Tis the Season to be Cooking with Cranberries

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

30 Nov 2008 03:46 PM

You may be sick of looking at cranberries right now, but don't let your Thanksgiving hangover influence your taste for the tart fruit. I just got back from the grocery store where fresh cranberries are on sale $3 for 2 pounds. What a steal. I picked up two 1-pound bags and dug through my recipe book for ways to put them to good use.

Here are the fresh cranberry goodies I plan to make this week:

CRANBERRY CITRUS MUFFINS

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 eggs

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup tangerine or grapefruit juice

2 cups fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tins.

Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add this alternately with the juice to the butter mixture. Stir in cranberries.

Spoon batter into muffin cups.

Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 12 muffins.

CRANBERRY NUT BARS

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 1/4 cups fresh cranberries

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch baking pan.

Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl until thick. Gradually add sugar, beating until thoroughly blended. Stir in flour and melted butter; blend well. Add cranberries and walnuts, mixing gently just until combined. Spread evenly in pan.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool and cut into bars.

CRANBERRY APPLE CHUTNEY

Ingredients:

2/3 cup vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups peeled, diced apple

1/3 cup diced onion

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon allspice

Dash ground cloves

6-ounces cranberries

Directions:

Combine vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add apple and onion; return to a boil. Add remaining ingredients.

Reduce heat to low. Cook for 25 minutes or until apples and cranberries are tender, stirring occasionally.

Makes about 2 cups

Related Articles:

Cranberry Desserts

Thanksgiving Recipes: Kicked Up Cranberry Dishes

Crazy for Cranberries

Autumn Recipes: Apple and Cranberry Meatloaf

Cranberry Eggnog Muffin Tops

Sugar Free Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Cookies

Cranberry Turkey Burgers and Hearty Chop-Chop Salad

Cranberry Cracker Spread

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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