Four Festive Cranberry Recipes for the Holidays by Rachel Paxton
I love cranberries. They are one of the foods I like to indulge in during the holidays. If you, too, are a cranberry lover, why not stock up on fresh cranberries and cans of cranberry sauce during the holidays when they are on sale and save them for later? Fresh cranberries will freeze well for several months.
Cranberries are very versatile, and can be used in salads, breads, and even stuffings. Give these mouth-watering recipes a try and infuse your holiday cooking and baking with the taste and aroma of cranberries!
This first cranberry salad recipe I have made for our last two Thanksgiving meals and I plan to make it again for an upcoming holiday brunch. People love it and always ask for the recipe. It has become a new family favorite.
Festive Cranberry Salad
1 can (20 ounce) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 cup cold water
2 (3 ounce) boxes raspberry or cranberry flavored gelatin
2 cans whole berry cranberry sauce
1 medium apple, chopped
Drain pineapple, reserving all liquid. Add enough cold water to the reserved juice to make 1 cup liquid. Bring to boil, remove from heat. Add gelatin, stir at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Add cold water and let cool to room temperature.
In a bowl, combine cranberry sauce, crushed pineapple, and chopped apples. Stir until well blended. Stir in cooled gelatin.
Pour into serving dish and chill until firm. Garnish with sliced apples, if desired.
Cranberry Sweet Potato Bake
2 cans (15 oz. each) cut sweet potatoes, drained
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/2 cup orange marmalade, warmed
Place sweet potatoes in a greased 11x7x2 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cranberries and pecans; spoon marmalade over top. Cover and bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.
Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
2 eggs, beaten slightly
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup chopped cranberries
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and pumpkin, mixing well. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the batter and add the pumpkin. Stir in cranberries. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour.
Fresh Cranberry-Cornbread Stuffing
1 (8-1/2 oz.) pkg. cornbread mix, baked and crumbled
1/2 of a (13 oz.) pkg. stuffing mix
1 (lb.) fresh cranberries
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 to 1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme, crushed
1 cup butter, melted
Wash cranberries and drain well. Combine with all remaining ingredients adding butter last. Toss to mix and stuff lightly into neck and body cavities of the turkey. Truss and roast as desired.
Note: Use this stuffing with a 14 pound turkey or larger.
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What’s for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, gardening, organizing tips, home decorating, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.
Article Source: WAHM Articles