The Super Cranberry
The Super Cranberry
by Kristina Arnold, owner of Cocina del Mundo (the world’s kitchen)
Delicious Cranberries!
To most the cranberry is commonly found on the Thanksgiving dinner table. Within the past few years the cranberry has become one of the most important “super fruits” on the market. Cranberry juice is used medicinally for its antioxidant qualities. Cranberries also have many more uses than just cranberry sauce, jelly and juice.
Cranberries are harvested in late autumn from bogs. The name cranberry comes from the American settlers, who thought the petals, flower, and stem resembled the head of a crane. It is thought that the Indians first introduced the cranberry to the starving settler at the time of thanksgiving. Most Cranberries are harvested in northern climes of the U.S. and Canada. 95% of the cranberries harvested are processed into drinks, sauce, and sweetened dried berries. Leaving the remaining 5% for fresh berries, or kept frozen for up to 9 months.
Medicinally the cranberry helps prevent infections and ulcers. The Cranberry Institute is currently researching the benefits of cranberries with ulcers, for anti-cancer, for anti-aging, for preventing heart disease, and preventing ulcers. Cranberries have been used for centuries to treat infections and illness. One of the most startling discovered in the research is cranberries can cleanse the body of bacteria, including E.coli bacteria.
Cranberries are delicious after the addition of sugar; otherwise they are very tart, or bitter.
Dried sweetened cranberries are the easiest way to add this super fruit to your diet.
Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies
2/3 c. butter or margarine, softened
2/3 c. brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 6-ounce package Craisins® Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries
2/3 c. white chocolate chunks or chips
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
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.
Cranberry Sauce with Cream Cheese
1 c. Craisins® Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries
½ c. Orange Marmalade
1 T. Grand Mariner or orange liqueur
¾ c. boiling water
1-8 oz. package cream cheese
In sauce pan stir together water, liqueur, and Craisins®. Simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes, add marmalade, and stir well. Reduce heat and cook for 2-5 minutes. Mixture should be thick. Let cool for 5 minutes then pour over cream cheese.
Cranberry Vinaigrette
½ c. raspberry or cranberry vinegar
¼ c. water
1 pinch cinnamon
½ c. honey
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp orange peel or zest
1 cup Craisins® soaked in enough water to cover over night
Puree ingredients in blender or food processor. Serve with salad or use as turkey baste!
Comments
Post a Comment