PECAN CRUSTED CRANBERRY CHEESE BALLS
8 oz Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups
3 T Cream cheese, softened
3 T dried sweetened cranberries
2/3 c finely chopped pecans
Mix together Cheddar cheese, cream cheese & cranberries. Form mixture into bite-size balls and roll in the pecans, pressing to help the nuts adhere. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use. Let come to room temp before serving.
CRANBERRY WALNUT CREAM CHEESE MUFFINS
2 sticks unsalted sweet cream butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, cold
3-1/2 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling
3 eggs
1 tsp Tahitian vanilla
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cups cake flour, plus 1 Tbsp
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted
8 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed
Preheat oven to 375. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, toast chopped walnuts for 5-7 minutes until golden and fragrant. Remove from oven and let the walnuts cool while preparing the batter.
Cream softened butter and cream cheese on medium-high for 1 minute. Add sugar in three batches, creaming on medium-high for 1 minute and scraping down the bowl before each new addition. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and almond extract.
Add salt to 2-1/2 cups cake flour and add the flour to the batter in two batches, mixing on low until just incorporated. Toss cranberries with remaining 1 Tbsp cake flour to coat. Fold cranberries and walnuts into the batter until evenly distributed. Scoop batter into a well-greased or paper-lined jumbo muffin tin (if you use paper liners, be sure to still grease the top of the tin).
Fill each cup 3/4 full. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with 1/4-1/2 tsp sugar and top with 3 un-floured cranberries, lightly pressed into the batter.
Bake at 375 for 31-35 minutes or until a skewer tests done in the center of the muffin. Decrease the time if you bake the recipe in a regular-sized muffin tin.
Yields:
Depends on muffin size, approximately 12 jumbo muffins.
CRANBERRY SALSA
1 1/2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 an apple, peeled and cored
Chopped serrano or jalapeno chili to taste (about a half a chili, but taste for desired heat)
4 Tbsp sugar
Zest of one orange
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Dash of lime or lemon juice
Dash of salt
1. Either grind cranberries and apple together in a grinder, or pulse in a food processor until coarsely shredded, around 10 short pulses.
2. Combine shredded cranberries, orange zest, chile, and sugar in a medium bowl. Let sit 15 minutes for the cranberries to macerate (soften in the sugar). Add cilantro, lime juice, and salt to taste.
Makes a little less than 2 cups.
HOT CRANBERRY FRANKS
2 pounds cocktail franks
1 can whole cranberry sauce (15 1/2 oz.)
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
Combine cranberry and soy sauce, ginger and mustard
in a 2 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil; turn heat down to
medium. Add franks and let simmer 20 to 25 minutes.
Serve with toothpicks. This can also be transferred to a
slow cooker after the boiling step. This can be made with
smoked kielbasa that is cut into round slices about 1/2
inch thick.
PEAR CRANBERRY SHORTCAKE
SHORTCAKE
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup currants or raisins
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup dairy sour cream
1 egg, slightly beaten
TOPPING
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg or ground cardamom
3 medium pears or apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cranberries
Frozen whipped dessert topping, thawed
1. Lightly grease an 8x8x2-inch square baking pan. Set aside.
2. For shortcake: In a large bowl, combine flour, the granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in currants. Combine milk, sour cream and egg; add to flour mixture. Stir just to moisten. Spread the dough in prepared pan. Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the topping: In a large skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; stir in the brown sugar and nutmeg until combined. Add pears. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cranberries. Cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes more or until cranberries pop. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Serve the shortcake warm topped with fruit mixture and whipped dessert topping. Makes 6 to 8 servings
CARDAMON CRANBERRY RICE PUDDING
1-1/2 cups water
3/4 cup long grain rice
Dash salt
1/2 of a 12-ounce can (3/4 cup) evaporated fat-free milk
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 cup dried cranberries*
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
Ground cardamom (optional)
1/3 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt (optional)
1. In a medium saucepan, stir together the water, uncooked rice, and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
2. Stir evaporated milk, honey, and the 1/4 teaspoon cardamom into cooked rice. Bring just to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until mixture is thick and creamy, stirring frequently.
