Tag: cranberries

Cranberries for the Holidays

I love cranberries. They remind me of the holidays, a reminder of winter coming and the bright red color just makes me happy. I also really like that they are not as perishable as most other berries and they last for awhile in the crisper drawer. Unfortunately, they are seasonal- it is a berry. And if you want to enjoy them in the spring or summer you will have to go with frozen, not fresh.

Many years ago my mom cleaned out her pantry and brought me a bag of dried cranberries. And of course, I loved those too. I put them in roasted brussel sprouts, roasted butternut squash and just about anything I can think of that would benefit from a hint sweetness. When you roast them, they plump up and provide a wonderful burst of flavor and add a pop of color to your dish. I even love to add them straight out of the bag into a kale salad.

Last year, I decided after the holidays to can/water bath cranberry juice. Of course, I waited too long and all the fresh cranberries were gone. So this week when I spotted them in the grocery store, I grabbed 10 bags- they were $1 each.

It is a perfect weekend for canning- the Thanksgiving hoopla hasn’t begun, the Vols have an away game and it’s getting cold outside which means if the kitchen gets too hot, I just open a door. I love canning when it’s cold outside.

So I decided to can my Bourbon Cranberry Sauce. I absolutely love the stuff and it is really just a cranberry jam. I make it throughout the year and I use it on charcuterie boards, on top of ice cream, on a peanut butter sandwich. I know it sounds crazy, but it is really good. Anything you can do with jam, you can do with this cranberry sauce. And if you don’t like bourbon, no worries- just omit it!

I tripled the recipe, let it set for 15-20 minutes and then filled the sterilized jars. I water bathed for 15 minutes and ended up with 18 half pint jars. Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas? Yep, cranberry sauce/jam.

Then I moved on to the cranberry juice. I know it is easy to purchase cranberry juice at the store. However, it is so nice to walk downstairs and grab a jar whenever I want it. And I know exactly what is in it- cranberries, sugar and water. No red dye, no acids or preservatives. Just cranberries. And I am pretty certain it will be a great mixer on the bar.

I used sterilized quart jars. Toss in 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, 1/4 cup sugar and hot water. I water bathed for 20 minutes. Four 12 ounce bags yielded 14 quarts.

So for $10 of cranberries and a little work, I came out with 18 half pints of sauce/jam and 14 quarts of juice. I think I will do one more run of sauce/jam this week…it really would make a great little friend, hostess or Christmas gift. So if you see a crazy lady in the grocery store piling bags of cranberries in her buggy- it’s probably me. I do not apologize for my love of cranberries. Just don’t try and eat a fresh one- trust me!

White Christmas Sangria

This is a bright, refreshing sangria and the addition of green apples, cranberries and rosemary make it perfect for the holidays.

In today’s world, it is all the rage to have a theme cocktail or punch at a party, wedding, or event. This is where sangria comes to the rescue. There are no rules to sangrias. You can mix and add whatever you choice. Usually a sangria has wine and some addition of a fruit and or fruit juice and a sparkling element. Red or white is always the questions, however when making sangria for a crowd, more people will go for the white sangria, that’s just how it works out. Even those that do not like wine will like white sangria. Generally, sangrias will have less alcohol content than a traditional cocktail, unless you add vodka or brandy to the sangria, and yes, that is a thing. I like the clean wine taste of sangria and can appreciate the lower alcohol content, so I opt out of the high powered kick of liquor in my sangria.

The wine- I opt for something I would drink, an inexpensive brand, even the big bottles (1.5L) will work. Obviously this recipe is for a white sangria so I would use a chardonnay or pinot grigio. If you like things a little more sweeter, you could use a riesling or even a moscato. Again, there are no rules!

The fruit- This recipe calls for diced green apples and cranberries. The red and green combo is perfect for the Christmas season. You could add limes, oranges, grapes, etc.

The sparkling- You could do sparkling white grape juice or sparkling apple cider. In a pinch, I have dumped in ginger ale.

Here is the great think about sangria, if you have some leftover wines from a dinner or a party, dump them all in and add fruit and a sparkling element. It is a great way to stretch the wine and use leftovers.

This wine features fresh rosemary and I encourage you not to skip this step. It does make a difference and gives just a hint of the rosemary essence. If you have fresh rosemary in your yard, consider “frosting” some to use as a garnish. Simple dip the rosemary into water and dip into sugar. Sit on a paper towel to dry.

I like to mix and store the sangria in a 2 quart container with a lid. I found several this week at the Dollar Tree and they are absolutely perfect. I whipped up 8 quarts for a party Wednesday night and ran out mid way through the party. I ended up pouring some white wine and ginger ale over the cranberries, apples and rosemary that were left in the containers and I am not sure anyone was the wiser. Improvising is easy with sangria.

I know we all have those large glass or plastic containers with a spout and that is perfect for tea and lemonade. Sangria needs to be in a glass pitcher or even a punch bowl. You want to get some apple, cranberry and rosemary in your glass and it is best accomplished in a pitcher or bowl.

For a downhome vibe, or outdoor gathering, I have put these in individual glass pint jars, mason jars, screwed on the lid and place on ice in a galvanized tub or cooler. For a fancier gathering, I would serve in a wine glass, stemmed or stemless would work.

If you feel like your sangria needs more sweetness, add sugar, splenda, agave, etc.

White Christmas Sangria


Ingredients


1 bottle white wine
I cup sparkling apple cider or sparkling white grape juice
1 cup cranberries (take a few and cut in half)
1 green apple, diced
3-4 springs of fresh rosemary

Directions


Mix and chill. Can be prepared 1-2 days before. Serve over ice.

Make this recipe your own. Sub cranberry juice cocktail and club soda for the sparkling. Add oranges, grapes or limes. The possibilities are endless.
Christy Young Goza

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