Ingredient Title Chef Category

Cranberries are popping up everywhere

Time was when cranberries were popped into a pot of water and sugar and cooked until they popped and that was the last thought given to cranberries until the next time you roasted a turkey. At last the shiny red berries have come into their own and good things are being made of the colorful fruit. Did you know that cooking cranberries with red cabbage gives the cabbage new life? And that is a good dish to serve with roast pork, or ham, or goose. The tartness of cranberries does compliment meats but the versatile berries also add color and sparkle to baked goods. Annabelle Bressler of Elkhart, KS shared this recipe with us two years ago when she was "82 years young." Her recipe is for meatballs which she likes because "...they are different than ordinary meat loaf."

OVEN BAKED CRANBERRY MEAT BALLS

Use either canned cranberry sauce or 2 cups of your own cranberry sauce.

2 eggs, beaten
1 cup crushed corn flakes
l/2 cup catsup
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes, optional
1 small onion, diced fine
l/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper
2 pounds ground pork, chicken or turkey
Sauce:
1 can jellied cranberry sauce
1 cup catsup
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine first 8 ingredients; add meat and mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place in baking dish and bake 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through. Remove from oven; drain on paper towels. In saucepan combine sauce ingredients and cook, stirring frequently, until cranberry sauce is melted. Add meatballs and heat through. Makes about 6 dozen.

This recipe was given to me years ago by Marie Belja of Rolette, ND. Some people bake it in a bundt pan or an angel food pan which will make it cook faster, so keep an eye on it.

CRANBERRY CAKE WITH BUTTER SAUCE

Don't stint on the sauce when serving this polka dot cake.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
l/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole cranberries
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter
Butter Sauce:
1 stick (l/2 cup) butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup heavy cream or half and half

Preheat oven to 350 F.; butter 8-inch square pan. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and salt. Stir in the cranberries and then the milk and butter; mix well. Pour into pan and bake 1 hour. Serve warm with Butter Sauce.

Ruth Harris of Owosso, MI "...bakes a big batch of her Cranberry Bread at holiday time and freezes some to give away. The loaves, both large and small, freeze beautifully."

RUTH'S CRANBERRY (OR APRICOT) BREAD

This recipe calls for self-rising flour, which has a leavening agent and salt in the flour. Bits of dried apricots may be substituted for the cranberries.

4 cups self-rising flour
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups cranberries, halved
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1 small package dates, cut up
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup orange juice
Grated rind of 1
orange
l/4 cup hot water

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 2 loaf pans. In a bowl, stir together the flour and sugar. Stir in cranberries, nuts and dates. Combine eggs, orange juice and rind, and hot water. Stir only until combined, do not overmix. Divide between 2 loaf pans. Bake 1 hour or until breads test done. Makes 2 loaves.

This is a pretty dessert that can look very attractive on a buffet or potluck table. It comes from Rosemary Dietz of Hoisington, KS.

ROSEMARY DIETZ'S CRANBERRY CREAM CHEESE MOLD

Remember this from your youth? It is two-layered, rich, and is made in the refrigerator. using either a 12 x 8-inch cake pan or a mold.

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup heavy cream
l6 large marshmallows, quartered (or use marshmallow bits)
1 pound fresh or frozen cranberries
1 medium apple, cored and quartered
1 cup granulated sugar
2 packages (each 3 oz.) cherry flavored gelatin
2 cups boiling water
l/2 cup chopped walnuts
Green and red maraschino cherries, optional

Whip cream cheese until fluffy. At low speed, gradually add heavy cream (do not whip). Stir in marshmallows, cover and chill overnight to soften the marshmallows. Grind together the cranberries and apple, stir in sugar and set aside. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Chill until thick and syrupy (this can be speeded up by using 1 cup boiling water, stirring well to dissolve the gelatin and then stirring in ice cubes until it is thick and syrupy. Fold in the cranberry mixture and walnuts. Cover and chill until set. Whip the chilled marshmallow topping until thick and creamy. Spread over the gelatin. If you have children you may want to decorate with red cherries cut in half. The green cherries can be cut to resemble stems and leaves. Makes 16 servings.

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