter.


And that is saying a lot seeing as I have had some pretty gross cooking adventures-killing a lobster with a knife to the spine and cleaning out fish guts to fillet the animal being amongst two of the highlights.



However, learning how to clean a squid has definitely taken my cooking gross-out factor to the next level. Even if you have not touched raw squid, you can imagine it being of a slimy consistency, right? Well now try sticking your finger inside of that, it feels kind of like snot and well not to be completely graphic, but I am going to be, kind of like sticking your finger in a used condom. It is truly sensory disgusting!!

Oh but wait, it gets worse, because while your finger is inside the squid you now have to grab a cartilage piece that feels like plastic and grab on for dear life as you wrestle it out of the creature...because seriously no one wants to bite into plastic in their calamari. The gag reflex was high during this kitchen journey!



This amazing night occurred for me in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia. A dear friend offered to teach me how to make calamari and of course I jumped at the offer. I also brought along a new co-workers, whom I had never met, because with my friends and family the more the merrier, right? There were also several family members of mine present to watch this nightmare unfold. Nothing like being traumatized with an audience, right? Yup they all got to watch as I stuck my finger inside a dead animal and tried not to vomit on their appetizers.


Anyway, I digress, once you remove the cartilage and the snot from inside the animal, you wash them under the faucet, kind of like creating a squid water balloon. Yes, I know what you are thinking...it is like adding insult to injury to this sea life form...first you violate it and then you play with it and transform it into a water balloon. Yup, you got it! Exactly!


So after we get done cleaning all of these animals, my friend leans over to me and tells me that you can purchase squid already cleaned. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so I did a little of both. Therefore, if I ever make calamari again or if you want to try this at home, I highly recommend that you purchase it already cleaned.

Once the squid has been cleaned, slice into rings, kind of like you are slicing a banana. Super easy!

Next dust in rice flour and salt. There are different recipes that call for different types of flour, but my friend swears by rice flour and it tasted delicious. Yup, event after molesting the squid I still ate it!!


Heat your peanut oil in a wok until it gets to a very high heat (we didn't measure the temp but this is what it looked like) and throw the squid in the hot oil. Remove from the oil, drain and eat!


Do not over cook them...that is the fastest and easiest way to ruin calamari...and after all of the hard work that would just be straight up sacrilegious to destroy this delicacy.

Yup, I am pretty sure after my luscious description you are all craving calamari about now...so cheers!! Don't forget to indulge in a glass of pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc with this delectable appetizer. Yum!!