Cranberries

Cranberries those lovely little red berries that I love so much. I could eat cranberries every day, sometimes I place a can of whole berry sauce in the frig to chill and eat the entire contents during the day. I know, strange habit, but they taste so good.


Cranberries were first introduced to white settlers by Native Americans. The Native Americans used cranberries as food, as well as wound medicine and dye. The hard red berries were originally called "crane berries" by the early settlers who thought the blossoms resembled cranes heads. Cranberries are commercially grown and harvested in many states, one being my home state of Washington. WA is ranked 5th in the nation for cranberry production. Other states known for cranberry production are; Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oregon, and Wisconsin, as well as some provinces in Canada. There is also a museum in WA called Furford Cranberry Museum which offers unique collections of equipment and materials to the cranberry industry. The museum is located in Grayland on the coast and offers tours upon request.


Cranberries are evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines. The cranberry shrubs are found in acidic bogs throughout cooler regions. They are low, creeping shrub or vine. The flowers are dark pink with a very distinct petal. They are pollinated by honey bees and the fruit is a berry that is larger than the leaves of the plant. It is initially white, but turns deep red when fully ripe. Most cranberries are processed into juice, sauce or sweet dried cranberries. The rest are sold as fresh. What would Thanksgiving or Christmas be without cranberries for dinner.


Cranberries are grown in beds and irrigated to maintain soil moisture. The beds are flooded in the autumn for harvest and again during the winter to protect against low temp. Harvest time is usually in late September to early October.


Cranberries produce a chemical component which is able to inhibit formation of plaque which causes tooth decay. Cranberry juice also helps against the formation of kidney stones. Cranberries have proven to fight bacterial infections in the urinary system. I say drink more cranberry juice for it's health benefits, plus it tastes great.


Cranberry Sauce - As much as I love whole cranberry sauce in a can, you must always make fresh for Thanksgiving dinner. The recipe is very easy.


1 (12 oz) bag fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
I also add zest of 1 orange or sometimes use 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup fresh orange juice


Place ingredients into saucepan, bring to boil; reduce heat and gently boil for 10/15 minutes until berries start to pop, stirring occasionally. Place in covered container in frig until ready to serve. To serve; stir and place berries into beautiful bowl.


Cranberry Ice - refreshing and delicious


1 lb. cranberries
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 lemons, juiced
4 oranges, juiced
3 1/2 cups pineapple juice
1/2 tsp. salt


In small bowl, soften gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water, set aside. In a saucepan, add cranberries and water, boil covered for 10 minutes. Run through sieve. Mix dissolved gelatin with sugar, cranberry pulp, fruit juices and salt. Freeze in ice cream freezer.


I absolutely love jello, does it come from being a baby boomer? I don't know, but I do know that all the mom's of that era made more jello recipes than probably ever produced before. My mom, Dorothy made sweet to savory jellos and I ate every one of them. I think my favorite was the lime jello with sliced celery, cottage cheese and pineapple. Here are a couple of great jellos from my past which use our ingredient, Cranberries. If you search you can come across old copies of jello recipe booklets in used book stores. Enjoy


Strawberry Cranberry Salad


1 (6 oz) package strawberry jello
2 cups boiling water
1 (12 oz) package cranberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 (10 oz) box frozen strawberries
1 (8 1/4 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained (save the juice and drink it in your ice tea)


In a bowl, add jello and boiling water, stirring until dissolved. Cool until slightly thickened in frig. In your food processor grind the cranberries and add sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly then chill for several hours.


Fluffy Yummy Cranberry Stuff


2 cups fresh cranberries, grind in a food processor
3 cups mini marshmallows
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups canned pineapple, diced
1/2 cup seedless grapes, sliced
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
hint of red food coloring (optional, but it makes it pretty)


In a bowl, add ground cranberries, marshmallows and sugar. Mix gently. Cover and chill overnight. Next day, add the pineapple, grapes, pecans. In a mixer bowl, add whipping cream with powdered sugar. Whip until nice peaks form in whip cream, add red food coloring if desired. Fold whipped cream into other ingredients. Place in beautiful crystal bowl and enjoy.


Cranberry Apple Gelatin (sometimes it's hard to find cranberry jello, but I know Amazon sells it)

1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 (8 oz) size cranberry jello
1 1/2 cups cold water
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 crisp/sweet apple, peeled and diced
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
1 ( 8 oz) package cream cheese, softened


In a bowl, add jello and stir in boiling water until dissolved. Stir in cold water and cinnamon. Pour 2 cups of jello into bowl and refrigerate 2 hours or until thickened. Reserve remaining jello at room temp. Stir apple and cranberry sauce into thickened jello in frig. Spoon into 6-cup mold. Refrigerate about 30 minutes. Stir reserved 1 cup jello into cream cheese in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture over layer in mold and refrigerate at least 4 hours covered with plastic wrap. To serve; unmold onto a pretty plate and surround with mint leaves.


