CRANBERRY CHUTNEY AND LOCAL CLASSES

Each year around this time I share my recipe for CRANBERRY CHUTNEY. And each year at least one person says "This is now a "must have" on my family table!". I have been making it for almost 50 years. The holidays would not be complete without it.

You can always find this under my RECIPES tab above, but just to make it easy, here you go:

CRANBERRY CHUTNEY       

Barbara Black       

1 bag fresh cranberries, 12-16 oz                    1 cup water

1 cup sugar, can be less                                   1 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar, can be less                     1 cup apple, chopped

1/2 cup raisins                                                  1/2 cup celery, chopped

2 t cinnamon                                                    1/2 -1 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 t ginger

1/2 t cloves

1/4 t allspice

Simmer cranberries, sugars, raisins, spices, and 1 cup water uncovered in 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until juice is released from berries, about 15 minutes.  Reduce heat; stir in remaining ingredients.  Simmer uncovered until thick, about 15 minutes.  Refrigerate covered or freeze.  

Batch can be doubled--use large saucepan.    NOTE:  I always double this--DO NOT DOUBLE THE SUGARS. Keep extra in the freezer.  This will last from Thanksgiving until Christmas.  I buy fresh cranberries in early November and freeze them for later use. 

Over the years, I've made a few changes, the best being to reduce the amount of sugar.  I doubled the recipe and FORGOT to double the sugar, and it was BETTER!  

About 10 years ago I added chopped pecans and that was a huge hit at my house, kind of makes it more "Southern".  The kitchen smells amazing while this is cooking, puts you in the mood for holiday food.  

People who don't like cranberry sauce like this, and I am always asked for the recipe--now I can direct folks here.  You can save it to your Pinterest Boards too--see on the right side.

And your house will smell scrumptious while it's cooking:

Currently, I am "on sabbatical"--meaning I am home until mid-March 2026. That gives me time to get lots done AND teach a few LOCAL CLASSES.  These are classes I teach all over the country and LOCAL FOLKS have been asking for a chance to take them here at home.

This is the ONLY TIME in 2026 these classes will be available.

THE VILLAGE, AKA QUILTERS SCRAP HOUSES:

January 23, 2026, 10-4, Southern Charm Quilting. Register online here: SOUTHERN CHARM QUILTING

Take one of Barbara Black's most popular classes she teaches all over the country. Create your own neighborhood with houses, trees and stars. Learn paper-piecing for the Quilters Scrap Houses and Trees, and to quickly make Tiny Stars with points that don’t have to meet. Looking for a group project everyone will love? This is it! Sample is about 52”--you decide how large your neighborhood grows. The Class fee includes a detailed pattern, paper piecing patterns to use in class and patterns to make more copies for your personal use.

CHARMING SAMPLER:

March 5, 2026, 10-4, Southern Charm Quilting.  Register online here: SOUTHERN CHARM QUILTING

1800's reproduction fabrics

KAFFE CHARMING, contemporary fabrics

Now is your opportunity to take this very popular class Barbara Black teaches all over the country. Learn a variety of blocks in a small size, making them fast and fun! You will learn tricks that will improve all your quiltmaking going forward. Guaranteed to teach you a few things you don't already know. Class fee includes detailed pattern, paper piecing patterns to use in class and patterns to use later for your personal use to complete the quilt.

I hope to see you in these classes. They always fill when I teach them away from home. Don't miss your chance to join me for great classes AND sleep in your own bed.

And Happy Thanksgiving to all! There is always a reason to give thanks.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

CRANBERRY CHUTNEY TIME!

Each year I make a double batch of my CRANBERRY CHUTNEY, we love it! It is easy to freeze so I pack it in small batches, easy to share with others as well. And the kitchen smells SO GOOD while it is being made!

Every time I share this recipe someone finds it and declares it a "NEW FAMILY FAVORITE".

Find the post with FULL RECIPE HERE: CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

The most important thing to remember: when I DOUBLE THE RECIPE, I DON'T DOUBLE THE SUGARS!  The first time I doubled the recipe I accidentally did not double the SUGARS and it was BETTER!  

This is a relish, not super-sweet like canned cranberry sauce.

You can find lots of my favorite RECIPES up there on the RECIPES TAB: RECIPES TAB

Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!

Let's quilt.

Barbara

Cranberry Chutney is Almost Ready

 This is a favorite week for me, Thanksgiving is around the corner. This year we will have both our sons, their women, and our wonderful two grandchildren around our table. My heart is full. 

As I do every year, I share this recipe here because I am often asked for it. And usually I hear from those who tried it for the first time who say "This is now a family standard". 

