Interesting....this one is raw and served cold with tortilla chips.

Cranberry salsa BJ Irwin
1 12 oz package cranberries
chopped fine
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple with juice
1/3 cup cilantroÂchopped
1 seeded jalapeno pepper and chopped fine
¼ c. onion chopped
¼ cup green pepper chopped
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar ( or less)

We may end up with three different cranberry sides: canned, jellied cranberry sauce, Cranberry Jezebel, and a new cranberry relish recipe my mom wants to try. I almost made cranberry chutney too.

To celebrate the season, I bought cranberry ginger ale today! I love that stuff.

Teresa

This year I'm going to someone else's house - making cranberry chutney and cranberry/apple/lime salsa. I bought a 3 lb bag of cranberries at Costco....enough to make one more thing or I'll have to freeze a lb.

I'm making homemade cranberry sauce--easy recipe, right on the bag.

Here's a recipe that I've enjoyed from my cousin Deena... it's WONDERFUL ! Give it a try!

I'm not sure where she got this recipe, but I always call it...
DeenaÂs Cranberry Dressing and Apple Salad

To put in salad:
1 med red apple , diced
1 med green apple, diced
1 C parmesan cheese
1/2 C dried cranberries ("craisens")
1/2 C toasted slivered almonds
mixed lettuces

Put in blender and process:
1 C cranberries, the fresh, hard kind in a package (Ocean Spray brand)
1/2 C sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp grated onion
1/4 C apple juice concentrate
1/2 C apple cider vinegar
1 tsp dried mustard

Once everything blended, slowly ADD 1 C veggie oil to make an emulsion.

Pour on salad and toss. Sometimes, I forego the salad and just have spoonfulls of the salad dressing!
Yum!

ok, cranberry isn't the main ingredient in this recipe, but I take slices (querters, sixths, depending on what I need/have) of squash, put cranberries in the "well", drizzle maple syrup, and bake...

This recipe is just so simple, but everyone loves it.

-Grainlady

FRESH CRANBERRY-ORANGE RELISH
(source: "SuperFoods" by Steven Pratt, M.D., and Kathy Matthews)

One 12-ounce package fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained
1 unpeeled orange, rinsed and cut into eights and seeded
3/4 c. sugar (I use 1/4 c. agave nectar)

Place half the cranberries and half the orange pieces in a food processor (or food grinder) and process until the mixture is evenly chopped. transfer in a bowl. Repeat with the remaining cranberries and orange slices. Stir in sugar. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to serve.

I've canned the popular cranberry mustard (as well as canning cranberry sauce to have throughout the year). I've already given many folks both the cranberry mustard and cranberry sauce to have with turkey and turkey/ham sandwiches. Just made another batch of sauce yesterday.
One of the discount food chains (Aldi's) had Ocean Spray cranberrys for 99 cents!
Harris Teeter 2.99
Walmart 2.29
Food Lion 1.99
Such a range of prices for the same thing!! 12 oz.bags.

I also want to make some sugared cranberries to give out at Christmas, so they are in the freezer at the moment, as they only last a week.

Sugared Cranberries
Because of the contrast between the tart cranberries and sugary coating, the flavor of this snack pops in your mouth. The berries are steeped in hot sugar syrup to tame their tangy bite. When entertaining, serve these in place of nuts. For gift-giving, package in parchment-lined tins. Present with a small bottle of the reserved cranberry cooking syrup for the recipient to use as a cocktail mixer. If you can't find superfine sugar, make your own by processing granulated sugar in a food processor for a minute.

2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
2 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup superfine sugar

Combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring mixture until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat. (Do not boil or the cranberries may pop when added.) Stir in cranberries; pour mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving steeping liquid, if desired. Place superfine sugar in a shallow dish. Add the cranberries, rolling to coat with sugar. Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until dry.

Note: The steeping liquid clings to the berries and helps the sugar adhere. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.

June Lynn

I make red raspberry jello and set in fridge. Then I grind up an apple, an orange and the fresh cranberries. Then I stir in sugar. Then I stir in 2 packages of red raspberries, taste and sweeten a little more if necessary. Then I mix in 1 cup pecans, stir it all up, and refrigerate until set. You never even know there is jello in it since there is way more substance than jello. However, the gelatin holds it all together. This stuff is really, really good. I make mine a little tart, then offer whip cream to top it.
Sherry

I always make Raspberry Schnapps Cranberry Sauce; this year I'm adding cherries just to try another variation.

Cherry Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Ingredients
 1-1/2 cups sugar
 1 cup water
 1/2 Raspberry Schnapps
 4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (1 pound)
 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) pitted tart cherries, drained

Directions
 In a large saucepan, cook sugar, schnapps, and water over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add cranberries and cherries.
 Bring to a boil. Cook uncovered, until cranberries begin to pop, about 6 minutes. Reduce heat; cook 20 minutes longer or until thickened.
 Pour into a serving dish. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
Yield: 3-1/2 cups.

Interesting how many ways there are to make cranberries.
Are family prefers the berries cooked (we have lots of sugar bugs in our family), but I think they are a few recipes here that may change their minds.
Here is a photo of the cranberry bogs we saw in the Cape Cod area about a month ago.

Yesterday while browsing thru Foodgawker I ran across this beautiful homemade Cranberry Liquer-- the original recipe can be found on the posted Blog.

Just georgeous stuff-- it's definately going into a few favored Christmas Baskets !

Here is a link that might be useful: Homemade Cranberry Liquer

I think the first recipe would benefit from heating that cumin gently in either liquid or oil before adding it to the fruit mixture. Dried spices release their taste and fragrance best when heated, esp. in oil.

Teresa, does your cranberry jezebel have the dijon mustard and horseradish or...I saw another recipe...fresh jalapeno peppers without the hoseradish and mustard?

Now I also have a recipe to share, similar to Sherry's but no raspberries. I have made this for years and generally make it for Christmas but have made it for Thansgiving as well.

Cranberry Salad

2 cups raw cranberries
1 large orange
pinch salt
3/4 C sugar
2 cups boiling water
1 box lemon jello
1 box raspberry jello (or 2 boxes raspberry)
1/2 C celery, cut fine
1 cup apple, cut fine
1/2 C nuts (I use pecans), chopped fine

Put cranberries (washed) and orange (cut in sections and seeds removed...peel left on) in food processor and pulse until fairly finely chopped. Add salt and sugar and allow to stand 2 hours. In the meantime, pour boiling water over gelatin and allow to cool after stirring thoroughly to ddissolve gelatin. Add celery, apple and nuts. Combine the two mixures, spoon into desired molds and chill until set.

My recipe was so spattered with little dots of cranberries, jello and whatever I could hardly read it (slight exaggeration) but it has been used for a long time.

jude

I make a Spiced Orange Cranberry jello mold..requested every year no matter who's house we end up at.
Linda

jude31 - the 'standard' Cooking Light Jezebel has dijon and horseradish. The abominations (grin) have the jalapenos.

Nobody comes between me and my Jezebel.

craftyrn,
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I am making that TONIGHT. The best thing I've ever made with cranberries was cranberry-chocolate chip scones. Something about the tartness of the cranberries and the sweetness of the chocolate chips was just perfect.