What's your fav? Canned, jellied? Canned, whole? Homemade uncooked relish- with or without oranze zest or booze? Homemade cooked- until the berries all bubble & burst?

What are OTHER things you do with cranberries? Do you make cranberry eggnog custard pie? Put them into your Sweet Potato Royale Casserole? Toss a few into your Holiday Caesar Salad along with pumpkin-bread croutons?

Give us all some good ideas!

I'm a fan of the cooked until all the berries bubble and burst cranberry sauce. It's so simple and delicious I don't mess with it. Now after thanksgiving there are several ways I like to serve my left overs. On top of a dark chocolate flourless cake. The sour and dark chocolate really go together. I also like to cut out little squares of pie dough, put a Tbls on each and crimp up the edges to make little mini pies. Lastly put some in the food processor with chipotle chilies. Then use this as a spread for a sandwich. 1 whole grain wrap, smear on some cranberry-chipotle sauce top with lettuce, haviarti and smoked turkey then put it in the toaster oven till the cheese melts and the wrap is crisp. It's heaven!

CRANBERRY NUT BARS


2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/4 cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
1/2 cup chopped walnuts



Preheat oven to 350°F. 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.

Makes 16 servings.




CRANBERRY CORNBREAD SCONES


2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup Craisins



Preheat oven to 400º F. Grease a large cookie sheet.

Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in medium bowl and stir until mixed. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs form. Add milk and stir with fork just until a sticky dough forms. Gently stir sweetened dried cranberries into dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead gently about 10 times. Pat dough into a ½-inch thick circle. Cut out dough circles with 2 ½-inch biscuit cutter and place on cookie sheet.

Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 10 scones.




CRANBERRY CHUTNEY


1 16-ounce can Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup peeled, diced apple
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons vinegar
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
dash ground cloves


Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender and sauce has thickened slightly, about 30 minutes.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups.



CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE TARTLETS


8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 16-ounce can Jellied Cranberry Sauce
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate bits
6 graham cracker tartlet shells



Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Set aside.

Combine cranberry sauce and chocolate bits in a medium saucepan. Melt over medium heat, whisking occasionally until smooth. Cool slightly.

Place tartlet shells on a cookie sheet. Spoon a generous tablespoon of chocolate mixture into each shell. Top with about 1/4 cup of cream cheese mixture. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the centers are set. Cool completely. Drizzle tops of tartlets with leftover chocolate mixture. Makes 6 tartlets.



Cranberry Relish

12 oz fresh cranberries, stemmed, washed & drained
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup walnuts
3/4 cup orange marmaleade
1 Tbs lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cranberrues in shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar.
2. Cover with aluminum foil & bake 35 minutes. Sprinkle with walnuts, recover & bake for 10 mins longer
3. Remove from oven. Stir in the marmalade & lemon juice
4. Put in jars or containers.
5. Cool to room temperature, cover & refrigerate at least 3 hours.

I grab all the fresh cranberries I can afford and 'can' my own cranberry sauce and relishes to last for the year, plush making some regular recipes like:


Cranberry and Dried-Cherry Relish

1 12 oz package fresh cranberries
1 cup dried tart cherries -- about 5 oz.
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Place 1/2 the mixture in a food processor. Using on/off pulses, process until coarsely chopped. Transfer to medium bowl and repeat process with remaining ingredients. Chill at least 1 day and up to 2 days, stirring occasionally. If you like a stronger cardamom flavor you can add it just before serving.

Yield: 2 cups

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Cranberry Salsa

1 1/2 cups cranberries -- fresh or frozen
1/2 apple -- peeled and cored
1/2 serrano pepper -- or jalapeno, chopped (to taste)
4 tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon Orange zest
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 Dash lemon juice -- or lime juice
1 Dash 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.

Yield: 1 3/4 cups

Sorry guys but I do not care for them at all.