Cranberry Pineapple Jello


20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained reserve juice
1 cup water, boiling water
1 box (6 oz) strawberry jello
16 oz. can whole cranberry sauce
3 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
8 ozs. sour cream
1/2 cup pecans, chopped


Drain the pineapple, reserving liquid. In a bowl, add pineapple liquid, jello and boiling water. Stir until jello dissolves. Blend in cranberry sauce, lemon juice and zest. Chill the mixture until it thickens slightly, then blend in sour cream. Fold in the pineapple and pecans. Pour into a lightly oiled mold and chill until firm at least 4 hours. Unmold onto to pretty serving plate and garnish.


Turkey Orange Cranberry Salad


3 cups cooked turkey, diced large
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
1 cup celery, diced
2 cups large elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
1 (15 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained saving 2 Tbl. juice
1 cup dried cranberries
4 scallions, thinly sliced including green part
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped


In a bowl, mix mayonnaise with 2 Tbl. mandarin orange juice. In a large bowl, add all other ingredients, season with salt and pepper and mix with mayonnaise. Chill and when ready to serve place on attractive platter and garnish with parsley.


Cranberry Jalapeno Relish (from Sandra R. in Round Rock, TX)


1 cup red jalapeno jelly
1 orange, juiced
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
6 oz. dried cranberries
12 oz. package fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
3 serrano or jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely minced
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbl. fresh lime juice
2 Tbl. Silver Tequila (optional)


Place jelly in a saucepan with orange juice and cinnamon on low heat until melted. Remove from heat; add the dried cranberries and allow to cool. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to boil, add fresh cranberries and cook until first one pops. Do not overcook. Drain and rinse with cold water and roughly chop. Add cranberries to the jelly mixture. Toss with the onion, serranos, cilantro, lime juice and tequila. Salt to taste. Allow to chill for several hours before serving. You can make this a few days in advance.


Refreshing Cranberry Spritzer


Mix 4 parts chilled sparkling wine with 1 part cranberry juice cocktail. Pour into glass with ice cubes.


Cranberry Cider - a friend who owned "The Winter Kitchen" in Centralia, WA used to make this delicious beverage. Great on a cold winter day or take some in a thermos if you go skiing.


1 gallon cranberry juice cocktail
5 cups apple juice
4 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 medium orange, sliced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries


Combine cranberry juice cocktail and apple juice. Add cinnamon sticks, orange slices and cranberries. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Serve in mugs.


Banana Cranberry Pancakes


1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbl. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup milk
1 Tbl. melted butter
3 ripe bananas, cut into thin slices
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1 can whole cranberry sauce
Pure Maple syrup


Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a bowl, sift flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and powder. In separate bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk, milk and melted butter. Slowly combine dry ingredients with wet ingredients. Stir until flour disappears, but do not overmix. In a large skillet spray with cooking spray and ladle pancake batter and add a few slices of banana and sprinkle of dried cranberries. Cook until bubbles appear then flip over and continue cooking. Place cakes on baking sheet and put in oven to keep warm. Continue make cakes until all batter is used.  Syrup: in a saucepan, take 1 cup of cranberry sauce and add 1/2 cup of maple syrup, heat over medium until melted.


Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies


1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground fresh nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
3 cups Quick Oats
1/2 cup pecans, lightly toasted and chopped (I have also use Macadamia nuts)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In bowl of electric mixer, cream shortening sugar and eggs until fluffy. Add buttermilk and blend. Sift dry ingredients into a bowl and stir into mixture. Stir in oats, cranberries and nuts. Drop onto lightly sprayed baking sheets. Bake for approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to cooling rack.


Cranberry Sauce for Baked Ham


1 (16 oz.) can whole cranberry sauce
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup brandy
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbl. Dijon
2 tsp. lemon zest
2 tsp. orange zest
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
pinch of ground cloves
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped


Whisk all ingredients in saucepan and cook until heated through. Serve over baked ham.


