By Cheryl Tallman
Cranberry up your Thanksgiving meal by trying some of these tasty and simple ideas.
1. Football snack:
Add dried cranberries to any nut mixture.
2. Salad:
Sprinkle dried cranberries on mixed green or spinach salad. The sweetness of the cranberries is terrific with any vinaigrette dressing and is a great compliment to crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese.
3. Side dish
: Add dried cranberries to your favorite stuffing, wild rice, or couscous recipe.
4. Veggie:
Sauté onions, diced zucchini and dried cranberries in olive oil. Season with a dash of turmeric, cinnamon, and rep pepper flakes. Great taste and awesome color!
5. All American apple pie:
Add ½ cup of fresh cranberries to your favorite apple pie recipe.
6. Treat the whole family to fresh cranberry sauce.
Here is a simple recipe that can be made ahead of time.
Easy Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients
16 ounces fresh cranberries
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup cranberry juice
1/2 cup fresh orange juice or water
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the berries pop open (about 10 minutes). Skim the foam off the surface with a metal spoon and discard. Cool to room temperature.
Storage:
Refrigerate, covered, for up to three months.
Age to introduce:
Over 12 months (cooked/juice/sauce). Over 18 months (dried).
Here are a few recipes kids - and grown-ups -- will love for dipping.
Creamy Cranberry Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
3/4 cup 100 percent cranberry raspberry (or grape) juice
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
Directions:
Place juice into a small saucepan. Boil until reduced to a syrup (about 3 tablespoons). Allow to cool. Add syrup to remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Chill and serve with a variety of fresh fruit slices.
Cranberry Mustard Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
1/2 cup jellied cranberry sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Directions:
Combine ingredients in a small mixing bowl, whisking until smooth. Serve hot or at room temperature. Serve with raw/blanched veggies, baked tofu, chicken fingers or fish sticks.
About the author: Cheryl Tallman is the co-founder of Fresh Baby, creators of the award-winning So Easy Baby Food Kit, and author of the
So Easy Baby Food
and the new book
So Easy Toddler Food: Survival Tips and Simple Recipes for the Toddler Years
. Visit Cheryl online at
www.FreshBaby.com
for more delicious tips. Permission granted for use on DrLaura.com.
