According to cranberry research, 73% of Americans prefer their cranberry sauce jellied in the shape of a can and 54% of Americans serve their sauce sliced along the ridges made by the can. I am one of those people, I enjoy my cranberry sauce sliced along the ridges. I am a firm believer that there is certainly room for both. Regardless of your favorite way to enjoy the tart treat on holidays, let’s not forget that cranberries are one of best fruits to have on the menu year-round; not only are they tasty, they are a great source of nutrients and antioxidants.

Cranberries can be found frozen, canned, dried and in juice, so that makes it extra easy to use them in all sorts of recipes. The sweet tart flavor of the cranberry complements savory recipes as well as sweet. Cranberries also pair well with meat, adding just the right amount of sweet and sour to make meaty dishes shine.

They are not only packed with flavor but as healthy foods go, they are at the top of the list due to their high nutrient and antioxidant content. Cranberries are considered a “super” food. A half a cup of cranberries contains only 25 calories, and are well known for lowering the risk of urinary tract infections, prevention of certain types of cancer, improved immune function, decreased blood pressure and more.

Make Your Own Traditional Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 pound cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 tablespoons orange zest
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• ½ cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh squeezed
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ tablespoon cardamom
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¾ cup water

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, lemon zest, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, brown sugar, ground cinnamon and water.
2. Bring everything to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer.
3. Let the sauce simmer until the cranberries burst and the apples soften, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove the cinnamon sticks and let the sauce cool. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• Zest of one orange, zesting only the orange part, not the bitter white
• 1 full cup fresh cranberries
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Roughly chop the cranberries and set aside.
2. Cream the butter, sugar, and zest together until well combined. You can use a food processor.
3. Add the flour and extract, and pulse about 10 times, then run the processor until the dough comes together into a lump or lumps.
4. Add the cranberries and pulse just until they are distributed, but don’t process too much.
5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and combine with your hands. Work the dough until it is no longer crumbly.
6. Form the dough into a 10–12 inch log. (The longer your log, the smaller your cookies will be.)
7. Wrap the log in plastic, using the plastic to smooth out the dough and help to form your log. Twist the ends tight to seal.
8. Chill the dough for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
9. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
10. Slice the dough into 1/3 inch slices and place on the cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.
11. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or slightly longer if you like your cookies crisper. They will be turning golden brown on the bottom.
12. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes then move to a cooling rack. Cookies will firm up as they cool. Yields 28 cookies.

Cranberry White Chocolate Bark

(I may have shared this one before, but it is good and very festive looking, makes a great gift.)

Ingredients

• 12 ounces white chocolate, chopped or chips
• ¼ teaspoon orange extract or 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
• ½ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup sliced almonds
• ¼ cup pistachios

Instructions

1. Prepare a baking sheet or jelly roll pan by lining with parchment paper.
2. Melt white chocolate in a double boiler or microwave-safe bowl, stirring frequently. You want it to be pourable but not too thin. The chocolate will easily scorch so be sure not to overheat.
3. Add orange extract or orange peel and stir to combine.
4. Pour chocolate into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Place the dried cranberries, pistachios, and almonds across the surface of the chocolate. Move quickly so that the chocolate doesn’t harden before you’re done.
6. Place the bark in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour to let set and completely harden.
7. Remove from the fridge and break into pieces. Enjoy!

Holiday Fruit Salad

Ingredients

• 3 egg yolks, beaten
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks
• 3 cups mini marshmallows
• 2 cups green grapes, halved
• 1 (20-ounce) can pineapple tidbits, drained
• 1 (11-ounce) jar red maraschino cherries, drained and halved
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the egg yolks, water, vinegar, and salt. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens and reaches 160°F. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. Gently mix the cooled mixture into the whipped cream.
3. In a large bowl, add the marshmallows, grapes, pineapple, cherries, pecans, and lemon juice.
4. Pour the dressing over the fruit mixture and gently toss to coat the ingredients.
5. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.
6. Serve and enjoy!

Cranberry Glazed Turkey Breast

Ingredients – For the Turkey

• 1 boneless skinless turkey breast, about 2 pounds
• Olive oil
• 1/8 teaspoon ground sage
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Ingredients – For the Cranberry Sauce

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 small sprig of fresh rosemary
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. For the cranberry sauce, combine the fresh cranberries, rosemary sprig, sugar, water and orange juice in a saucepan over low heat.
3. Cook the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries start to soften and the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
4. Turn up the heat to low-medium and continue to cook until the cranberries burst and the sauce is the consistency of jam, about 10 minutes.
5. Remove the rosemary sprig, and any stray leaves that may have come off during cooking.
6. Mash the cranberry sauce until it is as smooth as possible, without large chunks of cranberry. Set aside.
7. For the turkey breast, brush the turkey breast with olive oil.
8. Season the turkey breast with the sage, salt and pepper.
9. Spread the cranberry sauce all over the turkey breast, making sure to cover it completely.
10. Roast the turkey for approximately 40–45 minutes, or until the internal temperature measures 165°F.
11. When the turkey is done, remove from the oven and let rest under foil for about 5 minutes.
12. To serve, cut the turkey into ¾ inch slices, cutting across the grain. Serve with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy!

Cranberry Mustard Sauce

Don’t leave out the recipes using canned and jellied cranberry sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 (14-ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
• 5 tablespoons grainy-Dijon mustard
• 3 ½ tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl, whisking until smooth.
2. Serve hot or at room temperature as a dip with chicken, ham, pork, or shrimp.
3. Yields about 2 cups.

Appetizer Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 (14-ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle chili sauce
• 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen, pre-cooked, cocktail-sized Italian style meatballs

Instructions – Stovetop

1. Combine cranberry and chili sauces in a saucepan.
2. Cook on medium-low heat, stirring until smooth.
3. Add meatballs. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally.

Instructions – Slow Cooker

1. Once the sauces are combined and heated, place meatballs in a slow cooker.
2. Pour the sauce mixture over the meatballs.
3. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours.