Cranberries

Sweet & Sour Cranberry Chicken Stir-fry

1 pound dark chicken meat (from the legs and thighs), cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
3 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 jalapeno, minced
1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into 1/4 inch dice
3/4 cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon Tamari
1 cup Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
4 scallions, green parts thinly sliced
canola oil for cooking
Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
Heat a wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of canola oil and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and stir-fry, separating the pieces, until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil is hot, add the ginger, garlic, and stir-fry until softened, about 30 seconds. Add the celery, red onion and red bell pepper, jalapeno and stir-fry until soft, about 2 minutes.
Add the pineapple juice, and bring to a simmer. Add chicken back to the pan, add the Tamari toss to combine. Add Craisins® or dried cranberries, diced pineapple and toss to combine.
Serve with 50/50 white and brown house rice. On a serving platter, make a bed of rice top with the sweet & sour cranberry chicken. Garnish with scallion greens.

Christmas Morning Cranberry Muffins

1 cup cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 egg beaten
1/4 teaspoon orange rind
3/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup butte or margarine, melted
1/4 cup nuts chopped
Coarsely chop cranberries, sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar & set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 F, prepare pans. Combine flour, 2nd measure sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & allspice. In another bowl combine egg, orange rind & juice and melted butter. Add dry mix to wet mix & stir to moisten. Fold in cranberry mixture & nuts. Spoon into pans & bake for 15-20 mins or until golden. Makes 9 large muffins.

Ruby Sippers

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup sugar
1 orange - Rind and juice
1 bottle sparkling white wine - (such as Italian Prosecco), chilled (750 ml.)
Whole cranberries
If desired, rub the rims of 6 champagne flutes with an orange wedge and dip in red sugar; set aside.
Pulse cranberries and juice in a food processor until berries are coarsely chopped. Simmer in a saucepan over medium heat with sugar, orange rind, and juice until syrupy, about 10 minutes. Strain; cool syrup to room temperature.
Pour 1–2 T. syrup into glasses, then top with sparkling wine. Garnish cocktails with whole cranberries.
Use a fine mesh strainer to catch the tiny cranberry seeds. Don’t chill the syrup—it will thicken like jelly.

Cranberry Frost

1/2 cup chopped cranberries
1/3 cup white sugar
2 large oranges
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 apple - peeled, cored, and chopped
1/2 cup chopped dates - (optional)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
In a mixing bowl, combine cranberries and sugar and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and section 1 orange. Finely chop orange sections; set aside. Squeeze remaining orange to make total of 1/3 cup juice.
Combine the 1/3 cup orange juice, cream cheese, and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Stir in orange sections, cranberries, apple and dates.
Whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold cream into cream cheese mixture.
Turn mixture into a 5-cup mold, 8x4x2 inch loaf pan, or into about 10 to 12 paper lined muffin pans. Cover and freeze until firm.
To serve, let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Unmold or peel off paper and garnish with orange sections.

Cranberry Pie

1 1/3 cups white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
3 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
1 1/4 cups cranberries
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C.)
In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, orange zest, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat in eggs. Stir in melted butter. Fold in cranberries, then pour into crust.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until filling is set.

Cranberry Sauce

1 pound (4 cups) fresh cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 whole orange, unpeeled - seeds removed, and chopped fine
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Sprinkle ground cinnamon
Wash cranberries and set aside.
Bring sugar and water to a boil. Add cranberries, oranges, and cloves. Simmer over a high flame, stirring frequently, until berries pop open. Add crushed pineapple, walnuts, and cinnamon, and blend. Cool and serve
Chicken with Cranberries
6 chicken breast halves - skinned & boned
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar - packed
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
Grease or spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Place chicken breast halves in the dish. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 25 minutes. In the meantime, in a medium skillet over medium heat, cook and stir onion in hot oil until crisp-tender. Add ketchup, brown sugar, and orange rind; stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in cranberries. Spoon over chicken breasts. Bake an additional 25 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Serves 6.

Cranberry Salsa Dip with Cream Cheese

1 (12-ounce) bag or 3 cups fresh cranberries - rinsed and drained
1/4 cup minced green onions
2 small jalapeno peppers - cored, seeded and minced (appx. 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves - minced
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
Cranberries and/or cilantro sprigs for garnish
Rinse, drain, and pick over cranberries, (discarding all that are soft or bruised). Place them in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped but not mushy. Place in a bowl; mix together with onions, jalapeno peppers, sugar, cilantro leaves, ginger, and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours so flavors develop (salsa will be too sharp and tart to begin with).
On a serving plate, place cream cheese; cover with the dip. Garnish, if desired, and served with crackers. Print this post