With Christmas just a week away during such an epic year, I have been thinking of what could make the spirit a little brighter and perhaps, a bit more delicious.
Enter the cranberry, or Cranberry Chronicles, as I have been calling it. This ruby red, tart and tangy berry is totally underutilized thorough out the rest of the year. Yet, when fall arrives, so do the fresh cranberries in the produce section. Apples, move aside. Cranberries take center stage...at least for a little while.
Side note - the extremely popular show, Sex and the City, gave the cranberry a fleeting, shining moment when they decided to make the Cosmo a featured drink throughout several episodes. This delicious libation is a mix of cranberry juice and vodka. So, as a small tribute to one of my favorite shows, and one of my favorite cocktails, I will share with you my holiday version of this drink and a little garnish that is perfect for gift giving, too.
May I introduce the Holly Jolly Cranberry-Tini!
So simple to make and so easy to drink, this little glass of cheer is sure to make your season a little brighter!
I highly recommend also making the Tipsy Cranberries. So easy to make and a great way to keep the refreshing flavor of cranberries
around a little longer. Simple recipe to add a special touch to cocktails.
Although these are soaked in vodka, the cranberries are a refreshing change to an Old Fashioned, too.
Moving along in the Cranberry Chronicles, in my opinion, you can’t have a holiday dinner without cranberry sauce. Now, I get the ease of opening up the can of jellied cranberries and plopping it in a bowl. It’s what I grew up eating on Thanksgiving day. Yet, I have to share with you this recipe for cranberry sauce. It makes the house smell amazing as it simmers on the stove and over the years, is the official kick-off of holiday cooking in my home. Give it a try - I promise the canned stuff won’t stand a chance after you taste this version!
Last but certainly not least in my quest for the best cranberry feature is my homemade Cranberry-Orange bread. This will truly put your senses in the holiday spirit! The smell of the citrus & berries mixed with the gentle accent of warm pecans will send your belly growling in no time! This is a great bread to bake for busy mornings or, most importantly, Christmas morning!
I had a lot of fun pulling together these recipes for crossing the Cranberry Chronicles bridge. Let me know if you try any of them as I like to think of this has my holiday gift to you. Really, I wish you and yours a safe, happy, merry, and healthy holiday season. This year has been one for the record books but we made it. Hug each other, remember to be kind for we know not what others are facing and let’s welcome the New Year with open arms (and perhaps a cocktail in our hand)!
Cheers!
Xo,
B.
