If you're tired of the same old canned cranberry sauce (eww), here's an easy recipe that is VERY good. It's a great taste, the combo of the chewy dried cranberries and the crisp red grapes is just great together. I've gotten lots of compliments on it and it's so easy to make. This makes A LOT of relish: 6 cups.

4 cups cranberry juice cocktail
3 cups dried cranberries
3 cups red seedless grapes, halved
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

Boil the cranberry juice until it's reduced to 1 cup. Put the dried cranberries in a large bowl. Pour the hot, reduced liquid over it. Stir to coat. Let cool. Cover and refrigerate. Removed from fridge 1 hour before serving. Just before serving, stir in the grapes, lemon juice and lemon peel into the cranberry relish.

(You can make this a few days in advance if you like, and just cut up and add the red grapes before serving, otherwise, the grapes would be less than fresh.)

You won't be disappointed! I still remember when i brought this dish to my then-boyfriend's family's for Tgiving dinner. They had a big group, about 30. My ex's mom was sitting at another table set up in their living room, but i happened to be looking over at her as she put a forkful of my relish in her mouth, and i'll never forget the enjoyment i got from watching the expression on her face as she tasted it. I could tell she really liked it! Later, she asked me for the recipe.

Today was a relatively painless day at work. (Well, most days are.) I wrote a news story about how this holiday season will be very light for travel, by car and air, due to the economy. Also wrote a blog post on how the federal deficit could jeopardize America's AAA rating. I even had time to tidy up my Word file folders and create new ones for next year so i can more easily save and locate stories i write. I did the same for my email folders.

We got out at 2 pm and since it was still daylight, i was able to take the shorter, back roads route home and it was a pleasure, no traffic at all. Can't say i did much; i was feeling very tired again. I watched a few court shows on TV; Judge Judy and Judge Pirrone, the former state prosecutor in NY. Then i watched the local news, something i rarely get home in time to catch.

There's all this hub-bub about Black Friday deals. I don't actually have a need to go out on Friday, but i'm actually feeling like i should think of something i "need" just to take advantage of all these deals i'm hearing about.

I was toying with the idea of getting a new digital camera, tho again, i don't really need a new one. The one i had i spent about $100 on at Wal-Mart probably 5 years ago. It does the job. But i never got the memory card for it becus it cost $100 and i figured i might better spend that money on an upgrade someday, so i've worked around the 24 photo limit without the card. I just have to delete photos after transferring them to my computer. It wouldn't work if i was going on some awe-inspiring vacation where i wanted to take a lot of photos, but that hasn't happened lately, so no biggie. Maybe i'll check to see what www.consumersearch.com has to say.

So for tomorrow's meal i'm making my cranberry and grape relish and i was gonna bring the brussel sprouts, but they didn't have them at the store so i got string beans instead. Brussel sprouts are sort of a tradition in my family. My grandmother always used to make them becus she knew how much i loved them, and now my mother continues that tradition. (It's nice to feel spoiled every once in a while.)

I'm really looking to 4 days off from work. Not much planned. Maybe headed out shopping, or just looking, on Friday with friend H. Otherwise, have more leaves to rake and the weather will be decent for that, low 40s.