My favorite recipe, one I HAVE to make any time there is turkey or ham on the menu is Cranberry Chutney.  I grew up with Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce from the can, the kind that has those can lines on the sides when you open both ends of the can and push the roll of sauce onto a plate. About 45 years ago I followed a Cooking Light Turkey dinner complete menu, making all the dishes shown, and THIS is the one recipe that has stuck around:

CRANBERRY CHUTNEY       

Barbara Black       

1 bag fresh cranberries, 12-16 oz                    1 cup water

1 cup sugar, can be less                                   1 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar, can be less                     1 cup apple, chopped

1/2 cup raisins                                                  1/2 cup celery, chopped

2 t cinnamon                                                    1/2 -1 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 t ginger

1/2 t cloves

1/4 t allspice

Simmer cranberries, sugars, raisins, spices, and 1 cup water uncovered in 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until juice is released from berries, about 15 minutes.  Reduce heat; stir in remaining ingredients.  Simmer uncovered until thick, about 15 minutes.  Refrigerate covered or freeze.  Batch can be doubled--use large saucepan.    

NOTE:  I always double this--DO NOT DOUBLE THE SUGARS. Keep extra in the freezer.  This will last from Thanksgiving until Christmas.  I buy fresh cranberries in early November and freeze them for later use. 

Over the years, I've made a few changes, the best being to reduce the amount of sugar.  I doubled the recipe and FORGOT to double the sugar, and it was BETTER!  About 5 years ago I added chopped pecans and that was a huge hit at my house, kind of makes it more "Southern".  The kitchen smells amazing while this is cooking, puts you in the mood for holiday food.  People who don't like cranberry sauce like this, and I am always asked for the recipe--now I can direct folks here.  You can save it to your Pinterest Boards too.

For those of you traveling this week, I wish you traveling mercies. For those who will see loved ones after a time of absence, enjoy this time. For those who have lost someone  or who will be alone, I wish you peace. 

After this week, let's quilt.

Barbara

It's Chutney Time

 Each year I have to publish this post about my favorite side dish, Cranberry Chutney. I made a double batch a few weeks back and it is stored in several containers in the freezer:

Here is the link to the post with the recipe:  Thanksgiving Week  I always double the recipe but DO NOT double the sugars. It is not tart or bitter, it is just not dessert-like super sweet. This dish is great with turkey or chicken, or used with appetizer cheeses, like Brie or even Cream Cheese and crackers. 

Early October it is Thanksgiving Day in Canada. I know this because I got a lovely email this year from a Canadian follower who wrote to tell me her family now insists this dish be a staple at their holiday meal. She discovered it on my Blog last year and made it then. Now she just has to make it. My family feels the same.

Chutney is like a relish but includes fruit and vegetables. Onions and celery, apples and raisins and lots of spices. As soon as cranberries appear at the supermarket, usually in early October here, I grab two bags and throw them in the freezer. When I am ready to make it, I use the berries frozen--they cook up fine. I wish you could smell the scent of spices and the ingredients as they boil into a beautiful, colorful dish. The sound of the berries popping open make me smile. If you double the recipe, be sure to use a big pot--you don't want it to boil over. 

Whatever your Thanksgiving looks like this year, I hope it is full of gratitude for the gifts you have. I will spend the day with just my beloved husband, roasting a small turkey with some simple sides. Yummy yeast rolls and pumpkin pie will round out the meal. At some point, he will say "A jug a wine, a loaf of bread, and thou beside me..." That makes me smile too.

Let's quilt--after we eat.

Barbara

Cranberry Chutney Time of Year

If this is Thanksgiving Week, I am making Cranberry Chutney. A double batch gets us from Thanksgiving to Christmas, with some to send home with those who want some for their leftovers.

I have made this every year for 43 years. The recipe is often shared so it can become part of other families' holiday tradition.

Here is the recipe, in case you want to try it:

CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

The kitchen smells SO good while making this, yum.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Let's quilt.

Barbara

My Favorite Things--and People

Just recently, one of my six-month classes finished up. At the last class. 8 of the original 13 were present, the rest were unable to attend due to illness or obligations. They were missed.

The class is called "My Favorite Things" and here is the class sample:

And the class description:

Learn how to make Barbara’s favorite blocks in this comprehensive 6 month fun and educational class. No sewing machine needed--you’ll do all the sewing at home. So many tips and tricks will be taught--increase your quilting skills as you make several smaller quilts OR combine ALL the individual blocks into one complete bed-size quilt, a totally original design, your choice.

Some of the blocks include: Log Cabins, Shoo Fly, Old Italian Block, Flying Geese,  Disappearing Nine-patch, Sawtooth Star, and more...

The students met and surpassed my goals--I wanted them to learn "quilter's math" and how to create and assemble the blocks they want to make. So many newer quilters only know how to follow pattern directions, and lack confidence in selecting fabrics, changing block sizes, changing the quilt layout, and don't know how to be sure their pieces all fit together. I asked them to say what they had gotten out of the class and each one mentioned one of those things as something that they really had improved upon.

Here is their glorious work:

Cyndi  used lots of Kaffe Fassett fabrics and created two wonderful additional borders

Phyllis  almost gave up after the first class but hung in there and has a beautiful quilt on the way

Sally changed the layout and some blocks  to  make the quilt her own--I love that!

Kathy used a lot of Kim Diehl fabrics--while it's not her favorite I LOVE it and she learned a lot from it

Suzanne worked in reproduction fabrics and found the perfect cheddar/gold for sashing 

Holly really spread her wings and changed the border--a great quilt.

