Holiday entertaining with Cranberries...Enjoy These dazzling Holiday Recipes from the Cranberry Marketing Committee

WAREHAM, Mass., Dec. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This holiday season dazzle your guests with the celebrated taste of ruby-red cranberries. While fresh cranberries are only generally available through January, it's easy to freeze them and have them on hand throughout the year.

Other convenient forms of the berry including cranberry juice, sweetened dried cranberries, and cranberry sauce. With their unique sweet-tart taste and striking red color, cranberries in all their forms are delicious, versatile and can be a great new addition to your holiday entertaining menus.

Whether you drop a cranberry juice ice cube into a glass of lemon-lime soda or add sweetened dried cranberries to your favorite family cookie recipe, the tasty and versatile berry is sure to liven up your holiday spread. Take your holiday favorites to new heights with these festive holiday recipes using cranberries.

  CRANBERRY POINSETTA

    Ingredients:

    2 ounces cranberry juice cocktail

    6 ounces sparkling wine such as Champagne

    Directions:

    Stir ingredients together and serve chilled.

    HOLIDAY PUNCH

    Ingredients:

    4 cups cranberry juice cocktail

    2 cups orange juice

    12 ounces lemon-lime soda

    Directions:

    Stir all ingredients together and serve chilled.

 CRANBERRY KISS

    Ingredients:

    6 ounces cranberry juice cocktail

    1 ounce orange juice

    2 ounces club soda

    Directions:

    Stir all ingredients together and serve chilled.

    HOT CRANBERRY PUNCH

    Ingredients:

    2 quarts apple cider

    2 quarts cranberry juice cocktail

    1/3 cup brown sugar

    4 cinnamon sticks

    1/2 lemon, sliced

    Directions:

    In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients and simmer over low heat

for 15-20 minutes. Remove lemon slices and serve warm.

    GRAND MARNIER RELISH

    Ingredients:

    1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries

    1 orange, peeled

    1 cup sugar

    2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur, such as Grand Marnier

    Directions:

    In a food processor, combine all ingredients until well-combined. Serve

chilled.
 

    ACORN SQUASH WITH CRANBERRY STUFFING

    Ingredients:

    1 medium-sized acorn squash, halved, seeds removed

    2 tablespoons butter

    1/2 cup celery

    1/2 cup onion

    1 apple, peeled and chopped

    3/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries

    3/4 cup cooked rice

    1/2 orange, peeled and chopped

    1 tablespoon lemon juice

    Directions:

In microwavable dish, place squash cut side down and add 3 tablespoons water. Cover and cook on high heat for 5-7 minutes or until fork tender. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and saute celery and onion until tender crisp. Add remaining ingredients and warm through. Spoon mixture into squash halves and serve immediately.

    CRANBERRY RUM BRIE

    Ingredients:

    2 (8-ounce) packages crescent roll dough

    1 (8-ounce) package brie cheese, rind removed and sliced

    1/3 cup prepared cranberry sauce

    2 tablespoons brown sugar

    1/4 teaspoon rum, Grand Marnier or orange extract

    2 tablespoons chopped nuts such as pecans, walnuts or almonds

    1 egg, beaten

    Directions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Roll out both packages of crescent roll dough. Place one of the sheets of dough onto a non-stick baking sheet. Place slices of brie evenly over prepared dough, leaving a 1-inch border. In a mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients except egg. Spoon the cranberry mixture over cheese and top with the second sheet of dough. Seal

edges by pressing them with a fork, and brush the top of the dough lightly with egg. (Discard extra egg once the surface is glossy.) Bake at 350 degrees F for 20- 30 minutes. Slice into pieces and serve warm as an appetizer.
 

    OATMEAL CRANBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES

    Recipe courtesy of Ocean Spray(R)

    Ingredients:

    2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

    2/3 cup brown sugar

    2 large eggs

    1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

    1 1/2 cups flour

    1 teaspoon baking soda

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1 (6-ounce) package sweetened dried cranberries

    2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

    Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in sweetened dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.