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It’s cranberry time. I have some “berry” interesting info about the all-American native fruit. Did you know that crans are grown in only five state –– Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin and British Columbia in Canada? Did you know that roughly 50,000 areas of cran bogs supply the whole world? Did you know that the cran vine grows in conditions that most other crops can thrive in acid soil, few nutrients and low temps –– even in summer? Just a little info there.

To recipes we go...

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Don’t get nervous about one of the ingredients in this recipe. My trusty produce manager tells me “not to worry” about the past September spinach scare. All’s well and good now –– I hope. This recipe uses dried cranberries, or craisins, as we call them.

CRANBERRY AND SPINACH SALAD

2 T. white wine vinegar (could use cider vinegar but white wine is more flavorful for this salad)

3 T. olive oil

2-11 oz. cans mandarin oranges, drained (save the juice)

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/2 c. dried crans

3 c. baby spinach, washed and patted dry on paper toweling or use a turkish towel

1/2 c. broken cashew pieces

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, 3 T. juice and nutmeg; mix well. Stir in crans and let stand (or sit) for 15-20 minutes. Add oranges, spinach and cashews. Toss lightly until spinach is coated with dressing. Chill 15-20 minutes. Serves 4-6.

NOTE: This recipe can be made ahead, except don’t add dressing until ready to serve.

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Let’s make muffins using canned cran sauce. There’s a surprise in them that makes them quite tasty.

HOLIDAY SURPRISE MUFFINS

1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. molasses

2 eggs

1 t. baking soda

1 c. buttermilk (No buttermilk? Put 2 t. vinegar in 1 c. measure; add milk to make 1 c.)

NOTE: Let milk/vinegar mixture sit for 5 minutes or so before using.

2-1/4 c. flour

1-1/2 t. cinnamon

3/4 t. ginger

1/4 t. ground cloves

1/4 t. ground allspice

1/2 c. whole berry cranberry sauce

Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or use paper liners. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar and sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add molasses and eggs; mix well. Stir baking soda into the buttermilk; set aside.

Combine next five ingredients in another bowl. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to the butter mixture; mixing well after each addition.

Fill each cup half-way with batter. Carefully spoon about 1 t. cran sauce on top of batter in each cup. Top with rest of batter, dividing batter between the 12 cups. Are you with me? Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

Remove from pan; cool on a rack. Makes 12 muffins.

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Oh my –– these are scrumptious cookies. You can make up the dough and bake them when you feel like it.

CRANBERRY ICEBOX COOKIES

2-1/4 c. flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. cream of tartar

1/8 t. salt

1/2 c. butter or stick margarine (not spread)

1 c. packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 c. almonds, finely chopped

1/2 c. fresh or frozen crans, chopped (If using frozen, chop while still frozen.)

1 t. freshly grated lemon peel

granulated sugar

In a medium size bowl, combine first four ingredients; set aside.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with mixer until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually stir in flour mixture till blended. Gently stir in nuts, crans and lemon peel.

Divide dough in half. Wrap each half separately with waxed paper and chill 30 minutes or until firm enough to handle. Shape each half into an 8-inch long roll. Wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper and chill at least three hours or freeze the rolls.*

Grease cookie sheets. With serrated knife, or very sharp knife, cut one roll at a time into 32 slices (little less than 1/4-inch). Put slices about 3/4-inch apart on sheets. Sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes, until edges are golden brown. Remove right away to rack to cool. Store in air-tight container up to one week or freeze.

*I like to freeze the rolls for easier cutting. Take one roll out at a time and let sit for a couple of minutes before slicing.

Makes about 5-1/2 dozen. Per cookie: 49 calories, 7 g carbs, 2 g fat 7 mg with butter, 3 mg with margarine, 28 mg sodium.

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I like “crisps” for dessert as they’re so easy to make and take less time to prepare and bake, compared to a pie. You’ll like this dessert.

CRANBERRY-PEAR CRISP

4-6 firm pears, cut into 3/4-inch pieces, to make 6 cups

1 T. lemon juice

1-1/2 c. fresh cranberries

1/3 c. sugar (can use granular sugar substitute)

TOPPING:

1/2 c. flour

1 stick (1/2 c. ) chilled butter

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. white sugar

1/4 t. cinnamon

1 c. quick rolled oats

pinch of salt

In a large bowl, toss pears with lemon juice. Add crans and sugar; toss well to coat.

Turn into a 3 qt. baking dish (9x13 pan) or 6-8 oz. ramekins; set aside.

For topping:

In a food processor, pulse flour with butter until pea-size clumps form. Add rest of ingredients; pulse until large moist clumps form, about 10 times. (If you don’t have a food processor, mix butter and flour with a pastry blender or fork to form clumps. Stir in rest of topping, making big clumps or something like that.)

Sprinkle topping over fruit; bake at 400 degrees until fruit is tender and topping is golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving.

Serve with vanilla ice cream –– m-m-m.

*If you don’t have a food processor, mix butter and flour with a pastry blender or fork to form clumps. Stir in rest of topping, making big clumps (or something like that). Makes 6 servings.

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I’ve printed this recipe quite some time ago, but it’s so good and festive looking that I don’t want you to miss out on making it. Bud’s mom always served it during the Thanksgiving/Christmas season.

MOM’S CRANBERRY CAKE WITH BUTTER RUM SAUCE

2 c. flour

1 c. sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 c. milk

3 T. melted butter

2 c. whole cranberries, coarsely chopped

SAUCE

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter (butter’s better than margarine in this sauce)

3/4 c. whipped cream (heavy cream)

1 T. rum flavoring

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Beat in milk and butter. Fold in cranberries.

Turn into a well-greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

SAUCE:

Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until butter is melted. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve warm over each piece of cake. Cake makes 12-15 servings. Sauce makes about one cup.

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May your Thanksgiving celebration include not only delicious and eye-pleasing foods, but prayers of thanksgiving for all we are blessed with, especially the love of family and friends.

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