We also had show and tell from two other classes I've taught this group:

Holly showing her Long Time Gone, a Jen Kingwell design. She modified the border

Cyndi brought her queen-size Two-For-One, mostly batiks

These students pushed  me to create this class--it didn't matter what I taught, they just wanted another six-month class where they didn't have to haul their machines. I had to design it on the fly and keep ahead of them but I did. They are a fun group to teach and I think we all enjoy our time together.

This would make a great 3-4 day retreat or workshop project. I am teaching it locally, at Patches & Stitches, Part One is Saturday March 30, 2019, 9-4 and Part Two is Saturday May 4, 2019, 9-4. That will be a sewing class, every two hours we'll cover one of the 6 lessons to be learned. That should be fun--and fast!

Students often teach the teachers too--I learned students can stretch their wings and enjoy it and many quilters want to improve their skills with each quilt they make.

I love my job!

And, because I was asked, here is the link to my Cranberry Chutney recipe blog. It's that time of year and I don't want turkey without it. It makes the house smell good too:

Barbara's Cranberry Chutney

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends.

Let's Quilt,

Barbara

Thanksgiving Week--Cranberry Chutney

This is a favorite week for me, especially if I am not traveling so I am not concerned about weather.  We desperately need rain here, not much since April 2016 and we are down more than 12 inches.  We might get some good rain mid-week and that will be wonderful.

My favorite recipe, one I HAVE to make any time there is turkey or ham on the menu is Cranberry Chutney.  I grew up with Ocean Spray jellied cranberry sauce from the can, the kind that has those can lines on the sides when you open both ends of the can and push the roll of sauce onto a plate. About 40 years ago I followed a Cooking Light Turkey dinner complete menu, making all the dishes shown, and THIS is the one recipe that has stuck around:

CRANBERRY CHUTNEY       

Barbara Black       

1 bag fresh cranberries, 12-16 oz                    1 cup water

1 cup sugar, can be less                                   1 cup onion, chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar, can be less                     1 cup apple, chopped

1/2 cup raisins                                                  1/2 cup celery, chopped

2 t cinnamon                                                    1/2 -1 cup chopped pecans

1 1/2 t ginger

1/2 t cloves

1/4 t allspice

Simmer cranberries, sugars, raisins, spices, and 1 cup water uncovered in 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until juice is released from berries, about 15 minutes.  Reduce heat; stir in remaining ingredients.  Simmer uncovered until thick, about 15 minutes.  Refrigerate covered or freeze.  Batch can be doubled--use large saucepan.    NOTE:  I always double this--DO NOT DOUBLE THE SUGARS. Keep extra in the freezer.  This will last from Thanksgiving until Christmas.  I buy fresh cranberries in early November and freeze them for later use. 

Over the years, I've made a few changes, the best being to reduce the amount of sugar.  I doubled the recipe and FORGOT to double the sugar, and it was BETTER!  About 5 years ago I added chopped pecans and that was a huge hit at my house, kind of makes it more "Southern".  The kitchen smells amazing while this is cooking, puts you in the mood for holiday food.  People who don't like cranberry sauce like this, and I am always asked for the recipe--now I can direct folks here.  You can save it to your Pinterest Boards too--see below.

Saturday I taught a fun class--they wanted the recipe when my daughter-in-law sent me a message asking for it during class.  Here are the "Southern Super Star" quilts under construction:

Donna D--half the middle and one quarter star points

Holly R--one quarter middle, one quarter star points

Dahlia K--one quarter middle, one quarter star points, almost

All three students worked hard all day and can now finish their tops at home.  We spent the last half hour of class time considering various border options, square or rectangle, you decide.  This is a class I enjoy teaching a lot and this quilt is my "go-to giveaway" quilt because I can make the top in a weekend, the cost of edge-to-edge longarm quilting isn't prohibitive and I can shop in my closet for the 8 fabrics needed:

Outside Tip:  1/4 yard

Second:          1/3 yard

Third:            1/2 yard

Fourth:          5/8 yard

Fifth:             1/2 yard

Sixth:            1/3 yard

Center:          1/4 yard

Background:   1 3/4 yard--buy 2 yards for border options

Borders are extra--unless I know for sure what I want for the borders, I wait until the star is done then shop in my closet.  Here are some previous quilts I have given away:

The pattern is from Calico Carriage Quilt Designs.  It is also available as a single pattern but the book provides several sizes and great directions and is moderately priced, I recommend the book.

Happy to say I am all caught up with Stella's Splendid Sampler, 81 blocks done:

The top 5 rows are sewn together, rows 6-8 are sewn together and row 9 is just getting started.  Blocks are released each Sunday and Thursday--this began February 14, 2016 and will conclude in February 2017 when 100 blocks have been released.  The patterns are free for now and a book is underway, for Spring 2017 release.  This project is organized by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson--they used over 80 additional designers to provide many different techniques.  There are 23,697 followers on Facebook currently and more than that who follow on the internet here.

What will I do when this is done?  Finish a few more long-term UFOs that have taken a backseat for too long.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving, surrounded with those you love.  My husband and I will go to a restaurant but Friday I'm getting a rotisserie chicken so that cranberry chutney can be enjoyed.

Let's quilt!

Barbara