Cranberry Cake


3 eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter, slightly softened and cut into chunks
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbl. kirsch
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbl. milk
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 cup fresh cranberries


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13 pan or 10" springform pan.  Beat eggs and sugar together for 5-7 minutes. Add butter, kirsch and vanilla extract, beat for 2 minutes. Add the milk and salt and mix for 30 seconds. Stir in flour and fold in berries. Pour into lightly greased pan. Bake 45-50 minutes for 9x13 and about an hour for springform. You may need to tent the cake with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to keep from getting too browned. Cool on wire rack. Glaze if desired; mix powdered sugar, kirsch and a little milk together to form a glaze. Drizzle over cooled cake.


Cranberry Pear Cake


1/2 cup butter
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbl. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup buttermilk
3 cups pears, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 cup cranberries, coarsely chopped
powdered sugar for dusting

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat butter and gradually add sugar, beating for about 5 minutes. Add vanilla extract. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition, scraping down sides. Beat in buttermilk. Gradually add flour mixture until combined. Fold in pears and cranberries. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10-inch fluted tube pan, springform pan or 13x9 baking pan and spread evenly.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 50 to 55 for tube pan, 1 1/2 hours for springform or 40 to 45 minutes for baking pan. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. remove and cool thoroughly and sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar. You can also garnish with sugared cranberries and mint if desired.


Apple Cranberry Tart with Rum Raisins - Years ago, I had someone from WSU Research and Extension office ask me for this recipe for WSU-Edu website.

3/4 cup fresh cranberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup rum
2 tsp. lemon peel
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup blanched almonds
2/3 cup sugar
8 apples - crisp/sweet
1 Tbl. all purpose flour
1 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 (10-inch) unbaked pie crusts (with 2 lattice crusts)
1 egg
1 Tbl. milk
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbl. sugar


Chop the cranberries and place in bowl. Combine the cranberries with 1/3 cup sugar and let stand one hour. Soak the raisins in rum for 30 minutes. Chop the lemon peel and almonds and combine with 2/3 cup sugar. Slice the apples. In a large bowl, combine lemon peel mixture, flour, cornstarch and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, add the apples, cranberries, raisins, rum and lemon juice. Fill the prepared pie shells and top with lattice crust. Combine the egg and milk and brush over the crust. combine 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1 Tbl. sugar and sprinkle over crust. Bake in 425 degree oven for 20 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350 and bake additional 40 minutes.

Cranberry Nut Bars


2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup, plus 1 tsp. sugar, divided
12 Tbl. butter, chilled
1 egg, beaten
2 Tbl. milk
Filling
3/4 cup walnuts or pecans
1 (12 oz.) bag fresh cranberries
1 cup water
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbl. butter
1 Tbl. almond liqueur


Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Crust:  combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar in mixer and add butter in small pieces to blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Blend egg and milk together and pour into flour mixture and combine until dough comes together. Divide dough into 2 equal portions. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.  Filling  place nuts in saute pan and cook stirring around until lightly toasted. Do not leave unattended. Heat oven to 375 degrees. In saucepan, bring cranberries, water, and sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until berries have started to pop and syrup has thickened about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter, add almond liqueur. Cover and and set aside to cool and thicken.


Coarsely chop nuts and stir into cranberries. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking pan. Remove dough from frig and work until pliable. Between 2 sheets of plastic wrap on work surface roll one half into a 10x14 inch rectangle. Place dough into prepared pan. Press evenly over bottom and 1/2-inch up sides of pan. Pour cooled cranberry mixture over crust. Roll remaining dough and place over filling. Trim away excess dough. Press down top layer gently to bring dough together. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove to cooling rack and when cooled cut into bars.

Decorating with Cranberries

String fresh cranberries on thin wire with a needle and use to string through outdoor wreaths, use on Christmas trees, lightly string through chandelier with evergreen boughs.

Place fresh berries into a long glass cylinder(s) about 2/3 to 3/4 way up container, then top berries with a white candle. Place cylinders on mantle with evergreen boughs and holly, threading French ribbons through with tiny glowing Christmas lights.


Fill beautiful china or silver dishes with cranberries, add sprigs of holly. Place on dinner table with French ribbons weaved throughout the table. Lightly sprinkle frosted white glitter snow flakes throughout table and add a few white votive candles.


Fill small crystal vases with cranberries, add Christmas flowers or top with votive candles and place lots of them on mantle, or dining table.


Fill a low glass bowl(s) 3/4 full of water, add 2 or 3 bags of fresh cranberries and floating candles. You can also add some holly or evergreen sprigs for Christmas. If using for more than a few days, change berries about every 4 days or when they get soft.

Make a beautiful ice ring filled with fresh cranberries and place in punch bowl with punch or use around a bottle of champagne or wine.


Bon Appetit

"We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment,

in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will

sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed."

1 Cor 15:51b-52