Cranberry Rhubarb Apple Pie

My farm delivery box allows me the liberty to be creative with recipes- it's always fun to think up recipes (outside of soup, pasta or risotto!) with whatever comes in it. This week I received my delivery right before Thanksgiving and even though I was totally inspired, I was also so busy and swamped!  But today inspiration and time were finally on my side!  Mind you that my hubs doesn't like either ingredient in the title aside from "Apple" and "Pie" but I'm going to make him try it out anyways!  I just had my first slice and it was D-lish!



(2) pre-made refrigerated pie crusts- room temp
1 pint of fresh cranberries
1 bunch of rhubarb (approximately 1/4 cup finely chopped)
4 medium apples- preferrable Fuji or other sweet apple- coursely chopped
1 orange- zest and then squeeze the juice and reserve
cinnamon
vanilla
1 c. of splenda or sugar, plus 1/4 cup
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 stick of butter

Heat oven to 425.  Coursely chop the cranberries and rhubarb and place in a microwave safe bowl and add enough water to cover.  Add 1/4 cup of sugar or splenda to the mixture, along with 2/3 of the fresh juice.  Microwave on high 5 minutes or until tender.  Set aside to cool.
Place one pie crust in a deep-dish pie plate and form against sides.
Strain cranberry mixture and add apples, mix and then spread into formed pie crust.  Sprinkle with your preferred amount of cinnamon and vanilla. Mix together the remaining sugar and flour and add over filling.  Dot filling with butter and pour remaining orange juice prior to covering with top crust.  Add top crust, pinch edges to seal.  Cut slits into crust and brush with a little melted butter.  Sprinkle with some sugar and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crusts are brown and mixture is bubbly.  Enjoy with some ice cream or fresh whipped cream!

Bread Bowl Artichoke Dip

2- 16 oz (450 g) sourdough bread rounds (about 6-in./15-cm diameter), divided
Vegetable oil
4 oz (125 g) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (125 mL) milk
1 can (14 oz or 398 mL) artichoke hearts in water, drained
1 1.4-oz (40-g) envelope or one 1.8-oz (51-g) box (2 envelopes) vegetable soup mix
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 lemon
8 oz (250 g) sour cream
Grated fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Using Color Coated Bread Knife, slice off top of one bread round to create a lid; set lid aside. Carefully remove center of bread round to form a 4 1/2-inch-wide (12-cm) and 2-inch-deep (5-cm) well for dip. Slice center of first and entire second bread round into 1-in. (2.5-cm) cubes. Place bread bowl on center of Large Round Stone with Handles. Arrange bread cubes around bowl; spray with vegetable oil using Kitchen Spritzer.


In Classic Batter Bowl, whisk cream cheese until smooth using Stainless Whisk. Add milk to cream cheese; whisk until smooth. Chop artichokes using Food Chopper. Add artichokes, soup mix and garlic pressed with Garlic Press to batter bowl; mix well using Small Mix 'N Scraper®. Microwave on HIGH 5-7 minutes or until hot (do not boil). Juice lemon using Juicer to measure 2 tbsp (30 mL) juice. Stir juice and sour cream into artichoke mixture; pour into bread bowl.


If desired, grate Parmesan cheese over bread bowl and bread cubes using Rotary Grater. Lean lid against bread bowl. Bake 13-15 minutes or until bread cubes and top of dip are golden brown. Remove from oven; serve immediately.


Yield: 12 servings (about 2 cups/500 mL dip)


Nutrients per serving: (about 2 tbsp dip/30 mL and 4 bread cubes): Calories 220, Total Fat 8 g, Saturated Fat 4.5 g, Cholesterol 25 mg, Carbohydrate 29 g, Protein 7 g, Sodium 610 mg, Fiber 2 g


Cook's Tip: To soften cream cheese, microwave on HIGH 15-30 seconds or until very soft. Whisk until smooth.