3. Just before serving, stir in cranberries and, if desired, pecans. If desired, sprinkle warm pudding with additional cardamom and serve with yogurt. Makes 6 (1/2-cup) servings.
*TIP
: For softer cranberries, place dried cranberries in a small bowl; cover with boiling water. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drain well before stirring into rice pudding.
CRANBERRY SHORTCAKES
1 tube (16.3 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury Reduced-Fat Grands Biscuits
1 egg white
1/2 tsp cinnamon sugar
1 pkg (8oz) fresh whole cranberries, 2 cups, chopped
1/2 cup orange flavored dried cranberries
3/4 cup seedless sugar free raspberry preserves
2 Tbs sugar
1 1/2 cups Cool Whip lite
Mint leaves, optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange biscuits on baking sheet. Brush with egg white; sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake 15 minutes or until golden; transfer to rack to cool. Mix fresh and dried cranberries, preserves, sugar and 1 cup water. Over medium heat, bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring until reduced to about 2 cups, 30 minutes; cool. To serve, slice biscuits in half. Fill with cranberry mixture and whipped topping. If desired, garnish with mint.
CRANBERRY NUT PIE
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, cut in half
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 pie crust for 9” deep dish pie pan
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare an unbaked pie shell in a deep dish pan.
In a medium bowl, mix the cranberries, brown sugar and walnuts together. Spread the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pie shell.
Beat the eggs well and drizzle in the sugar while continuing to beat. Stir in the flour and melted butter.
Pour the egg mixture over the cranberry mixture in the pie shell. Cover the edges of pie crust with foil or a pie shield and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees, remove the foil, and bake for another 35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
EASY CRANAPPLE COBBLER
FILLING
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 large orange
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups fresh, whole cranberries
1 21-ounce apple pie filling
TOPPING
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter
2/3 cup buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Grate the zest from the orange and set aside. Juice the orange.
For the filling, mix together the 3/4 cup sugar, spice, 1/2 cup of the orange juice, water, and cranberries in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until the mixture comes to a boil. Mash the fruit with a spatula. Cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for five minutes or until the filling has thickened somewhat. Set aside to cool.
For the topping, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut the cold butter in with a pastry knife until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Stir in the zest. Make a well in the center of the ingredients and add the buttermilk all at once. Stir until just moistened.
Stir the apple pie filling into the cranberry mixture. Spoon the filling into a nine- or ten-inch diameter pan or a nine-inch square pan. Place scoops of batter on the filling in even rows.
Bake for 35 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the topping is well browned. Cool on a wire rack. Serve plain or with ice cream.
Why it works:
There is no natural thickener in the filling. The natural pectin from the mashed cranberries will thicken it.
CHOCOLATED COVERED CHERRIES
12 ounces of whole cranberries
12 ounces milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening
Melt chocolate chips and shortening over low heat, stirring frequently until melted. Dip cranberries in chocolate with toothpick until coated. Place on wax paper. Refrigerate until firm.
CRANBERRY BREAD PUDDING
2 large eggs
2 cups milk
2/3 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or rum flavoring
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 slices of white bread cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup dried cranberries
In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, maple syrup, flavoring, and salt. Whisk together well.
Stir in the bread cubes and cranberries. Let sit 5 minutes.
Turn into six buttered one-cup ramekins. Set the ramekins in a large baking pan of water. Pour hot water into baking pan to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches. Bake for 45 minutes at 350 or until a knife comes out clean.
Let cool in the ramekins. Once cool, use a soft silicone spatula to loosen the pudding from the ramekins. Turn the puddings out on individual plates for serving and drizzle with the sauce.
Baking notes:
Cooking times may vary substantially depending on the pan, the amount of water added to the pan, and the temperature of the water. The pudding will be done when the eggs set. The knife test is simple and reliable.
Can use little spatula to loosen the puddings from the ramekins, turn each pudding into the palm of your hands, and then reinverted them onto serving plates.
For the sauce
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Melt the butter in a pan. Stir in the cornstarch. While stirring and over medium heat, drizzle in the cream. Add the granulated sugar and stir until dissolved. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is thickened and bubbly.
