Cocktail meatballs

Beef, ground chuck	1 pound
Egg, lightly beaten	1 large
Water	2 tablespoons
Panko	½ cup
Onion, minced	3 tablespoons
Cranberry sauce, jellied	8 ounces
Chili sauce	¾ cup
Sugar, brown	1 tablespoon
Lemon juice	1 ½ teaspoons

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. In a large bowl, mix together the beef, egg, water, panko, and onion; roll into small meatballs. 
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once. 
4. In a large saucepan over low heat, combine the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, sugar, and juice. 
5. Add the meatballs, and simmer for 1 hour before serving.

Triple-layer sour cream chocolate cake

Cake
Flour, cake	3 cups +
Chocolate, unsweetened, finely chopped	9 ounces
Tea*, strong black, freshly brewed	2 cups
Vanilla extract	1 tablespoon
Eggs, room temperature	4 large
Oil, canola	1 cup
Sour cream, room temperature	1 cup
Sugar, granulated	3 cups
Baking soda	1 ½ teaspoons
Cinnamon, ground	1 teaspoon
Salt, fine sea	1 teaspoon
Ganache
Cream, heavy	1 ½ cups
Butter, unsalted, cut into 1-inch pieces	1 ½ cups
Sugar	½ cup
Salt, fine sea	½ teaspoon
Chocolate, semisweet, finely chopped	1 ½ pounds
Tea, strong black, freshly brewed	1/3 cup
Vanilla extract	1 ½ teaspoons
Cranberries
Cranberries, fresh	1 cup
Water	½ cup
Sugar, granulated	½ cup +

Cake

1. Preheat to 375°F, and position the racks in the center and lower thirds. 
2. Butter three 9-by-2-inch round cake pans, and line with parchment paper. 
3. Butter the paper, and dust the pans with flour; tap out excess flour. 
4. In a medium bowl, combine the chocolate with the tea and vanilla; let stand for 2 minutes, then stir until the chocolate is melted. 
5. In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the oil until pale yellow, then whisk in the sour cream. 
6. Gradually whisk in the melted chocolate mixture until smooth. 
7. In the bowl of a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the flour with the sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix well. 
8. At medium speed, beat in the wet ingredients in three batches until just incorporated. 
9. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat until the batter is smooth. 
10. Pour the batter evenly into the pans; gently tap the pans on the counter to release any air bubbles. 
11. Bake for about 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; shift the pans halfway through baking. 
12. Let the cakes cool completely, then carefully invert onto a rack, and peel off the parchment paper. 

Ganache

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream, butter, sugar, and salt just to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. 
2. Remove from heat, and add the chocolate; let stand for 2 minutes, then stir smooth. 
3. Stir in the tea and vanilla. 
4. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally. 
5. Transfer one cake to a cake stand. 
6. Spoon one-fourth of the ganache on top and spread in an even layer. 
7. Top with another cake and one-fourth of the ganache. 
8. Cover with the third cake, and spread the remaining ganache over the top and side of the cake. 

Cranberries

1. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar, and bring to a boil; cover and set aside to cool completely. 
2. Toss the cranberries in the simple syrup, drain, and then chill for about 15 minutes. 
3. Roll the cranberries in the some sugar to coat, spread out on a plate, and then chill for an hour before serving. 

* For my brisk brew, I used 6 tablespoons of PGTips with 1200ml water.

Recipe adapted from Food&Wine Magazine, December 2015

Cranberry compote

Water	1 ½ cups
Sugar	1 ½ cups
Cranberries, fresh, picked clean	12 ounces
Lemon juice	½
Orange zest	1 tablespoon
Applejack brandy	3 tablespoons

1. In a deep 4-quart saucepan, combine the water and sugar; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 
2. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the texture is syrupy. 
3. Add the cranberries, juice, and zest. 
4. Adjust the heat so the mixture barely simmers and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the cranberries just begin to pop open and the syrup thickens. 
5. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature. 
6. Add the brandy. 
7. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. 
8. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before serving. 

Recipe from The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan.